The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-12-02
Doing Her Duty.

l know great deal Is salu ABOUT
talebearers. ! am proud of being one
of those women who tell people If they
arc being treated badly. If | near one
person talking behind another PERSONS
back | don't scruple TO tell the person
talked about that he or she Is being
mallgned. think they ought to know
II.
Last autumn | took my daughter
abroad and left her at school at Gene.
va Then 1 started for Berlin. ! got
into an empty compartment and walt.
ed TIL the train started. Presently an
Uldish gentleman got in With q young
lsh lady. They was very affectionate
-at least the oldish gentleman appear
ed to dOtc on his young wife, who
seemed TO be watching for some one
Then II yOunglsh man with black whis-
kers got In, took Il seat directly Oppo
site the wife, and she breathed easier
The door was shut by the guard, and
the train steamed away.
Ii didn't take me long to find out
that that young fellcr and that young
wife were fooling the oldish husband
The old one never turned his head that
they didn't look into each others eyes
lovingly. by and by he got up from
his seat, came to the window where
was and sat down directly opposite
me, at the same time taking u news.
paper out OF his pocket. ! never saw
such n fool In my life. If these old
men will marry young wives. why on
earth do they leave them In tempta-
tlon, I'd like to know? The poor old
husband never took his eyes off his
paper and the couple ut the other Size
of the compartment never stopped
tlirting.
| sat straight up and tried to frown
'em down. They didn't seem TO care
much for me, but once the young
hussy, when her lover put his hand on
hers, drew hers away, cast n glance at
me and whispered something to the
young, nHn. After that they both leail-
ed back for awhile and stopped their
fbolln'. But II wasn't long before they
was ut 1t again. both leanin' forward,
one Of his knees covered by her skirts,
and she didn't know that knew that
they was holdin' hands under 1t too.
! couldn't stand 1t any longer. The
husband was benevolent looking
man, and | symputhized with him
from the bottoni of my heart. BY and
by he put down his paper and looked
out the winder. | began by maxim
some remarEs about the weather and
the beauty of the country. He seemed
Inclined 10 talk with me because he
hadn't any one else TO talk with.
purposely directed his gaze TO the view
to be seen from the other window so
that he'd see whnt was goin' on. but
the miserable things heard me and
leaned back against the cushions.
There was nGthin' for me to do but
tell him. BY this I'd be doin' him
service and her, too, for guessed
there hadn't been anything real crimi-
nal between 'em. and IL the affair was
nlpped in the bud there wouldn't be
Jest as was maxim up my mind how
TO put him OH TO the thing without Of
fense the train wh2zed into tunnel.
The compartment was black as Ink for
awhile; thcn we shot out into bright
daylight. The old fool OF husband
wa5 settln' with his head thrown back
and his eyes shet The lovers was set.
tin back from each other, and flush
was on the young womnn's cheeks.
But what was that on tho black wh'"'.
ers of the young man? lnwG
powder from Off her face. yaw 4.
and knew that the whlppcrsnuppcr
had been takin' kiss.
At that moment the husband opened
his eyes. Would you believe It? He
looked at the couple unconcernedly and
then resumed his paper
What's that | whispered to him
ION that young mans beard?"
He looked at mo kind o surprised,
then at The young man. then back at
me, III don't see anything" he said.
Don't sou see the powder on his
beard?" rsHno ~
'I'owderl No" ru
"Well, declare! Where's your eyes
That young mans got powder on hlS,
beard ana his coat collar, and II could
have only come from your wife's face"
The old man looked again mt the pow
der then at me- then back at the cou.
pie. Then, looking at the young man,
he said iierccly:
"You kissed her, slrw
what business IL that of yours?'
retorted the other In II harsh voice.
"She is no longer yours. She is mine.'
'lours. sir"
"Yes. mine"
"Since when"
"At high noon today"
"By what authurltyT
"a certificate of marriage"
! thought they We're going to kin each
other, when the young woman, blush.
ing red all the time, burst into laugh
"Oh, father" she said, you are always
so droll What are you up to now2r
Oh, my goodness gracious! He wns
hor father! What blunder!
This lady" continued the old man.
"has pointed out the evidence of your
guilt LoGS at your coat collar
There's face powder on It," 4sro1
The young woman laughed and dust
ed the powder off with the tips of her