Evening journal., 1909-04-06
AN AGITATED
YOUNG MAN.
By M. QUAD.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


York on a certain date and found the
chair on his right occupied by a very
good looking and self composed young
lady. When she dropped her handker-
chief he ought to have picked 1t up
and restored it. but he didn't. When
she had trouble opening her hand bag
he ought TO have proffered his services,
but he didn't When her hatpin work
ed out and fell at his feet there was
opportunity for him to prove himself
a hero, but he wasn't up to it. His
grandmother had warned him over
and over again of the consequences of
too much forwardness. He was agi-
tated, but it went no further. OF
course when the young lady realized |
what sort Of young man he was she
gave him the cold shoulder. She ask
ed the porter to raise the window for |
her and to bring her a glass of water
and if she would be sure to make con
nection with the Long Island train for
Hampstead.
Young Mr.. Graham felt his position |
keenly, but opportunity had fed. |
Reaching New York, he would have
given worlds to warn the young lady
not to take the Twenty-tbird street fer
ry by mistake for the Thirty-fourth.
/ but he had his chance and lost. 1t was
while he was hanging back that he
discovered her purse where it had
dropped while she was picking up her
traps. He started to rush after her to
restore it, but in his agitation address
ed a stately old dame who took him
for a confidence man and threatened
to have him arrested. When he came
to overhaul the purse he found that it
contained S1.S0 and a trunk key. He
reasoned it out that this was all the
loser had with her and that when
landing on the New York side she
weuld find herself In an embarrassing
situation. How was she to cross the
Island? How pay her fare to Hemp
stead?
Here was more agitation, and it end
ed in the young man taking the next
ferryboat. He did not find her weep
ing in the ferryhouse on the other
side. He was also disappointed in not
finding her I'm the East river house.
He crossed the river to the Long
Island depot, but the object Of his
search was not there. It was bad
night Mr.. Graham put in, and it was
made longer and the worse for a
sudden thought that came to him
about midnight. The purse con-
tanned less c9dn 50. The young lady's
dress and jewelry showed that she
belonged to a wealthy family. To re-
store such a lean purse to her would
humiliate her; it certainly would.
She would probably refuse to claim
ownership and look upon him with
whitening scorn. After turning the
matter over in his mind for three
hours young Mr.. Graham saw his way
clear. He would add So to the con-
tents Of the purse.
Hampstead is not an overgrown
town, and a persevering young man
like Mr.. Graham can find lots Of
things If he becomes chummy with
the hackmen. 1t wasn't two hours be-
fore our hero had the name OF the
young girl and her abiding place. She
was living with her widower Of a
father less than a mile away. 1t took
him two hours to quell his agitation
and make up his mind to drive to the
house, but at last the thing was done.
1t seemed as If luck was with him.
When the carriage stopped he beheld
the selfsame young lady sitting on
4 the veranda with a book in her hand.
BEG pardon" he said. but / was
your fellow traveller from Philadelphia
yesterday, and when you left the chair
car found this on the floor"
"But-but l don't understand" re-
piled the young lady as she received
4 the purse II didn't speak to you,
and how did you know where livedr'
"Why, while was not listening-be-
lieve me, 1 was not-I heard you ask
the porter about the train for Hemp
stead"
'Yes, 1 believe did. l was dread
fully afraid I'd miss it. Won't you
sit down? This was only my change
!. purse, you know. / missed It, but 1t
was Of no account, except that it held
the key to my trunk. However,
thank you, and
And she opened the purse to view
the contents. There was her dollar
8 eighty, and a five dollar bill besides
she looked up in a puzzled way and
said:
"This can't be mine"
"But l found it under your chair,
miss"
'But how did this other money come
here? I'm sure l hadn't It,"
Mr. Graham turned red. His tongue
refused to move. He saw the yawn.
ing pit and mopped his forehead, but
it was too late. The situation had be-
come full Of tacks when the young
lady's father appeared. He was a
stern faced old colonel.
"sir, explain your gamer be said
after a few words of explanation from
the daughter.
He asked an impossibility. How
could such thing be explained? Fa
ther and daughter looked at the blush
ing. agitated young man for a moment
and then the father took him by the
arm and led him down 10 the gate and
put the purse into his hand and said:
Come with the green goods mex
..sme"
And when he had returned to the
veranda and they had watched youni
Mr.. Graham down the road for fort,
rods the daughter observed: