The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-09-12

KIND tley call mere r. II. v. ana VIII
not let her accept any of the offers she
has had for grand opera. This is her
only appearance in public since she re-
| turned from Europe. There's Anton
Won Stosch Did YOU ever see any one
so eager to go everywhere MS that man
| is? He's simply criZy about meeting
| Americans"
American women strangers, you
should say" laughed man wearing
the cross of the Legioa of Honor. you
can get Tony Won StOsch TO 90 ary-
where just by limiting tliit some new
girls will be there"
They say at the German legation
that by actual count Tony Won Stosch
has met 500 new girls since the sea
! son opened. And he's still going"
As the ripple of merriment greeting
this expression of the well known fol
bic of the popular Anton Won Stosch
died away some one said: Hush The
program begins"
| For some time Anton Won Stosch
watched the artists come and 90. his
face wearing an unwonted look Of wea.
riness and Encouragement. For months
he had sought diligently for the two
| American women who called Washing
ton their home. who had been his fell
low travellers from Berlin to Hamburg
ON that fateful August day. More than
once he had followed a 1.-THE, active
girl with glinting chestnut hair, only to
! find It was stranger instead of "Vir-
! ginia Of Washington" as he had come
/ to call her. Day after day, night after
. night. he had followed the whirl of the
social wheel. but never had he found
clew to their identity. He had spent
/ hours porting over the city directory.
/ but never n young Virginia nor an ell
derby Ellen proved to be the first bear
ers of the names he had met so oddly.
As ripple OF enthusiastic applause
I greeted the appearance of the star of
4 the evening Anton Won Stosch raised
his eyes and then grew rigid as he saw
Virginia of Washington in the flesh.
smiling acknowledgment TO the enthu-
siasm. One long look TO assure himself
ii was really she, aud Anton Won
Stosch sat back In his chair with fold.
ed arms and look of content upon his
\ face such as 1t had not worn In all the
months since he had arrived at the
German legation. No sooner was the
program ended than he made his way
to the blue room where Miss Dressed
was holding court and without delay
! sought an introduction.
"Ohw said Miss D-e-sel her hand
poised halfway toward his. "Why-oh,
J I'm glad to meet you, I'm sure" she
ended lamely as sic saw her exclama-
/ ton and gesture had attracted atten
ton Anton Won Stosch looked straight
into her eyes ms he took her hand.
I II am glad to meet you-again," he
said quietly. Il have hunted this town
over TO find you, May | call tomor-
rowy'
/ "I-I-oh. | really don't know" said
Miss Dressed Then she began to laugh
Enthusiastically. ITS all too absurd
and | can't talk about It now-and
please don't get offended. but was so
surprised and
, "Tn wait" said Anton Won Stosch.
quietly falling back 1T is quite
enough to know that have found you
at last"
! Though he spoke no more TO her that
! evening. Miss Dressed was well aware
that he followed her from group to
! group and from room to room. as II
/ fearful Of losing sight OF her. As the
door of her carriage was snapped shut
his face appeared In the opening, and
he said quietly, but firmly:
II shall do myself the honor to call
upon YOU tomorrow afternoon
Had Anton Won Stosch been less
eager or determined he would have
waited until the conventional hour OF
calling and possibly have missed Miss
! Dressed for His conventionality, but as
IL was he arrived So early and unex-
pectedly upon the scene that he was
ushered into the library. where she sat.
Il don't know how they do things In
America" he said after the first greet
lngs. but I'm not going TO lose any
more time desire much that you
should he my wife" he said simply,
dropping unconsciously into the Ger
man idlom.
Miss Dressed had seen the night be
fore just what the intentions OF Anton
won Stosch were. and she had been try
ing 10 make up her mind whether to
let the affair run its course OF to evade
the issue by another flight. She was
taken wholly unawares by the expedi-
tiousness Of his attack.
"But I've only seen you three times
I'm my life,' she gasped. Il can't con
slider anything OF the kind from a man
II know so little as that"
you don't love another?' said An
ton Won Stosch. growing pale.
NO" said Miss Dressed. but
Then I'll make my fight" said An
ton Won Stosch. land | mean 10 win.
It's life or death to me. and no man
who Is man viii give up his life
without a struggle"
That was the beginning Of one OF
the prettiest courtships that ever
crossed the horizon Of Washington
life. and since Anton won Stosch was
gentleman as well as man OF
promise In his chosen career the June
wedding bells rang merrily over