The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-03-07
marrow
Escapes :.

1T was like this" explained the man
after the others had told him that he
was looking pale. II was to meet my
;wife's cousin downtown to buy q pres;
lent for my wife, and, Of course. she
twas late. got tired standing in the
store entrance. where We were to find
each other, so l started down the
street to meet her. In the crowd saw
her coming and she was at her old
:tricks-carrying her handbag tucked
lcarelessly under one arm. ready to
tumble out or be grabbed.
/: Keeping my eye on the bag, re-
solved to give Emma the jolt Of her
life and scare her into a At of com.
imon sense. Just as I got in front of
her reached out and took the hand
bag. Then I looked at her triumphant
ly. condescendingly, accusingly. At
least, I started out with the intention
of crushing her with that sort of a
gaze. but never completed it, because
well, you see, 1t wasn't Emma!
ut was. however. a perfectly good
imitation Of her and she was both
scared to death. hopping mad and
ready for Mysteries. There was one
lawful second when she opened her
lips to scream and at that instant the
crossing policeman looked ten feet
high to me and fierce in proportion.
In the last panic Of desperation I
grabbed her arm so hard that it hurt
her so she couldn't yell and pleaded
for my life. I gasped out that 1t was
. mistake and she Indignantly as
sured me It certainly was. the biggest
mistake Of my life, but that that was
what they all said when they 81
caught. !;
II assured her that I thought she
was my Cousin Emma and she looked
at me scornfully. She was beginning
to get back her breath and her cour.
age. She said no doubt Cousin Emma
was a most estimable person, but she
didn't thank me for taking her for the
cousin Of a pickpocket and opened her
mouth again to scream. I think I
shook her then-at any rate, her
scream was lost. I never before talk
ed so fast in my life or so much. It
was like having three seconds before
The drop was sprung to say all I
wanted to say. told her all about my
great-grandfather who was in the Rev.
dictionary war and the new house I
was building and how respectable the
club were to which I belonged and
how had credit at all the stores.
EITHER Z led her to think I was IN.
sane and dangerous or else my piteous
gaze reused a spark Of humanity in
her. because by the time the crowd
had drawn the policeman to us she
quite snapped at him and told him
nothing was the trouble and to 20
back to waving his hand at automo-
biles and let her manage her own af.
fairs. Anyhow. she let me stink
away without raising any row. I'm
still shaking!"
Il expect she didn't mind so much.
because she'd spent all her money for
Christmas, and there wasn't anything
in the pocket book" said one of the
other men. I'm not precisely breath.
less over your very narrow escape.
because I had one that was 80
much worse short time ago. Say,
couldn't q blind man with his head
In q sack tell from one brief glance
at me that am q respectable. strait.
laced family man? Could any one ever
mistake mo for q gay and roisterina
blade. or does any ono exist who would
dream Of accusing me OF flirting?
Wall thu other pight ]. Xas- takins