The Prescott daily news., 1909-07-27

1eW months ne was knOWu dS WNildm Burke. Fan had a spelling book in which was written Fanny Shaw.
 Billy and Fan met one hot summer night fin City Hall park, where each had gone for the purpose of sleep. ing on the benches. Billy had a nickel in his pocket. and Fan was crying because she was hungry. Billy took her over to vender of waffies on Park row and appeased her hunger. This was the seed of love-a kindness. It was not planted in a gentleman's garden. but any soil to produce fruit requires manure.
 So 1t came about that Billy and Fan became chums. There were societies organized to take care of stray chil- dren and Billy and Fan were dread fully afraid that some of these socie- ties would take them and separate them. Billy confided his fears to his friend, MacCluney, who drove cab. MacCluney facetiously told him that to prevent this they had better get married. Billy took the advice in ear nest and asked how the knot could be tied.
 "Oi'm Scautchman meser," replied the cabman. 'In Scautland if two peo- pie stand up before third and says they marries, that ties 'em."
 "S'pose Fan and I stand up before you and say that?" said Billy.
 The cabman laughed. and Billy went of and called Fan. who was selling papers at the time. The two returned and asked for "Scautch" marriage. MacCluney. thinking it a good joke. asked the necessary questions and, having received affirmatory answers, with a guffaw pronounced them man and wife.
 But the "Scautch" marriage didn't save them from the societies. One night when they were sleeping in coal yard a band of summers came down on them and carried them o6. They protested that they were mar ried. which brought a smile to the faces of their abductors, but received no further notice. After all, they were separated.
 Billy was sent off to a community of farmer boys. Fan was provided with parents by adoption. Both grew up in the west, Billy as a tiller of the soil, Fan as the daughter of ~ store keeper in a country town. Billy. though be would not have forgotten his wire. ~vs:1 nave forgotten that her name was Shaw had ne not held on to the spelling book with the name written on the fly leaf. There were just as many tears shed by both for months after they were torn apart as if they had been children of wealth. At first both sighed for the parks, the coal and lumber yards. sheds and oth' CT places where they had slumbered, not because they had been comfofta- ble, but because they had been to- gether in these retreats. As they grew older they conceived a horror of this part of their past, but they did not forget each other. Billy grew to man. hood with one Idea. He would "save up' to enaN'. him to regain his wife. Fan grew to womanbood wondering what had become of her pal. And. remembering the 'Scautch marriage" when she was old enough to under stand what 1t meant 1t made Billy an object of great importance to her. Shs was continually dreaming of what he vas like as a youth, wondering where he was and if she would ever meet him.
 But Fan grew to be twenty -four years old. ana there was no sign If Billy. She had several proposals ct marriage, but answered all suite alike-that she was married already One of them asked lawyer If therC was anyth, ,g in such marriage. Hs received the reply that only the courts could tell, but so long as neither claim ed the other there would be nothing Illegal fin either marrying some one else.
 One day man drove up to Fans nome in buggy and asked for young woman named Frances Shaw. Fan was sweeping at the time, with a towel over her hair. She tried to get upstairs. but was too late. The man approached her and said;
 "Eanr'
 Are you BillyT"
 "Yes"
 "How did you know meT
 "I wouldn't have known you if hadn't known you were here. AS it Is I see q resemblance to my little"-
 He took her by the hand She turn ed her face away. but did not with