Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1911-03-16
Her Too Kind
riiend

What beautiful sable scarf" said
one of Elsie Bakers friends. Did you
get it in Europe or did Santa Claus
bring it to your"
81 got it in quite different way
from either of those you suggest"
said the owner of the scarf
1T is perfect beauty" declared the
appreciative friend
Il only WISH" said Elsie, sadly,
that it wasn't so elegant. There is q
story that goes with the scarf
You know l had been saving my
money for ages for a European trip
and the last of September the mana
ger of our office gave me an eight
weeks leave of absence. Well, gay
ly left Chicago one chilly evening.
You have no idea, Bess, how often I've
regretted that evening wasn't warm.
Ii 1T had been l should have been
saved a world of worry and expense.
My one wealthy friend, Mrs Bar
clay, was among those who came to
the station to see me off. She wore
beautiful fur scarf. 1t was so pretty
and becoming that 1 admired it open
~ 10 my great surprise, she removed
1t from her own neck and threw II
around mine.
You must take it, Elsie she said.
1T will be just the thing on the ship
OF course, protested but she in
sisted that l would need it. She sim.
ply wouldn't allow me to decline it,
and could only accept her kindness
gratefully.
BY the time l arrived in New York
there was decided change in the
weather The morning l went down
to the steamer it was so warm that
couldn't even weap my serge travel
Ing coat. In my excitement over the
new scenes about me l went to the
ship very early and had the fun OF
watching the other passengers come
aboard. 1t wasn't until a delicate old
woman. wrapped in furs. came up the
gang-plank that thought of the sable
scarf. Then | realized with sicken-
Ing clearness that had left it in my
room in the hotel!
Il rushed to the first man saw who
had brass buttons and asked how long
1t would be before we should sail.
He said we'd go in about an hour.
flew down the gang-plank and called
wildly to taxi chauffeur who was
Just leaving after bringing party to
the boat. | told him that if he would
take me to the hotel and back in
three-quarters of an hour I'd give him
two dollars in addition to the regular
fare. He whirled me away and, to my
great relief, | recovered the scarf.
I'VE got back to the ship in less
than As minutes-and then we didn't
sail until night!
Think of all the money l had vast
ed on that unnecessary cab! But that
was just the beginning of long series
OF m1shaps with that Inflated scarf.
i wore it on top of bus in London
and portly man. forcing his way by
me to take his seat, brushed 1t off my
shoulders and it fell to the pavement
stopped the bus and, descendins
hastily to the street, caught my skirt
and tore the braid off and tripped my
self in it as l started to run back half
block to get the scarf A big Lon
don bobby helped me to my feet and
picked up the fur. Then he sternly
told me to be more careful, meanwhile
staring at me quite suspiciously.
Things like that were always hap
pening to me throughout the trip.
Every recollection l have of my tray
els is fraught with some trying e1-
perience with that scarf. But the
grand finale was ION the voyage
home.
"One frightfully windy day the scarf
was blown off my steamer chair.
where | had left it while taking my
morning walk. The last l saw of it
the horrid thing was sliding down the
steep incline of the deck under the
rail into the ocean!"
Couldn't you catch it,"
Il tried to- frantically, but the sea
was so rough that l couldn't run.
There was no one near to rescue the
fur, so it was lost at sea.
The first thing l did after l got
home was to borrow money to buy an
other scarf for Mrs. Barclay. don't
mind telling you that in consequence
shall be financially embarrassed for
some time.
Il got a sable scarf as near like the
other as possible, payi-g a slightly
reduced price with the condition that
the purchase was not to be returned
or exchanged under any circum-
stances. Then 1 went to see Mrs.
Barclay
"As l started to give her the scarf
she said: Why. Elsie. my dear child,
that scarf is yours, not mine. Didn't
you understand that 1 meant you to
keep 1t as gift from me?"
Really. Bess, it was hard for me
to look properly grateful. In fact. it
was all could do to keep from say
ing. bitterly: Why didn't you tell
me SO in the first place?'"
II don't wonder that you were an
gry." said the sympathetic friend.