The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-08-08
Seeing y
VeSuviuS.
80. BY JAMES LEWIS.
copyrighted. 1901. by Mary AeKeon.
~. BY JAMES LEWIS.
COPYRIGHTED. 1901. By Mary McKeon.

| thirfy-e eight and was known to be fair
~ wealthy. He was a clubman in a
conservative way. He was also a
patron of the theater, but not OF
actresses. Now and then he made a
bet on a horse race or an election, but
he did not ride to the hounds or par
ticipate in wild revelry. He was a
bachelor OF good character. and why
| he did not marry was something no
fellow could find out.
Nothing is mystery to one who
knows. Mr.. CASTOR knew that he was
simply waiting for the right woman
to come along and arouse the ro-
nance in his nature. That he had
romance he felt quite sure, but that
the right woman would come he had
begun to doubt. He had prevented a
| girl in financial distress from leapin9
into the river, but she was older than
he and did not appeal to him. He had
stopped runaway cab horse and saw
| ed the woman inside the vehicle, but
she turned out to be bachelor girl,
| who coldly thanked him and said that
she was about to vault on to the
horses back and stop him herself
At a theater panic one night he had
seized prStty girl in his arms and
hustled hersout, but she had told him
that she was already engaged and haG
offered him dollar in cash for his
| exertions.
Between the ages of twenty-five and
thirty-eight Mr.. CASTOR had had at
least fifteen narrow escapes from call
ing up that slumbering romance that
| Il 20 u =
he had finally come to the conclusion
that 1t would have to be something
out of the beaten track and might
never happen at all.
How little do we know what day
may bring forth! On certain Sun
day Mr.. Gnston sat in the smoking
room Of his club and read the six vol
ume Sunday papers and wns, satisfied
and content. On Monday he decided
to sail for Italy and see the volcano OF
Vesuvius in operation. No one had
ever suspected him of a partially for
volcanoes. He had not rushed on to
the Johnstown flood or the Galveston
disaster or the Baltimore FIRE. He had
never been known to attend a prize
| fight or pay n visit to the morgue, and
he had once turned pale at sight of
bleeding finger on the hand Of club
waiter, but now he wanted to sail far
away and see volcano belching de-
struction for twenty miles around.
| Such is man!
Five days from the date of making
his decision Mr.. CASTOR sailed for
Naples. His steamer was not over
crowded. he would find plenty OF
standing room at the deck rail when
he reached port. This would be one of
the occasions when the front seats
were not reserved for ladies'. 1t was
two days before the old bachelor sud
denly discovered that there was an
extremely good looking young woman
aboard IN charge of the captain. His
heart gave one jump, and then he
| turned away. lie was of to see vol
canoes and not to look after comedy
women. Besides, the captain whis-
pered to him that Miss Dawson did
not care to make acquaintance on the
voyage. BY way of revenge Mr.. Gas
ton did not stare ut her Mt the table.
as did all the other passengers.
Four days had passed, and he had
met Miss Dawson face to face dozen
times, and neither had seemed to see
the other Then he passed her vacant
steamer chair and found her purse ~
| ing where she had carelessly left 1t.
Finding n lady's purse, whether on
land or sea, calls for immediate action.
Mr.. Castor was in search of the cap
| tain to hand It over, with contents I'M
| touched. when he met the young lady
| face to face and had the hardihood to
address her. She Mt once responded
smilingly Yes, II was her purse, and
she was under thousand obligations,
and so they introduced themselves to
each other and sat down for a chat.
She had told the captain that she
4 didn't care for introductious, but she
was willing to make an exception in
| Mr.. Gaston's case. Mr. Castor was on
board for the express purpose of going
to Naples to see a volcano humping
itself and hadn't expected to speak to
n woman en- route, but he was also
willing to make solitary exception.
There were many other chats. but
IL was not until the last day out that
Miss Dawson solved problem that
was puzzling the bachelor. She was
| going 10 Italy to claim large estate
| left Inv her grandmother. She had the
papers with her She was an orphan
md had no relative to come with her.
| and her New York lawyer ana her
mnidthad accidentally been left behind
when the steamer sailed. She must 20
to a hotel in Naples and wait for them.
though she would be in consultation
with an italian lawyer meanwhile, and
some preliminary steps could be taken.
The romance that had been buried
deep in the heart of the old bachelor
began 10 thaw out. II thawed and
dubbed and rose to the surface.
1t begot admiration. Mr.. CASTOR
1 wouldn't have made a wager that it
wouldn't end in begetting love. Tho
thing that was needed had come TO
/ LI. 49,. ~, ,rri,oI ~ NonIeS the