The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-09-11
The Tale of a
Feather DuSter.
Copyrighted, 1907. by NJ. M. Cunningham,
ByF. p. SUMMERwELL.


Iningiing Of class and mass, were all |
TOO new to be quite pleasing expert. |
ences. He felt interested enough, how |
ever, to move with the throng and to |
take good nAturedly the many famili-
arities of the people near him
At Thirty street and Broad
way he saw a slim young girl trying
TO escape the attentions Of two over
Jealous buster holders. He pushed his
way to her side anI the boys fed,
leaving him alone with the lady, no
longer In distress.
She was young and Of an alluring,
llmpid prettIness that made him feel
big and awkward and anxious about
the set OF his coat. So absorbed was
he IN her general charm that her sud
denly thrustlng of a buster under his
nose was distinct shock. He had
just sense enough to snatch 1t and ask,
who are your" when she ran away.
Over her shoulder she called, ''I'll tell
you when you give me back my dust
err" Then she was gone.
He moved with the capering merry.
makers up to Longacre square, where he
learned OF the defeat OF his candidate
for governor. then went home The
duster he carried with him and, han
ding IT tenderly. hoped 1t might prove
means to dispel the crushing loneli-
ness 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 debut in New
York everything was so different. He
began to get ON at the office, and once
Judge Metcalf, his chief, mentioned
taking him home TO dine, but the mat
bsF never went any further
| The night Of the presidential election
found him once more mingllng In the
swarmlng pandemonium that ragged
around Herald square He had the
buster inside his coat and was no Ion
ger either lonely or llstless, for he was
hunting for NJ. NJ. to give her back the
duster
Tie wandered up and down, reading
the conflicting bulletins, but always
looking for IA slender fairy Of girl
who had sat like queen In his heart
for two years. The great searchlight
at the Times building swung due north
to Indicate Republican landslide,
while the Journals bulletin announced
an Overwhelming victory for the Dem
Ocrats. Farther downtown the Herald
proclaimed a small but safe majority
for the Republicans, while according
TO a white sheet ut Thlrty-flrst street
the same thing had befallen the other
party.
He wrenched n yard long horn from
an impertlnent italian boy was tickled
by a lady In an ermlne coat and re-
ceived a shower of confetti from a
German housewife all In the space Of
About ten minutes He no longer look
ed askance at the mixed merrymakers.
II was New York. and It all went"
In front OF the New Grand his atten.
ton was attracted by gorgeous mo-
tor car On the front seat sat his lady
of the feather buster. There could be-
no doubt II was she
He felt cold and scared, but he pulled
himself together and. stepping TO her
side. gave her the buster. handle first,
and said. "Now, viii You tell me who
! you aref"
She opened her eyes very wide, rec.
Ognizcd him and the buster aud started
, TO speak when smashing blow from
the man beside her sent him spinning
to fall with his head against an Iron
grating Ills next sensation was OF
, flying through space, Then thousand
bells rang, lights danced, voices bur,
xed and he opened his eyes on q
strange room II was handsomer than
his own, and beside him sat nurse
looking ont OF the window
There was calendar ON the table
giving the date as Nov. l6. II must be
mistake. he thOnght--thls was Nov
: I. election night and yet there was
!. the calendar. He put out his hand Il
Z draw II TO him when the nurse turned
r and he recognized the girl In the auto
mobile, His head ached and his hands
n shook, but he was good grit. and wher
!, he met her bright gaze he said, 'sYoU
never did tell me who YOU are" She
laughed sauarely ut him. saying:
"My brother seemed to think his an
: swer quite sufficient Tie knocked yoJ
. over before had chance TO say any
}. thing. You ought to know who an
8 anyway My picture has been ON IA
!. TIERS desk ever since the day after !
!, met you in Thirty street. and
the boys told me who you We're. II o.
curred to me then that he ought Il
have one, but yoa never saw Il. an
Mariory Mctcalf, your chiefs only
u daughter.
= Tom didn't know you when yor
Il brought me my duster. and hcfore
o could speak he knocked you down. w,
/. brought you home and have had a ter
: uhle time saving your life Tho nurss
Is asieep, and I stole into her uniform
guess I'll have to go now or sh,
might not like II"
He caught her dlmpled hand ana per