Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-07-29
Railroad
Courtship.
By J. LUDLUM LEE.
Copyrighted. 1908, by Associated
Literary Press.

Alice Twitchell stood in the con-
course of the Grand Central station be-
moaning her fate. She had just missed
the $40 for Greenwich. Something Tor
was it some oneD struck her violently
| in the back, and she swung round just
as a young man dashed by to the
closed gate. She was adjusting shak-
en- puff when the youth returned full
of apologies.
81 beg your pardon, but / did want
to catch that 3:45 train the worst
way" he said as he mopped his brow.
80 did l." replied Alice with en-
phasis, "but 1 did not think it neces-
sary to employ personal violence as a
means of catching it."
Alice turned from the apologize man,
who stood regarding her with open
admiration. The latter or something
magnetic in his personality, added to
the thought of the two hours she had
to wait before the next train left for
Greenwich, made her hesitate.
"YOu deserve some form of punish
ment suited to your offense," she said,
with charming assumed severity.
ooh, l say" continued the man,
"I'm no professional slugger, you
know, just a plain, everyday lawyer
running out Of town for q holiday"
| and he produced his card in vertical
ton of the statement. "And maybe
| you'll be easier when l tell you that
| there was Il girl on that train I've been
| trying to meet for two years"
Alice read the name on the card
''NIr. Walter Witherspoon" Then she
smiled. He followed her into the wait
| ing room, and they sat down on the
uncomfortable benches. Conversation
of an impersonal but interesting ma
tura made the wait remarkably short.
| Once settled in comfortable Pullman
/ chairs they were like old travelling
companions.
you see," Mr. Witherspoon was eX-
planning, "this girl l missed on the
other train is a peach-the prettiest
| girl ever-eXcept you"
Don't you think we might have
window open, Mr. Witherspoon?"
| Alice interrupted. Witherspoon opened
the window and turned the CONVERSE
ton into a less personal channel.
"Where do you visit in Greenwich ?"
"Oh, me-that is, Lob, / am going
to visit my grandmother" answered
Alice, with hating speech.
81 bet she's a dear old lady," assured
Witherspoon. "Now, this other girl
that l was going to meet-she had no
relatives
Alice offered no Interruptions this
| time, and he ratified on.
"She's an orphan, no brothers, sis
tiers, mother or nobody
but herself The Hardys are giving
a celebration of their wedding ami
versary, and they asked Miss Twitch-
ell and me. And, well, you know that
all happy brides are matchmakers!
But I'm jolly glad 1 missed her,
| Cause
1.-THE next station is ours, 1 think"
suggested Alice
"By Jove, so it is" agreed Wither
spoon. "How time does fly in good
company! Say, there's a chap, Billy
Brewster, who's going to be there, and
he gets all the girls under the spell
of his fascination. thought if could
just head him off with this other girl
but now
"Greenwich!'' shrieked the conductor
1t was quite dark when the two
left the train, and Witherspoon babe
reluctant adieus to his companion.
He offered to find her carriage, but
she declined this assistance. Then he
asked if he might know her name.
smith, said Alice, ''just Smith,
the old fashioned spelling, you know,
and she was lost in the darkness and
the crowd
Billy Brewster met Witherspoon
with the trap, but seemed surprised
to find him alone.
where's Miss Twitchell, old chap?
She didn't come up on the other train"
said Brewster as they climbed in the
trap.
Hanged if 1 know, Bill" assured
Witherspoon. "And, for that matter,
I don't care I met the most beautiful
girl on the train, and I'm all in. If it
takes me q lifetime I'll find her again
and marry her.
lou ought 10 nave IlNeu III the
twelfth century, Walter. They carried
off the women by force in those days"
encouraged Billy.
Once inside the Hardy country home
the men were called to account Where
was Miss Twitchell? Mrs. Hardy ex-
pressed so much solicitude that Billy
Brewster offered to go back and look
for her guest once more.
WitherspOon turned to go to his room
and change his clothes for the even
ing when the bell rang and Mrs. Har-
dy opened the door to admit the lost
guest. Witherspoon caught her voice
and stood glued to the stairs.
"Oh, I'm here all right she. said
gayly. Game up in a station trap. l
missed the 3:4i and bad to wait for