Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-09-05


to ? young lady to whom you had not been
introluced?"
We poets often do bold things" he re-
piled evasively, and | think Dora-er-
MISS Westwick. ] mean. has forgiven mo
by this time"
II have returned Dora promptly, and
then changed the subject by Offering her
admirer some cake.
The inevitable happened in due course.
When Reggie Blake was promoted II the
position OF assistant cashier, and was noti-
fled that a substantial increase in salary
would his new dignity. he
took his courage in both hands" as our
Gallo friends would say. and asked Dora
Westwick to be his wife.
You know that | have loved you ever
since that evening on the bridge he sad.
as ne took her hand in his.
Dora poute1 dclicirusiy.
only since them she whispered. q
| thought it dated from the hour when
You saw he Face in the Crowd'?''
"Oh. ah. yes, Of course stammered
Blake, turning scarlet. "That remark
about the bridge was a clerical error. as
we say at the bank But. darling. we can
afford to ignore such tritles now, for IL
want you to be my wife
The hand that lay in Reggie's palm
tw.ned lovingly round il, and he knew tina;
he had gained his hearts desire on that
Surnme night.
Throughout the ~haicyon lays of the en-
| gagment period thai cnsued, Reggie Blake
.-ad resolved time afrer time to tell his
tianCce :he truth regarding the poem. but
- words died unspoicn on his lips. for
a. could not bring himself to voice the
syllables of disillusi>A. and to inform tho
girl OF his heart tlat he had written no
a%crostic in her horror, and that size was
,,.tA.. A-..f, + II,
thinking so. In fact. it was not until they
had been duly married. at Baymcad church
and We're enjoying the first days of the
honeymoon beside the sea az Jersey, that
he iou.d courage to speak.
They We're sitting in a remote corner OF
the pier, hearsen!ng TO the strains OF the
band as it diacoursed pleasant melodies
from San Toy" Presently Reggie OBJ
served in Il low voice:
Dazzling. l want to tell you a secret. ]
meant 20 have told YOU long ago. but
somehow | had rot the-the courage"
She looked up with a quick glance.
"A secret"' she echoed. Nothing very
shocking. l hope
We'll. it depends entirely upon the point
of view. To me il seems trivial enough
1t may appear otherwise to you
"Oh. Reg. how mysterious you are, Have
YOU been robbing the bank, or what:"
He laughed ligntly.
No; l haven't aspired yet to criminal
hcnors." he replied. and my secret has
nothing whatever to do with the bank. II
concerns yoli-and-and the acrostic."
Me and tire acrostic?"
Yes. Dora. you'll think me all sort of
bad gaings when | tell YOU that 1 have
written no a~crostic on your name. or or
anybody else's. The verses headed y
Face Ia the Crowd were addressed to an
imaginary person
An imaginary person? oh, Reggie.
what nonsense. You are only trying tc
| tease me-"
II assure YOU. dearest. it Is the living
truth. | was awfully puzzled at the time
when you wrote and said that ! had COM
posed an a%crostic on Your name, hut YOU
were $3.50 charming and sweet that ]
had not the heart to disillusion YOU"
But l DON'T can't understand. See.
here is the poem. | have carried it in my
initial letters of the lines, and see if l am
not right
She handed him the cutting from tho
Baymead Argus as she spoke. Reggie
Flake stared at the poem beneath the yell
low light OF The per lamp, and then sasped
out:
Great Scott. You are right. Well. OF
all the extraordinary, mysterious and in
explicable condolences. this is the most
extraordinary. the most mysterious, and
the most ineXplicahle. Dora Westwick".
the mystery is a mystery no longer"
There was a long pause. Reggie was sit
ting in amazed wonder. asking himself
what unknown power had guided his hand
to trace this unconscious acrostic, while
Dora was regarding him with eyes that
held similar establishment.
1T seems far more like a fairy tale than
real life" she said at length.
He threw his arm around her waist.
drawing her nearer to himself.
Yes" he replied. Just like a fairy tale,
and the good fairies who brought us to-
gether We're Chance and
And the acrostic.' whispered Dora.
| with a satisfied smile.
God bless the acrostic!'' said Reggie.
fervently, and never was blessing more
heartfelt-more sincere.