Sisseton Posten. [volume] (Effington, Sud Dakota [S.D.]) 1902-19??, 1911-05-04
A Matrimonial
Escape
By ARTHUR W. BREWSTER
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association

/ lived Ia gold mining region wher,
. great deal OF assaying needed TO b,
done aud, being chemist. set up al
establishment where | could 10 thi.
and other work pertaining to mines
My place was receptacle for gold
dust, large quantities Of which wer,
left with me continually.
Miss Rebecca Wright my typewrit
l attempted occasionally To joke with
her. but met with no RESPONSE. oI
one or two occasions l yentured To SAY
something bit tender 10 her. but met
with no encouragement But when q
mans mind is set on producing re
not let up until he has accomplished
them or is obliged to give IL up What
I wished all wished at least, at tirst
was Ia see Miss Wright show con
sciousness Of my admiration aud some
appreciation OF the fact.
But something happened which led
me 10 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
| II the leakage continued
No great quantity was takss ut one
time. Indeed, what | missed at n
weighing had but the value Of few
dollars, But ! missed these small
amounts continually | had nothing
laid up, and the amounts | was losing
made up an accommodating debt | Set
q watch Oh every Que connected with
the establishment except Miss Wright
I did not propose TO have any one spy
upon a girl who had every evidence o.
rectitude
Then the stealing ceased for awhile
l began again to think or my stenogra
pher and. Welding to pique, recon
that iciness which characterized ali
| her actions toward the She accepted
my attentions. but passiyely She
even permitted me To retain her hand
when / took II In mine on meeting her
after brief absence Matters pro
driving her out occasionally l was
not especially In love with her, though
I might have been had she receive ed
my attentions more warmly IL was
with me rather matter VI curiosity.
though since lived lonely life In u
country where there was little of wo
| mans society I often thought Of mar.
rying Miss Wright. II ! could gain her
consent. for the sake Of a home
Then suddenly the leakages In gold
dust recommended. / charged Sc, 'ral
persons in my employ with being the
thief. hoping that some one Of them
would break down under the accusa
ton aud confess Among others | az
cused the woman who kept my prem.
lscs In orde' She turned on me like u
fury
III ye want to know where yer
gold dust Is goin' I'll tell ye. The
young Teddy you're drivip' out and
sayin' sweet things to is relievin' yc Of
II"
was too indignant 10 ask her sin.
gle question as 20 what ground she
based her charges upon. Indeed.
feared Miss Wright might hear her
and TO be charged with such crime
would break her heart 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 10 enter into a mat
rimonInl partnership with Miss Wright
I grew more and more demonstratIve
In many ways indicating my intention
Miss Wright's demeanor underwent no
change. She would permit me 10 en-.
circle her waist. 10 kiss her: but, as for
responding, she made no response
whatever confess that this excited
my amour propre. though at times
felt inclined 10 cease my demonstra.
tions. feeling that I might as well
caress a stone
One evening I was sitting on "A sofa
beside Miss Wright. our heads very
near together I asked her why she
was so unresponsive. She said she
didn't know. she had always been
called undemonstrative wished 10
propose 10 her, but she was so cold
that couldn't bring myself 10 do so
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
I recognized particles Of gold dust II
struck me at once that the particles
were where Miss Wright's head had
been Then n terrible thought came to
me. Was the woman | was thinking
II making my wife n thief? Was she
carrying away the dust in her haIr1
did not sleep much that night and
the mex, day went away for brief
season. employing a woman TO spy on
Miss Wright When I returned my de
tective reported that every night the
girl washed her hair and poured OF the
water In the bowl. leaving a sediment.
which she scraped together and put In
n little box
Not for worlds would I expose one
whom 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
mind TO propose 10 some other woman.
My mind has been so warped with
this one experience the narrowness OF
my escape from marrying thief
that I am forced TO he unlusf TO the