The Van Buren press., 1904-11-26
A Bachelors
U ndoing D .
BY STELLA c. MITCHELL I
Copyright, i,o., BY Daily Story Pub. Co J,

] 4 4 L
II form. glancing impaticntly at his
watch every few minutes.
All. here you are at last" and the
/ prettiest girl he ever saw rushed up
and thrust a heavy bundle into his
arms
There is only time to say, Tn glad
/ 10 see you as she raised on tptoe
and gave him a feeting kiss, then hur-
| ried away
| He stupidity watched her join the
rush for the ferry and she was lost in
the crowd before he came to his senses,
Then he thought Of the package and
ran wildly after her, and was just in
time to see the Christopher street boat
| glide from the dock.
Amid the crowd on deck, he caught
glimpse of a fiuttering veil and madly
waved the bundle over his head.
| Ee fancied she waved her hand in
| response. when there was sudden up
heava and the bundle came to life. A
kick in the chest and a dig in the eye
notified him that the thing possessed
vigorous legs and arms.
His knees felt weak and he returned
to the waiting room and helplessly sat
down
Could he be a victim to new meth
cd Of disposing Of superfluous chill
dren? But of course it is mistake y
he thought. "and no doubt she will re-
turn by the next boat"
Meanwhile the child, now very wide
awake was returning his cAtical stare
with interest "He seems satisfied
| Or she?" He wondered which.
The roguish eyes and ruddy curls
might belong to either and the blue
REFER and Tam O'Shanter cap failed to
enlighten him.
Papa, kiss Fwancis."
"A boy" he decided, as he obeyed
the command, given with the air of a
general. and received a very wet kiss
in return.
Papa bwing Fwancis somesing," I"
with IN artful side glance and be-
witching display OF dimples, calculated
to begule him, while two fat little
hands rummaged his pockets.
He could 70 longer doubt. After FIVE
years abroad in search Of knowledge
he had returned to his native land to
stumble upon a scientific truth.
II cOQuetry and tendency for in
vostgation were not born in woman,
she developed these traits az an early
age
One little kiss from pretty woman
had turned the head of this sensible,
| stad Old bachelor He went off into
sentimental frances from which he was
awakened by a plaintive sob
The last pocket had been emptied.
The child's eyes filled with tears and
| her lips trembled.
; "No tandy! No tandy!" she walled
reproachfully.
Ills heart sank, Plainly It was candy
she expected candy she wanted and
candy she was going to have
Ite looked helplessly about. Not
even a candy stand, or the usual boy
with his Bananas, apples, oranges,
. tiHUS dHb tut"luE sum
Sobs were audible and tears were
falling fast A storm was imminent,
when his eyes fell upon a blessed PEN
ny slot machine,
The first piece Of Huyler's chocolate
arrested the sobs, the click Of the Sec
ond penny stayed the tears and
brought smiles, and the next, clap Of
the hands and a gleeful cry Of "An-
nuzzer Annuzzer!"
When the machine had swallowed
the last penny they retreated to the
bench again, the man vowing to him
self that hereafter he should receive
change in pennies with cheerfulness.
Trains aud ferries came and went,
He anxiously kept keen watch on all
the people passing, but she for whom he
waited came not,
The stock OF chocolates was rapidly
diminishing, leaving unmIstakable
traces on hands and face, to say moth
ing Of the mans coat sleeve The child
grew restless and he realized that
something must be done,
During the lull between trains, he
sought the ticket agent and explained
the difficulty,
He replied crustIly' OTIS my busl-
ness TO dispose OF tickets"
He sauntered to the bureau Of infor-
nation and prorfered cigar to the
man at the window.
After listening respectfully, he suE-
gested checking the child in the bag
gage room, adding sympathetIcally,
that women were over prone TO forget
husbands, children and the fight Of
time In the Joys Of the bargain coun.
ter
Then he waylald policeman, who
advised him 10 90 home and "waIt for
the mIsNs there" He went into de-
tail, explaining how the child had been
thrust upon him,
The officer only wInked and laughed.
Pretty good story, that Ho' no! ho'
Why, man, II ycg must be told, she's
the living Image OF yourself"
ChurkIHg the child under the chin,
no wont on grInnng good naturodly,
In despair, the man went back to his
seat lie had thought nothing OF the
child calling him papa but II she
really looked Hike him
I tie dismissed the plan Of going to
the police station for very likely they
would treat his story az Joke or per-
haps hold him on suspicion IA q base