Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-07-31
The LOST WATCH.

The LOST WATCH.
Harsh speeches are an evil brood of
chickens that always come home to
roost." On the morning after she had
flung the betrotbal ring on the floor and
dashed out of the room, leaving young
Ausiey alone with his CONSERVATION, the
words occurred to Joyce 0ldfeld as an
appalling truism, The packet the post.
man had just placed IN her hands bore
a distinctly ofninous and hateful aspect;
it was so fatally like the one she had
mailed less than week ago. Tearing
off the paper with quivering fingers, she
leaned weakly against the door casing
and stared at the shining surface of the
silver box with hot, aching eyes. Then
she turned suddenly, and rushed up to
her room, locking the door behind her.
Finally, when she had somewhat
Gained herself, she sat down and placed
the casket on the table in front of her
and pressed the spring. He had re-
sturned everything; the little pearl scarf
pin the seal ring, made from old family
gold; the card case, the silver box in the
lid of which was mounted her latest pho
tograph, and which she SIN had sent him
only FIVE days ago. There was a lock
of her hair, too, lying against the pale
blue satin like a circle of sunlight.
For long time Joyce sat looking
from one mute article to the other, with
d hundred different pictures of her lover
floating through her mind, her eyes
trimming with tears of passionate re-
greet But she pulled herself together
determinedly after while, and rose
and crossed the room to her desk, She
pulled open drawer and placed the
casket in it locking il security and hid
ing the key.
The days that followed were dreary
enough. All her old life seemed to
flicker out as completely as a candle
without a wick; it had crumbled to
dust vanished like dream, but with
tie bitter recollection still wildly upon
her, mocking, Elusive.
A month had gone by. One morning
Joyce went out ON the veranda aud
picked up the paper. The first item
her eyes fell upon after she opened it,
caused her start of surprise.
''Found-On Broadway, between Ninth
and Tenth, q Swiss enameled witch.
Owner may claim property by identify
ing same at this Office
She threw down the paper and ran
upstairs TO her room and took down her
coat. 1t was just as she had expected:
the ehatelaine was still pinned to the
lapel, but the watch was missing She
dressed herself rapidly and took ear
TO The Herald office
Il should like to give reward" she
told the agent, When she had proved
her title to the jewel; II am Miss Old
field-if there's anything Special
Nothing at all. The gentleman who
picked it up hoped the owner would be
located without any trouble. He would
mot accept any reward, | am sure,
miss
Joyce hesitated a second, then she
called for a pencil and a sheet of pa
per and hastily dashed down q line in
cramped, backhand
THE lady whose watch you found de-
sires T. express her thanks Tor its safe
delivery"
IF the gentleman calls. Kindly hand
him this. she said.
A few days later letter was for
warded to Miss Oldfeld" from the
Herald office. Joyce tore it open eager
~ and read;
Mr.. Jones is in receipt of the lady',s
kind words of appreciation, for which
he hegs to acknowledge grateful re-
ceipts. Was the watch o. k.Y' T. o.
box No. go. 1t was written in type.
Joyce flushed as she folded it up.
Should she take advantage of this OBJ
viously designed opening, to reply? The
turbulent state of her feelings at the
blinded her to the first requisites of con-
ventionality. And with daredevil inn
pulse. she answered:
''The watch was mtaet-many thanks.
Did Won see me drop it She gave an
assumed name and box number.
The reply was plausible. if menda-
cious:
1T was impossible to oyertake you.
/ lost sight of You in the crowd. after
which | believe you whirled past me in
a motor. Am | correctg
The correspondence developed with
amazing rapidity between MIR. Wat
kins Jones" and Miss Eunice Smith -
L. o. box No. ga. At the end of six
weeks there was a tacit betrothal. \
fortnight later Joyce had promised in
sheer desperation Through her amnn-
uensisl to meet him in Baltimore on the
following Friday and be married from
her uncle's home.
She left New York on Thursday night
with tumultuous heart and half a doZ
en- trunks. containing the wedding hnery
that had been inspired by her engage
ment To Teddy Ausley. And if the vision
of her old lover rose up to confront
her, she choked it away with her pride
and set her face resoluteiy toward the
new life in which be was to have no
part.
Just before midnight Joyce was
shocked into consciousness by the
abrupt. violent lurching of the train.
She sat up in her berth with white
cheeks and frightened eyes. Fastening
her belt and collar she followed the ex-
cited passengers out into the night. In
the dark one of the reScuerS took her by