Putnam patriot., 1909-02-05
A Ctcenfy-fotsr
 Hour Romance.
-.ws, ,s~ hv T c Mcclure

,.,.a,, years old and unmarried and tha, she had romance in her soul, but ! 1T geald be nngallant to add that she ,ras in the matrimonial market and lad teen ever since she arrived at the aga If twenty She had simply wait al She could afford to wait and per
 sisted in giving her age as twenty-five ri-ht along and makius herself be- Ifare that time was standing sti1 on her account.
 Miss Sarah was feeling iH this se- rene and optimistic mood when she uas invited by friends to be their
 s-nest at a summer hotel on the banks If a lake They didn't consult her TO- ! rnsnee as much as their own interest. They had two children and dog. and tber figured on making the old maid work for her beard and lodgings. She fell into the trap. but not to Der detri- p44af one If 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 sn aefor-an actor who played great psrts and made great success of his iob 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 MT. Melnotte got one into his It was that Miss Sarah vouId make the greatest Juliet he 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 and a manager and the removal of just one tiny doubt-a | doubt no larger than the head or q brass pin. Did she have the neces- sarv romancea If she did. then all
 was well: if she didn't, then alas. It has been stated that Miss Sarah did have romance and dotted on it. but tue next thing was 10 prove 1T to tue actor. She look two days to cogitate and then
 went ahead The hotel was surround d hy woods ea three siies One morning Miss sarah left the whimper- lsz aeg aud fhe hewiing children be- hiaa aed siarled for the green wood an8 uas saeH lest to sight She waas4 lse missed. searched fer. found aHa fait etl af as romantic. NisS sarah MS missed. The idea
 was yaa, she lad been drowned More
 tl.aH aaif ti.e saesfs nrHed aut to drag ] tha BatJou of the Hke Tie actor was
 not one of them. ceincideHt with the
 alarm be had been told by fat wom-
 an that Miss surah hadn't dollar to her name
 one woman asserted her belief that the missing female had eleped with in pedder that lad been seen driving past fbe hotel as an early morning , hour and in her excitement another
 woman said that any young lady that l 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 | cd to the actor for the purpose of l drawing him cut but he refused to be
 drawn. He had just sit down to mint julep with two straws in it. and | whx worry
 Miss sarah had entered the wood with her heart af.ame with romance. 1 She hustled her Way along for half | mile and then talEed for he actor to arrive II Ire head ef ss reseaing party. 1 He aiang affiee She Waised for an
 hour and then started 10 walk back.
 Ger feelings We're burt aaa she lest 1 the points ,f the compass and became lest fer e'sod When she discovered l this faet she called and screau med. but 1 only fh- chipaanAs aud the woodpeek- 1 CTS answered Sae ran this way and stumbled over raets She ran that way | and went spfsShing into creek. | There wss romance in the greenwood. | but 1t was farther ou All that long. | long day Miss Sarah was lost in the | depths
 II WAS almost sunlown when her good genius finally guided her te a clear | ing with a leg eabin in tue midst of it. Seated al the door of the cabin was
 middle aged nan in homesnun- He rose up aui addressed her as "marm" and wanie1 to kisow all about it. When
 he had been told he declared that it was the ronantieist thing he had ever heard of. in ter wanderings she had walked seven niles. She had escaped bears and "injuus@ and wildcats. and if she wasn't what they called q heroine then he didn't know a turnip from . '.tst.r bug
 Miss Sarah was tired. and she rested She was hungry. and be fed her on pudding and milk She wanted to get
 back 10 the hotel and enjoy her tri-
 glnph. and be yoked up his oxen 10 the lumber wagon and drove her there through the moonlight The guests | saw her coming and got ready to re- eeive her. There was icy frigidiiy.
 There was general attitude of doubt and suspicion There were sneers as
 romanee. When the humiiIated and embarrassed maiden looked at the
 actor in an appealing way he turned his head aside and made il very plain that she would never prance around behind the footlights with his conniv- anee. The farmer had waited for the heroHcs. and he saw that there were hone coming 10 her He saw her crushed Instead. and he stepped for ward and touched her on the arm and said
 Say. gal. they don't rear to appre- eiate hercines here Come and be my hereine- I'll drive over ay'in tomor- row for your answer
 And he did. and be got fl. and then tee guests were all jealous because . ronaanfac Foang lady had struck good