Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-12-01

turned to the steering gear.
There was nothing for 1t but to go,
and Orme returned to the curb. A
moment later he saw the black car
move slowly away, and he felt as
though something sweet and fine
were going out of his life. If only
there had been some way to prolong
the incident! He knew intuitively
that this girl belonged to his WI
class. Any Insignificant acquaintance
might introduce them to each other.
And yet convention now thrust them
apart.
Sometime he might meet her. In
deed, he determined to find out who
she was and make that sometime a
certainty. He would prolong his stay
in Chicago and search society until
he found her. No one had ever before
sent such a thrill through his heart.
He must find her, become her friend,
perhaps But, again he laughed to
himself, What a boor l ami"
After all she was but a passing
stranger, and the pleasant reverie into
which his glimpse of her had led him
was only a reverie. The memory Of
her beauty and elusive charm would
disappear; his vivid impression of her
would be effaced. But even while he
thought this he found himself again
wondering who she was and how he
.z..Il al L1n IIA na1NtH MT ATiUn
her from his mind.
Meantime he had proceeded slowly
on his way. Suddenly a benevolent,
w~hite-bearded man halted him, with
a ~deprecating gesture. Excuse me,
sir" he began. "but your hat"
Orme lifted his straw hat from his
head. A glance showed him that II
was disfigured by a great blotch OF
black grease. He had held his hat In
his hand while talking to the girl
and it must have touched her a al
a point where the axle Of the dray
had rubbed. So this was his n me
mento of the incident
He thanked the stranger, and walked
to a nearby hatter's, where a ready
clerk set before him hats Of all styles
He selected one quickly and left his
soiled hat to be cleaned and SEN
home later.
Offering a ten-dollar bill in payment
he received in change a fve-dollar bill
and a silver dollar. He gave the coli
a second glance. 1t was the first sill
YER dollar that he had handled TO
some time, for he seldom visited TIN
west.
There's no charge for the clean
ing" said the clerk, noting dow
Orme's name and address, and hand
ing the soiled hat to the cash boy.
>Orme, meantime, was on the poin
of folding the five-dollar bill to put
into his pocket book. Suddenly h
looked at it intently. Written in in
across the face Of 1t, were the words
Remember Person You Pay This To.
The writing was apparently a hui
ried scrawl, but the letters were larg
and quite legible. They appeared t
have been written on an nev SUI
face, for there were several joys an
breaks in the writing, as If the pc
had slipped.
| This is curious" remarked Orm,
The clerk blinked his watery eye
and looked at the bill in Orme's ham
ooh, yes, sir" he explained. II r
member that. The gentleman VIII
paid 1t In this morning called u a
tention to it."
IF he's the man who wrote this, /
probably doesn't know that there's
law against defacing money"
But it's perfectly good, isn't it
inquired the clerk. IF you want a
other instead"
"Oh, no" laughed Orme. tt
banks would take it."
But, sir" began the clerk.
II should like to keep 1t. If l car
get rid of it, I'll bring it back. It's
hoax or an endless chain device
something of the sort. I'd like
find out"
He looked again at the writin
Puzzles and problems always int
ested him, especially IL they seemt
to involve some human story.
Very we'll" said the clerk, I'll !
member that you have 1t, Mr. "
peered at the name he had set doy
MIR. Orme."
Leaving the hatters's, Orme turn
back on State street, retracing
steps. It was close to the dim
hour, and the character of the sire
crowds had changed. The shoppe
had disappeared. Suburbanites we
by this time aboard their trains a,
homeward bound. The street W
thronged with hurrying clerks a
shop girls. and the cars were jamm
with thousands more, all of the
thinking, no doubt, Of the same t.
things-something to eat and rela1
ton.
What a hive 1t was, this gre
street! And how scant the lives
the great majority! Working, eatil
sleeping, marrying and given in M
| riage, bearing children and dying
was that all? But growing, too" 81
Orme to himself. Growing, to-
Would this be the sum Of his o
life--that Of a worker In the hiv
1t came to him with something Of
inner pang that thus far his schel
Of things had included little mo
4 He wondered why he was now rec'
nizing this scantiness, this lack in
life.
He came out Of hh reverie to q
himself again at the Madison STIR
corner. Again he seemed to Q Il