River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-04-11
A Fruitless Infatuation
BY L. w. HansheW
BY 7. w. Hanshew
Copyright. by Joseph 3. Bowles.)

was, as usual, present" and this put
an idea into his head.
He dressed himself in his Bond
street best and few to Coney by spe-
cially-chartered trolley. If she was
there he caught no glimpse of her,
however; but that did not deter him
from going again the next day, and
the next, and the next after that, I'M
til another week had gone and Despair
sat once more upon the heartstone OF
his Hopes.
BY this time he had become con-
vinced that search for her in this
particular section Of the universe was
as unlikely to produce the desired re-
suit as watching the stage door of
the Hippodrome had been, and he had
just made up his mind to abandon the
field when something happened which
sent a sort of electrical shock zig
tagging up and down his spinal col
umn.
It was merely the passing Of a
young woman-a very gaudily-dressed,
strident-voiced young woman who, in
endeavoring to get by him in the
crowd and join some other gaudily-
dressed young women who had gone
on in advance, had managed to catch
the lace fiounce of her parasol in the
prongs of his jeweled scarf pin
And it was here that Charleston
ton of time her hands had been busy
tugging at the lace. he had seen
sparkling on her wrist the indentical
jeweled bracelet he had sent to La
Papillfon in the early days of his in
fatuation.
Charleston waited until she was
near the door and then walked for
ward and met her
We'll, I've run you down you see, !"
said Charleston, severely. Il hope
you know, young woman, that it's a
criminal offense to be found in pos
session Of stolen property"
Il didn't steal anything"
'I'll know more about that when I
have confronted you with the person
to whom I gave the bracelet you are
wearing and heard FROM her whether
she has lost it or not"
"She hasn't lost it, I tell yer. She
lent it to me-she always lends it to
me-"
I'll believe that when I hear her
say so"
4 tell yer she won't see yer. Now
let it go at that"
Look heren she said, laying a
shaking hand in Charleston sleeve.
"She's in there now gettin' ready for
her turn I know, for I'd ought tc
been here half an hour ago to help
with her clothes. Now, if [ go ag'in
orders and take you behind and let
you speak to her will you take your
solemn oath not to say I stole the
things and not to prosecute nor moth
in? Will yer?"
Charleston thought of nothing,
cared for nothing, but the chance to
speak with Her-the one Her" in all
the world for him-and let his hand
slide from the woman's shoulder.
YES he said, eagerly. Yes, I
will"
Her hand closed tighter on his
sleeve she half led, half raced him
along the pavement and in through
the stage entrance, and thence, by
dusty stairs and winding ways lit by
dimly- burning, wire-hooded gas jets
to room beneath the stage. The
door was closed. She pushed it open
and drew Charleston in.
The lights were burning brightly
enough here. All round the room hung
the costumes Charleston now knew
by heart and, at the far end, where a
wig of long light hair hung on a peg.
a young fellow of two or three
and twenty was shaving himself be.
fore a little mirror propped up on the
dressing-room shelf.
The mirror reflected the face Of the
woman as she entered, and the man,
catching a glimpse of it. drew the
razor along his Jaw and sang out
cheerily, Hello. Mag! What the dick
ems kept yer?"
The shaver turned across the mar.
row room.
'This KEEP mel" said Mag" push
ing Charleston forward He was
goin' to have me pinched for wearin'
that bracelet, Jimmy-as though a
woman amt got right to wear what's
gave to her husband, if he lets herr"
Gee! it's the English mug" he
said. "And we'd been off to Cincin'
natl next week. Well, I guess you
know now. Petey, that your tempera-
ment and mine amt of the hitchin'
kind, but if ever you give this snap
away, I'll break your whole face-un-
derstand?"
Charleston said nothing. He mere
~ opened the door and went quietly
away.
That was 1906, this is 1907 He is
still in the market and her grace. the
DUCHESS of Effinghurst (nee Miss
Sadie Pettifer) has hired his ancestral
halls as a winter residence for her
former nurse.