The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1911-02-23
A Matrimonial
Escape
By ARTHUR w. BREWSTER
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

| ~ VI al "a SpiN Tvs lOh W
great deal of aSsaying needed to be
done and, being n chemist, set up an
establishment where | could do this
and other work pertaining to mines.
My place was a receptacle for gold
dust, large quantities of which were
left with me continually.
Miss Rebecca Wright. my typewrit.
er, was a very circumspect young lady.
/ attempted occasionally to joke with
her, but met with no response. On
one or two occasions ventured to say
something bit tender to her, but met
with no encouragement But when a
mans mind is set on producing re-
suits. especially with woman, he will
not let up until he has accomplished
them or is obliged to give it up. What
/ wished, all | wished at least. at first
was to see Miss Wright show a con-
seriousness of my admiration and some
appreciation of the fact
But something happened which led
me to forget Miss Wright and any one
else except one unknown person. That
person was getting away with gold
dust in sufficient quantities TO ruin me
If the leakage continued.
No great quantity was taken at one
time. Indeed, what l missed at a
weighing had but the value of a few
dollars. But | missed these small
amounts continually. | had nothing
laid up, and the amounts / was losing
made up an accommodating debt. | set
watch on every one connected with
| the establishment except Miss Wright.
l did not propose to have any one spy
upon a girl who had every evidence Of
rectitude
Then the stealing ceased for awhile.
1 began again to think Of my stenogra-
pher and, yielding to pique, recon-
| menced my efforts to break through
that iciness which characterized all
her actions toward me. She accepted
my attentions. but passively. She
even permitted me to retain her hand
when | took it in mine on meeting her
after brief absence. Matters pro.
crossed between us until i came to
| driving her out occasionally. | was
not especially in love with her, though
l might have been had she received
my attentions more warmly. 1t was
with me rather a matter of curiosity.
though since lived a lonely life in a
| country where there was little Of wo-
mans society l often thought of mar
rying Miss Wright, if Gould gain her
consent. for the sake of home.
Then suddenly the leakages in gold
dust recommended. i charged several
persons in my employ with being the
! thief, hoping that some one of them
would break down under the accusa-
ton and confess. Among others | &C.
cused the woman who kept my prem
ises in order. She turned ON me like
fury:
IF We want to know where yer
gold dust is goin' I'll tell ye. The
young Teddy you're drivin' out and
sayin' sweet things to is relievin' We of
it."
was too indignant to ask her q SIN
gle question as to what ground she
based her charges upon. Indeed, l
feared Miss Wright might hear her,
and to be charged with such crime
would break her heart. l therefore
dismissed the allegation with contempt
and from that time felt more tender
than ever toward the injured girl.
Indeed. was daily becoming more
and more inclined to enter into a mat
rimonial partnership with Miss Wright
/ grew more and more demonstrative.
in many ways indicating my intention.
Miss Wright's demeanor underwent no
change. She would permit me to en-
circle her waist to kiss her; but, as for
responding, she made no response
whatever. / confess that this excited
my amour propre. though at times I
felt inclined to cease my demonstra-
tons, feeling that / might as well
caress a stone.
One evening I was sitting on a sofa
beside Miss Wright. our heads very
near together. / asked her why she
was so unresponsive. She said she
didn't know; she had always been
called undemonstrative. ! wished to
propose to her, but she was so cold
that couldn't bring myself to do so.
Though my arm was about her waist
and her head rested on my shoulder,
still there was no love current running
between us.
That night on taking of my coat
saw something glitter on its shoulder.
/ recognized particles Of gold dust. It
struck me at once that the particles
were where Miss Wright's head had
been. Then a terrible thought came to
me. Was the woman l was thinking
Of making my wife a thief? Was she
carrying away the dust in her hair?
did not sleep much that night end
the next day went away for a brief
season. employing a woman to spy on
Miss Wright. When l returned my de-
tective reported that every night the
girl washed her hair and poured off the
water in the bowl, leaving a sediment,
which she scraped together and put in
a little box.
Not for worlds would expose one
whom I had so nearly asked to be my
wife. went away again, leaving a
note for her informing her of my dis
covery and telling her not to let me
find her when I returned.
have tried in vain to make up my