Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-08-31
A Bow OF Corn
Colored Ribbon
IorlelnaLl


A girl with an umbrella IN her hand
and reticule eD her arm was vainly
endeavoring to tie her shoe ON crowd
ell sidewalk
"WIll you permit met"
A young man spoke the words in
well moduiated voice and with a def
crential tone Then. without waiting
for reply. he dropped on eng knee on
the sloppy stone. regardless Of the mud
or the crease in his trousers. and en-
Ceavored 10 tie the shocsiring. Alas Il
was broken in the middle!
II an united shoestring 10 the street
Is misfortune. a broken shoestrinr is
a tragedy. The girl. seeing the state
Of the case. would have been appalled,
but for that reliance on the sterner sex
natural TO women. She waited for him
to get over the difficulty without In
the least concerning herself about It,
The gallant fellow looked at the bro
ken string. thought rapidly, then plung-
cd his hands into each OF his dozen
pockets From one of them he drew
corn colorcd ribbon that had bound TO
gether packages OF cigars. then. get
ting rid Of the broken shoesiring. be
laced the shoe with the ribbon.
There" he said. rising and standing
With lifted hat; shat viii serve till you
reach bone
The girl gave him smile and
Thank your and went on her way.
Grafton Hatch watched her retreat
ing figure till II had passed out OF
sight He was not conscious OF the
impression she had made on him: IL
simply occurred to him that he would
ike to meet her again. and when II had
occurred 10 him once II occurred TO
him again and again. Indeed he kept
on thinking so tili st last II became
a mania with him.
Months passed before he was re.
wardIed by another sight OF the charm
er Ii WIS sprlngtime, and he was
riding In an open electric car. A car
coming from the opposite direction
sped past him. and he had such n
vision as one may gain from a fash OF
lightning on dark night. II was the
girl whose shoe he had laced. and Ia
a buttonhole Of her corsage was the
bow OF corn colored ribbon he had
used for a shoestrIng
The fire smoldering In Grafton
Hatchs bosom at seeing this evidence
OF the impression he had made burst
into a fame. But the pleasure he took
In the discovery was marred by the
thought that living as be did In great
city the chances were that he might
never meet the girl again, or, IL he
did. possibly under circumstances pro.
hihltory TO his having n word with
her. The distressing complication well
nigh threw him into fever. lie sig
nailed the conductor to stop the car.
with a view to following the one just
passed. but on looking back saw that
1t was already far in The distance and
realized the impossibllity of catching
1t.
Hatch spent great deal Of time try.
ing TO conJure up method Of com.
municatIng with the girl who wore his
colors, but could think Of none ex-
eept a personal advertisement. and
from this he shrauk. Nevertheless. aft
er long period Of distress he tried ii.
but whether his ad. never met the
girls eyes or she did not care to reply.
he did not hear from her.
During the following summer Hatch
visited the seashore. There were d
number of resorts scattered along the
coast. and the place where Hatch was
stopping was separated from the one
adjoining II ON the north by au inlet
Ii was not very broad nor very deep.
but there was no bridge across IL and
unless a boat was handy there was no
way to cross il except 10y swimming
One afternoon Hatch went with party
of friends TO the inlet for crabs The
lines were baited and the crabs were
hungry. One of the ladies of tie
party, a girl who dotted on Hatch, got
crab within reach Of her landing net
she was trying 10 land Hatch as
well-but was unable 10 get the crab
into IL. She called on Hatch. who was
also In the act Of landing a crab, to
help her. Hatch was about 10 reln-
qulsh his prize 10 hasten to her as
sistance when. suddenly darting q
glance at party on the opposite bapk
OF the inlet who were gathering up
their nets and crab lines preparatory
10 departing he saw sight that !
changed the whole current of his In
tentions-the girl whose shoe he had |
laced, And still she wore his colors
Hatch took in the situation as gen
eral who pereeiyes that without a
desperate sorie his enemy win escape |
him. The girl struggling with the ciaO !
heard a splash and looking on the dis
turbed waters, saw Hatch swimming |
In straight line for the opposite bank.
She watched him till she saw him
clutch the bank draw himself up and |
dripping. hat in hand. stand before
girl with bow Of corn colored ribbon |