The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-12-09
A OsOenfy-fottr
Hour Romance.

that she had romance In her soul, but
Il would be ungalant to add that she
was in the matrimonial market and
had been ever since she arrived at the
age of twenty. She had simply wait
ed She could afford to wait and per
sisted In giving her age as twenty-five
right along and making herself be-
lieve that time was standing still on
her account.
Miss Sarah was feeling In this se-
rene and optimistic mood when she
was invited by friends to be their
guest at summer hotel on the banks
of lake. They didn't consult her ro-
nance as much ds their own interest.
They had two children and dog, and
they figured on making the old maid
work for her board and lodgings. She
fell into the trap, but not to her detri-
ment. One of the male guests of the
hotel, who might not have noticed her
in any other walk, saw her as nurse
and dog guardian and made advances
This guest was darkly supposed to be
an actor-an actor who played great
parts and made great success OF his
job, but who was there incog. and
wished to remain so. The other guests
were respecting this wish. but follow.
ing him about with bated breath.
Actors sometimes get queer notions
into their heads, and Mr. Melnotte got
one into his, 1t was that Miss Sarah
would make the greatest juliet ne
ever saw on the stage. She had the
form, the voice, the eyes, the nose,
the chin and the toes. All that was
lacking were cash aud manager and
the removal of just one tiny doubt-a
doubt no larger than the head Of o
brass pin. Did she have the neces-
lsary romance? If she did. then all
was well; IL she didn't, then alas! II
has been stated that Miss Sarah did
have romance and dotted on It, but the
next thing was to prove It to the actor.
She took two days to cogitate and then
went ahead. The hotel was surround
ed by woods on three sides. One
morning Miss Sarah left the whlmper-
ing dog and the bowling children be
hind and started for the green wood
and was soon lost 10 sight. She
would be missed, searched for, found
and be talked OF MS romantic.
Miss Sarah was missed The idea
was that she had been drowned. More
than half the guests turned out to drag
the bottom of the lake. The actor was
not one OF them. Coincldent with the
alarm he had been told by fat WON.
an that Miss Sarah hadn't n dollar to
her name.
One woman asserted her belief that ]
the missing female had eloped with a
tin peddler that had been seen driving
past the hotel at an early morning
hour, and In her excitement another
woman said that any young lady that
would leave dog and two children to
weep and vail by themselves should be
severely dealt with on her return. dead
or alive. These opinions were express.
ed to the actor for the purpose OF
drawing him out. but he refused to be
drawn. He had just sat down to a
mint julep with two straws in 1t, and |
why worry?
Miss Sarah had entered the wood !
with her heart aflame with romance.
She hustled her way along for half q
mile and then halted for the actor to |
arrive at the head of rescuing party
He didn't arrive. She waited for an
hour and then started to walk back |
Her feelings were hurt, and she lost
the points Of the compass and became
lost for good. When she discovered !
this fact she called and screamed, but |
only the chlpmunks and the woodpeck- |
ers answered. She ran this way and
stumbled over roots She ran that way |
and went splashing into creek.
There was romance In the greenwood. |
but II was farther on. All that long.
long day Miss Sarah was lost in the
depths! ,ietW WON'T lisa
1t was almost slIndown when her good !
genius finally guided her TO a clear
ing with log cabin in the midst of It. !
Seated at the door OF the cabin was
a middle aged man In homespun He |
rose up and addressed her as marin" |
and wanted to know all about II. When |
he had been told he declared that 1t |
was the romantlcist thing he had ever |
heard of. In her wanderings she had |
walked seven miles. She had escaped |
bears and "Injuns" and wildcats, and II |
she wasn't what they called heroine |
then he didn't know turnip from a
"tater bug"
Miss Sarah was tired, and she rested. |
She was hungry, and he fed her on
pudding and milk. She wanted to get |
back to the hotel and enjoy her trl- |
umph, and he yoked up his oxen to |
the lumber wagon and drove her there
through the moonlight The guests |
saw her coming and got ready to re.
ceive her. There was Icy frigldlty. |
There was a general attitude of doubt |
and suspicion. There were sneers at
romance. When the humilated and
embarrassed maiden looked at the
actor In an appealing way he turned |
his head aside and made II very plain
that she would never prance around
behind the footlights with his connlv-
ance The farmer had waited for the |
heroics, and he saw that there were
none coming to- her. He saw her
crushed instead. aud he stepped for
ward and touched her on the arm and
said: "r