Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-11-05
The Resuh Of a Case
Of School Lope.
lOriginal.l

United States battleship Prairie, was
In trouble. Prairie was not the name
IF the ship. 1t wouldn't do to give
her real name, for she was named III
honor of one of the western states ana
the parties to this story might be iden-
tified. Nor was Noble the name OF the
.nsign. nor are any of the names here
riven real names. But that has moth
ing to do with the story. Noble was
In n fix. the most usual fix in the world
for a sailor-he had too many girls.
He had only two. but 1t is a question
II dozen might not be more readily
managed than two. If the two had
been in different ports the problem
might have been simpler. but they
we're not. They were-that is, for the
present-in the same port, and that
was where the Prairie had just been
launched.
Lazy Archibald's right and title. so
far as priority goes. were indisputabe.
She ard Noble had been classmates at
the high school where Noble had pre-
pared for the Naval academy and had
become involved In a case OF puppy
love. Every one wondered how Noble
could fancy her, for she was trifie
loud in appearance and given to slang.
To tell the truth. he was not badly
wounded by the dart that pierced him.
for instead of Cupid having sent it
Lucy had fred 1t 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 a schoolboys pledge. This was
all very well till he met Camella Tryne,
n daughter of an admiral and very
lovely girl, to whom the young sailor
became speedily attached.
What are you doing with your flag
up union down. Schuyler?' asked
Lieutenant Mansfield just before the
launching.
Noble made confdant of his friend.
telling him about his supertluity 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 a
complete set of silver tableware, and
rs soon as the vessel slid out into deep
water and the shouting and the firing
were over invited guests went below to
partake of a luncheon at which this
service was used. Now, the captain
had commissioned Mansfield to have
iookouts 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.
4 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 fsated palmer than ever from
his 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 a mantle of cool dignity.
1t was about this time that some
thing happened. There We're aboard
number of maidservants, dressed in
the conventional livery of black dresses
and white ruffled aprons, whose Osten-
sible duties were to serve the ladies,
Suddenly Noble saw his friend Mans
field come up the companionway with
one of these maids and point to his
companion, Lucy Archibald. The maid
advanced and said to Lucy in a low
voice:
81 have to trouble you for the spoon"
what spoon"
1.-THE one you took from the officers
NESS"
"Oh," said Lucy. coloring, "1 wanted
it for souvenir"
People were looking when she opened
a vanity bag hanging from her wrist
and, taking out a silver spoon marked
1T. S. S. Prairie" surrendered it to the
maid.
Now, there was a 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
them in maids uniforms to watch Aft
ar the luncheon they interviewed pri-
vately the ladies they had caught pill
rering and recovered Il couple of dozen
spoons and other small articles be-
Onging to the ships new service.
Mansfield in order 10 eXtricate his
friend from his double girl dilemma
had made public example Of Miss
Archibald. leaving Noble to consider
fer a thief. The other cases Noble
SUs not informed of
Even had Noble really loved the girl
L is doubtful if be would have remain
I'd engaged to her after this episode.
Az any rate. next morning Miss Archi-
bald received a note from him break
irg the engagement, and his captain.
coached BY Mansfield. ordered him
away On special duty, so that the SOU
Cenir girl as she came to be called