The Washington herald., 1907-07-29

His first election night in New York
found him drifting and lonely. IN the
midst Of the bowling mob that sUrged
around Herald Square
The horns. the tickling busters. the
showers of confetti. the merry iutermin-
Cling Of class and mass, were all too new
10 be quite pleasing experiences. He
felt interested enough. however, 10 move
with the throug and % take good-na-
turedly the many familiariues Of the
people near him.
At Thirty-seventh street and Broad
way he saw slim young girl trying
to escape the attentions Of TWO over
Jealous duster holders. He pushed his
way TO her side and the boys fed, leaving
him alone with the lady, no longer in dis
tress.
She was young and Of an allurlng
Impld prettiness. tnat made him feel
big and awkward and anxious about the
set OF his coat So absorbed was he in
her general charm that her suddenly
thrusting Of a duste- under his nose was
a distinct shock lie had Just sense
enough 10 snatch It and ask, Who are
your" when she ran away. over her
shoulder she called: 'TH tell you when
you give me back my duster." Then she
was gone.
He moved with the oapering- merry
makers up to Long Acre square. where
he learned Of the defeat Of his can3i-
date for governor. then went home. The
duster he carried with him, and, handling
it tenderly. hoped 1t might prove means
10 dispe! the crushing loneliness which
he had felt ever since he had left his
native town. He often wondered what
the letters NJ NJ on the handle stood
for
His days went about as usual. He
paid his lost election bet TO the other
young lawyer at the office. The win
ner's not treating seemed strange. At
home they always did-but in New YORK
everything was so different lie began
to get on at the Office. and once Judge
Metcalf. his chief. mentioned taking him
home 10 dine, but the matter never went
any further.
The night Of the Presidential election
found him once more mingling I'm the
swarming pandemoniumt that ragged around
Herald square. He had the duster inside
his coat. and was no longer either lonely
OF listless. for he Was hunting for NJ. n
to give her hack the duster.
He wandered up and down, reading the
conflicting bulletins, but always looking
for slender fairy Of a girl, who had sat
Ike a queen in his heart for two years.
The great searchight at the Times Build
Ing swung due north. 10 indicate a Repub-
lican landslide. while the Journals buile-
tin announced an Over twhelming victory
FOR the Democrats. Farther downtown
the Herald proclaimed a small but safe
majority for the Republicans, while ac-
cording to a white sheet at ThiTty-first
street the same thing had befallen the
other party.
He wrenched a yard-long horn from an
impertinent italian boy. was ticlled by
lady in an ermine coat, and received
shower Of confetti from a German house
wife-all in q space Of about ten minutes.
He no longer looked askance at the mixed
merry-makers-it was New York and it
all went"
In front Of the New Grand his attention
was attracted by a gorgeous motor car.
On the front seat sat his lady Of the
feather duster There could be no doubt.
it was she.
He felt cold and scared, but he pulled
himself together, and, stepping to her
side, gave her the duster. handle first, and
said, Now. will you tell me who you
are?"
She opened her eyes very wide recOg-
nized him and the duster. and started TO
speak, when q smashing blow from the
man beside her sent him spinning, to fall
with his head against an iron grating. His
next sensation was of flying through
space. Then a thousand bells rang, lights
danced, voices buzzed, and he opened his
eyes on a strange room. 1t was hand
somer than his own, and beside him sat a
nurse. looking out Of the window.
There was 2 calendar on the table, Civ
ing the date as November 16 1t must be
a mistake. he thought-this was Novem-
Der z, election night. and yet there was
the calendar He put out his hand to
draw 1t to hip. when the nurse turned.
and he recognized the girl IN the automo-
bile. His head ached and his hands
shook, but he was good grit and when
he met her bright gaze, he said: You
never did tell me who you are" She
laughed squarely at him, saying:
My brother seemed to think his an
swer quite sufficient. He knocked you