The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-03-11
| The Gentleman :
/ From Indiana
: BY BOOTH HARRINGTON
1 Cs>srisAf. 1893. " pouAle4s NCClsre Co
oessrsst 1902. ~ AOci<e. fssaaps Co
TcoSTINuED.1

At table in far corner OF the room
a large gentleman in a brown frock
coat was quietly eating his breakfast
and reading the Herald. lie was of an
ornate presence. though entirely neat
sumptuous expanse of linen exhibit
ed itself between the Iapels OF his low
cut waistcoai. and an inch of bella
monded breastpin glittered there like
an ice ledge on n snowy mountain side.
He had a steady blue eve and a dissi-
pated iron gray mustache- This per
sonage was Mr.. Ephraim Watts. who.
following calling more fashionable in
the eighteenth century than In the lat
ter decades OF the nineteenth. had
shaken the dust OF Carlow from his
feet some three years previously at the
strong request OF the authorities. The
Herald had been particularly insistent
upon his deportation. In the local
phrase. Harkless had run him out o.
town" Perhaps Il was because the
Herald's opposition. as the editor had
explained at the time. had been mere
ly moral and impersonal." and the ed
itor had confessed to a liking for the
unprofesshonal qualities of Mr.. Watts,
that there was but a slight embarrass-
mept when the two gentlemen met to-
day. His breakfast finished. HAIRLESS
went over to the other and extended
his hand. Cynthia. the waitress, held
her breath and clutched the back OF q
chair. However. Mr.. Watts made no
motion toward his well known hip
pocket Instead he rose flushing slight.
ly, and accepted the hand offered him.
Pm glad to see yor, Mr.. Watts
said the jourDalist cordially. And
also. IL you are running with the cir.
Gus and calculate on doing business
here today, I'll have you fired out OF
town before noon How are you:
You're looking extremely we'll"
"Mr. Harkless." answered Watts, "a
cherish no hard feelings. and / never
said but what you done exactly right
when / left. three years ago. No, sir
I'm not here in professional way al
all. and | don't want to be molested
I've connected myself with an oil com
pany. and I'm down here to look over
| the ground. 1t beats poker and fantaT
all hollow. though there amt as many
chances I'm favor of the dealer, and in
oil it's the farmer that gets the rakeoff
I've come back. but in an enterprislDs
| spirit this time. TO open up a new field
| and shed light and money in Carlow
They told me never TO show my fac'
here again. but II you say / stay
guess / can. / always was sure there
| was oil in the county. and l want tC
| prove It for everybody's benefit. Is d
all rightf"
My dear fellow" laughed the young
man. shaking the gamblers hand again
| 1T is all right have always beer
| sorry | had 10 act against you. Every
thing is all right. Stay and bore Il
Korea. If you like. Did ever you se
| such glorious weather."
4 TN let you in on some shares Watt
called after him as he turned away
The other nodded in reply and wa
leaving the room when Cynthia detain
ed him by flourish of her fly brush
Say" she said-she always called hin
"Say"-''you've forgot yer flower"
He came back and thanked her. "Wil
you pin ii on for me. CharmionT
Il don't know what call you got I
speak to me out Of my name" she II
sponded. looking ut the floor modify.
WHY" he asked. surprised.
Il don't see why you want to max
fun of me-"
Il beg your pardon. Cynthia" he sal
gravely. Il didn't mean to do that
haven't been consIderate. didn't thin
you'd be displeased. I'm very sorry
Won't you pin 1t on my coatr'
Her face was lifted In grateful pleai
l ure. and she began to pin the rose to hl
lapel. Her hands were large and re
| and trembled. She dropped the fiowe
| and. saying huskily. 'I don't know as
could do II right" seized violently upo
a pile of dishes and hurried from ii
4 room.
Harkless rescued the rose. pinned
\ ON his coat himself. with the interni
observation that the red haired wal
ress was the queerest creature in th
village. and set forth upon his holida!
Mr.. Lige willetts, stalwsrt bacl
elor, the most eligible in Carlow. an
a habitual devotee of Minnie Brisco
less turned in at the gate of the brio
/, house. ''The ladies will be down rigl
of" he said, greeting the editors Coz
finery with a perceptible agitation an
the editor himself with friendly shall
OF the hand. "Nildy says to wait oil
here"
There was a faint rustling within n
house. the swish of draperies on IL
! stairs, a delicious whispering. whe
! light feet descend. tapping, TO hear
4 that beat an answer, the telegraph
I message: 1--WE come, We comei "
0 are near. We are near"' Lige WI
! let's stared at Harkless. He had new
:. thought the latter was good looking III
. til he saw him step 10 the door TO tai
Helen SherwoOd's hand and say. in
strange. low. tense voice, Good NOR
ing" as il he Were announcing, at Il
least: Every one in the world, exec
us two, died last night. 1t is a solen
thing. but l am very happy"
o They walked. Minnie and Mr.. WI
let's, a little distance In front of Il
others. Harkless could not havs to-