Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1912-07-19
The Unknown
A Mystery Of a
Lock Of Hair
By ALEXANDER HUTcHINS

The summer was coming on, and ]
longed for some place away from the
city where could go after business
hours to pass the night and return In
the morning On Saturdays we closed
at noon. which gave me forty-nye hours
or thereabout before would have tc
get back to business. After consulting
with friends chose Alton, a seacoast
town. where there were a few summer
cottages belonging to city people, some
hotels and boarding. houses. ! engag
ed room on the top story Of hotel
where from my window l could loob
out upon the ocean.
1t was certainly delicious, having
left the city on hot afternoon. to en-
ter my room. see far and near the
great stretch Of undulating water and
smell the odor OF the sea. The first
thing ! did was TO put on my bathing
suit. go down to the water and take a
plunge.
went to Alton on the 1st Of Jul5
when there were few persons there
but by the middle of the month the
place was well filled with strangers
among whom young girls and young
men not yet engaged in their life pur.
suits predominated presume there
were at least fifty maidens Of mar
riageable age. some OF them comely
some intellectual and some both come
ly and intellectual. The bathing hou
followed the tide. and some days l got
away from the city sufficiently early
to bathe with the crowd. These days
were delightful, especially as ! jumped
as it were, from the hot eobblestones
Of the city into the cool waves Of the
sea.
One evening about the LIST of August
when the season was well on. reach
ing my hotel after my ride from the
city, the clerk handed me several let
tiers. which took up to my room with.
out inspecting, for was In hurry fol
my bath. On my return from the
beach while smoking cigarette IL
my bath robe before the window l tool
up my mail. One envelope was ad
dressed to me in feminine hand that
did not recognize. Tearing 1t open
| uncovered a bit OF cardboard, on
which was pinned a lock Of hair.
1t required some time for me to get
at the probable bottom Of this missivei
but at last fathomed it In this wise,
Some girl had seen me and. having
been attracted by my appearance, had
discovered my name and my hotel and
had sent me this lock Of her hair. JUS
what her object was could also only
be guessed. Possibly she didn't know
herself.
/ fancied the girl was most like
ly staying in Alton. 1t was proba
Bile that ! had no acquaintance witt
her. If had her act would show a
lack Of maidenly modesty for by plac
ing the lock sent me beside her hail
could easily discover her identity
Nevertheless there was a possibility
of my tracking her by this lock. She
was a blond but the shade was not
uncommon. There might be a dozen
girls at the place whose hair 1t would
match reasonably well.
Knowing that l would be observed
by one and possibly number Of girls
determined not to betray my inter
est in the matter by a critical examina-
ton of the hair Of different young la
dies. So when | appeared with the
throng on the beach or in the water
or on the board walk, though I kept
my eyes open, l did not let it appear
that | was looking for the lady who
had sent me the lock.
have always been one Of those fel-
lows who make acquaintances slowly
and have never relished pushing my
self forward One day one Of the
young men staying at my hotel ap
preached me. opened conversation and
in due time asked me If would not
like to know some of the young ladies'
| gladly assented, and the next day
on the beach he introduced me to a
girl who made me feel at home in her
company at once. This TO a retiring
man is a great deal. regretted that
she could not be the one who had sent
me the lock, for her hair was beauti-
ful shade of red
Miss Rebecca Yardley-that was hei
name-was an expert swimmer, and
we used to bathe together constant
ly. A raft was anchored out In deer
water, to which we would 90 for div
ing purposes Often she would dis
card the skirt, which have always
considered not only useless to womer
swimmers. but a drawback Her fig
ure was perfect. and in this skirtles'
costume she was a model for statue
while In the sunlight her hair took or
a deep shade of gold. My amphibioui
companionship with her rendered my
stay at Alton very different from
what 1t had been before l met her.
/ noticed that, although the younG
man who had introduced me to hel
had asked me If would like to know
some Of the girls. he did not further
pursue HIS lntroductions. Whether
this was because he saw that l ap
peared quite content with her ac
quaintance or for some other reasor
| don't know ! soon became sufh
GENTLY Intimate with Miss Yardley II
confide to her under her promise Of
secrecy that | had received an anony
nous lock Of hair, whereupon she SAID
that we men did not know the mum
ber OF girls who would lay traps fol
ms and 1t behooved as to be on oul
guard. | asked her Il she thoughl