Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-08-28
The Tale of a
Feather DuSter.
By r. p. sUMMtRwtLL.


:, His first election night in New Yor
found him drifting and lonely, in tn
& midst Of the bowling mob that surge
around Herald square.
4 The horns, the tickling busters. tn
/, showers of confetti, the merry inter
mingling of class and mass, were al
too new to be quite pleasing expert
, ences. He felt interested enough. how
ever, to move with the throng and I,
take good naturally the many famili
arities OF the people near him.
At Thirty-seventh street and Broad
way he saw slim young girl trying
10 escape the attentions OF two over
jealous buster holders. He pushed his
way TO her side and the boys fed
leaving him alone with the lady, nc
longer IN distress.
She was young and OF an alluring,
limpid 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 thrusting of dusttr under his
nose was a distinct shock. He had
just sense enough to snatch II 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 10 Longacre square, where he
learned OF the defeat Of his candidate
Tor governor, then went home. The
buster he carried with him and. han
ding IL tenderly. hoped IL might prove
a means to dlspel the crushing loneIi-
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
ter never went any further.
The night OF the presidential election
found him once more minglng i'm the
swarming pandemonium that ragged
around Herald square He had the
buster inside his coat and was no lon
ger either lonely or listless, for he was
hunting for NJ. NJ. TO give her back the
buster.
He wandered up and down, reading
the conflicting bulletins, but always
looking for slender fairy OF a girl |
who had sat like a queen In his heart |
for two years. The great searchlight |
at the Times building swung due north |
to Indicate a Republican landslide.
while the Journals bulletin announced |
m overwhelming victory for the Dem
ocrats. Farther downtown the Herald
small but safe majority
Tor the Republicans, while according
20 white sheet at Thirty-first street
he same thing had befallen the other
party.
He wrenched a yard long horn from
IN impertinent Italian boy, was tickIed
~ lady In an ermine coat and re-
'eived a shower of confetti from a
German housewife-all In the SPACE of
lDout cen minutes. He no longer look
ID askance at the mixed merrymakers.
I was New York, and It all went"
In front Of the New Grand his atten-
ion was attracted by a gorgeous mo-
or car. on the front seat sat his lady
f the feather buster. There could be-,
o doubt. 1t was she.
He felt cold and scared. but he pulled
imself together and. stepping to her
ide. gave her the buster, handle first.
nd said Now, will you tell me who
on are?'
She opened her eyes very wide. rec
gnized him and the buster and started :
} speak when a smashing blow from
ne man beside her sent him spinning
fall with bis head against an iron
rating. His next sensation was of
ying through space. Then thousand
Ellis rang, lights danced, voices buz- ;,
I'd, and he opened his eyes on a .
range room. 1t was handsomer than 4
IS own, and beside him sat a nurse 4
oking out OF the window. !,
There was a calendar on the table,
wing the date as Nov. 10. Ii must be -
mistake. he thought-thls was Nov. ;,
election night. and yet there was d
e calendar. lie put out his hand to j
'aw It to him when the nurse turned. r
I'd he recognized the girl in the auto +,
obile. His head ached and his hands y
ook. but he was good grit. and when !,
met her bright gaze he said. Sou -
yer did tell me who you are" She Il,
ughed squarely at him. saying:
My brother seemed to think his an e.
'er quite sufficient He knocked You II
er before had a chance 10 say any y,
ing You ought to know who am -
yway. Ny picture has been on ia =,
er's desk ever since the day after ~
Il you In Thirty seventh street. and :.
2 boys told me who you were. IT oc-
rred 70 me then that he ought 10 ne
We one but You never saw II. / am NJ
lrjory Metcalf, your chiefs only fl
lighter. -
Tom didn't know You when Won
ought me my buster, and before | q,
I'D speak he knocked you down. We
'ught you home and have had a ter
lie time saving your life The nurse
asleep. anu ] stole into her uniform.
ylICse I'll hava IN ~ ,o.x- - =.