The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-07-14
The RssuH of a Case
Of School L0x,e.


VI tuc nhAps ~ WOuluu 90 TO give
her real name, for she was named In
honor Of one OF the western states aud
The parties TO this story might be iden.
lihed. Nor was Noble the name OF the
ensign, nor are any OF the names here
given real names. But that has moth
Ing 70 do with the story. Noble was
In fix, the most usual fix In the world
for a sailor-he had too many girls
He had only two, but II Is n question
II dozen might not be more readily
managed than two. II the two had
been In different ports the problem
might have been simpler, but they
were not They were-that Is, for the
present-in the same port, and that
was where the Prairie had Just been
launched.
Lucy Archibald's right and title, so
far as priority goes. were indisputable
She and Noble had been classmates Al
the high school where Noble had pre-
pared for the Naval academy and had
become involved 10 case Of puppy
love. Every one wondered bow Noble
could fancy her. for she was a trine
loud In appearance and glveu~to slang
To tell the truth. he was not badly
wounded by the dart that pierced him.
for instead of Cupid having sent II
Lucy had fred II herself. In other
words. given boy of sixteen and a
girl Of eighteen and the boy is putty in
the hands of the girl.
But Noble was noble in nature as
well as in name and wouldn't go back
on even schoolboy's pledge. This was
all very well TIL he met Camella Thyme.
a daughter Of an admiral and a very
lovely girl. to whom the young sailor
became speedily attached.
"What are you doing with your nag
up union down. Schuyler" asked
Lieutenant Mansfield just before the
launching.
Noble made a conndant OF his friend.
telling him about his superiority of
girl. Mansfield told him to take in his
distress signal, apparent on his counte-
nance. and try to find some way out
of the dilemma.
The state for which the Prairie was
named had presented the ship with
complete set OF silver tableware, and
as soon as the vessel slid out into deep
water and the shouting and the firing
were over invited guests went below to
partake Of luncheon at which this
service was used. Now, the captain
had commissioned Mansfield to have
loolxouts at the gangways and other
wise take precautions that no thieves
come aboard with the guests to get
away with valuables. Mansfield took
such steps to protect property as he
deemed effectual
Z A salute of champagne corks follow
ed the guns fired on shore, and the
guests fell to In disposing of the dain-
ties prepared for them. after which
they passed up the companionway TO
the deck. where they strolled about or
stood chatting in groups. Lucy Archi-
bald had captured Ensign Noble. who
was promenading with her. and In
stead Of looking happy the union
down" foated palmer than ever from
bis masthead. The girl insisted on TAX
ing him back and forth past the admi-
rails party. where Miss Tryne saw
them. wondered and wrapped herself
in mantle of cool dignity.
1t was about this time that some
fling happened. There we're aboard a
number of maidservants, dressed in
the conventional livery of black dresses
and white rufiied aprons. whose osten-
sible duties were to serve the ladies. |
Suddenly Noble saw his friend Mans |
field come up the companlonway with
one Of these maids and point to his
companion, Lucy Archibald The maid |
advanced and said to Lucy In a low |
voice:
II have to trouble you for the spoon
"What spoonT
"The one you took from the officers
mess"
"Oh," said Lucy. coloring, Il wanted
1t for souvenir"
People were looking when she opened |
j vanity bag hanging from her wrist /
1uN, tAAibS OuL a otANCl SpVVh hhhAANN
u. s. s. Prairie,' surrendered 1t to the
maid.
Now there was part Of this story
that Lieutenant Mansfield did not. at
least at the time tell Ensign Noble. /
Knowing of the mania among ladies' /
even of apparent responsibility to take
articles for souvenirs, he had engaged /
several women detectives. dressing 7
them in maids uniforms to watch. Aft /
or the luncheon they interviewed pri-
vately the ladies they had caught pill
fering and recovered couple of dozen
spoons and other small articles be-
longing to the ships new service,
Mansfield in order to extricate his
friend from his double girl dilemma
had made public example Of Miss
Archibald. leaving Noble to consider
her a thief The other cases Noble
was not informed OF
Even had Noble really loved the girl |
1t is doubtful If be would have remain
ed engaged to her after this episode.
At any rate. next morning Miss Archi-
bald received note from him break
Ing the engagement, and his captain,
coached by Mansfield, ordered him
away on special duty, so that the SOU
venir girl, as she came to be called.
couldn't get him again into her
When the Prairie went into commits
sion, Mansfield and Noble both being
among her officers. Mansfield told his
friend that Lucy was no more. of a
thief than n considerable number of