The champion. (Arcadia, Fla.) 1895-1911, 1908-01-16
A Singular Meeting.
tOriginall

This story is not only founded on
fact-it is fact, only it is put in story
form and the names are fictitious.
III the latter part Of the last century
steamer crossing the Atlantic was
lost by collision in fog, Among the
passengers never heard from were a
lady and her little daughter.
twenty-five years passed. One sum-
mor a want adj" appeared in news.
paper stating that lady desired the
position Of chaperon to young people
on trip to Europe, This led to the
engagement Of Miss Adelia Craven to
take charge of two young girls, Teresa
Fay and Rachel Cunningham,
These three were one day visiting
one Of the art museums in Dresden.
Miss Fay stood looking Mt a picture
which seemed to interest her, and
while she was doing so Miss Craven,
the chapcron, came up.
N copy Of that picture is in fathers
collection at home" said Miss Fay.
1T is also familiar to me-" said Miss
Craven 1T has been a part my sur
roundlngS at some time in my life. but
| can't recall when or where ! have
II. have or had an uncle who had
copy Of the picture in his library"
why DO you say have or had""
Because | have not heard Of my
uncle for years"
did he lose you, or did you lose
him.?
81 don't know was quite young
when | last saw him"
Whether there was something in the
picture connecting the two or what
was the reason, from the time Of this
conversation about 1t there seemed to
be something in the voice or the man.
ner or the walk Of her chaperOn that
was familiar TO Miss Fay. The Incl
dent led the two to chat upon family
matters connected with the past. and
there was n singular sameness i'm Ger.
tain events pertaining to both families
While there was some sixteen years
difference in the ages Of the two, there
sprang up a lively friendship between
them. 1t became evident that instead
OF friendship during the trip they
would more likely be intimate for life.
Miss Cunningham met friends, Joined
them, and this left the other two alone
together.
One day while travelling in a railway
she would object to his raising win
dow. She said she would not. Then he
asked II 1t would be d,sagreeable 10
her mother, referring to Miss Craven
The girl smilingly explained that Miss
Craven was not her mother or any re
lation to her, whereupon the gentle
man apologized, saying that he hat
been uncertain whether they were
mother and daughter or an older and O
younger sister, He certainly saw re
semblances between them, though he
could not define them.
Miss Fay had letters to people in
Rome, which procured her an ensree Ia
the best Italian society there. A young
man Of excellent family fell in love
with her and signifed his wish to
make her proposition OF marriage
Unfortunately there was no one on the
continent of Europe Of whom he could
make formal application except the
chaperon, who was not authorized to
give the family consent. The result
was that Miss Fay wrote her father
Of the affair. He took the first steam
er, travelling night and day till he
reached Italy.
what sort OF chaperon is this you
have" he exclaimed, ito permit you ia
receive attention to lead to such an I'M
fortunate resultT
There is no unfortunate result in