Bridgeton pioneer., 1913-10-02

On the BridQe:
A Nlaht Long and Happily
Remembered
By CLARISSA ..cAiE
By CLARISSA ..,CAIE

high step to one of the front seats.
Thank you, Mr.. Dearborn; good
night cried Kitty. waving her hand
us he swung off the moving car.
Good night he called back, adding
to the conductor as the rear of the
car passed him. please let that young
lady off at Belmont street"
The conductor shouted back some
answer. and the almost empty car
whizzed away into the darkness of the
surrounding country.
Grandmother will scold'' she
thought. turning up the collar of her
coat and lifting her face to the strong
breeze that swept through the open
car. "She will tell me that Bakers and
Witherams always rode in their own
carriages and that no lady returned
home unescorted from any merrymak-
ing. But we are quite poor now, and
our days of splendor are past. AS long
as work side by side in the same
Office as Molly must use the same
vehicle that she does"
Kitty smiled a little as she thought
Va lhC Cildh0 thut Ado ltthCh nCA ~
Molly's that August evening. Molly
was to be married. and Kitty had gone
out to Homedale to see all the dainty
details of the trousseau and to discuss
the simple plans. She was to be brides
maid when Molly was married In the
village church.
The conductor thrust a cailoused.
blackened palm under her pretty nose.
and Kitty fumbled for a nickel and
paid it. The bell tangled several times;
then there was nothing save the fash
Of the car toward the city between
walls of green trees on either side of
the track.
Thinking of weddings reminded Kit
ty of one that might have been hers Il
her pride had not caused her to break
troth with Len Thornleigh when the
Baked fortune went to smash at her
fathers death. 1t had been Lens first
year at college. and he had chafed bit
terly because he must wait three years
before he could leave and support her.
He wanted to break off and go into
his fathers business without cOmplet-
ing his college career, but the great
magnate had demurred and held Len
to promise made years before
Kitty had not seen Len since she had
sent him that cruel letter that made
a1m see light at. last. Nothing but
:ruelty would have opened his eyes.
She closed her eyes now. and a stran-
gled sob rose to her lips as she thought
Of the last three years of waiting.
They stopped at little hooded sta
ton and changed conductors. Kitty
Baker never knew it. She sat there
drowsily. her face very tender. think
ing of Len Thornleigh.
The bell ringing up fares reused her
little. and she CROPPED for another five
cent piece. There was nothing left in
her purse save a silver quarter. She
held it in her gloved fingers. waiting
for the conductor.
When he CAME she did not look up.
He leaned across the intervening space
and held out his hand.
Kitty stared down at the hand. It
was very different from the hand Of
the other conductor. This was clean,
brown. muscular looking hand, with
well Kept nails and plain gold ring
on the little finger.
1t was familiar hand. A sudden
horror smote Kitty Baker, and she
thrust forward the silver quarter.
Somehow it spun away out of her fin
gers and went into the darkness.
'Oh!' she cried sharply. II haven't
another penny with mer' Then she
looked into his face and saw that If
the hand was the hand Of Len Thorn
leigh the face certainly belonged to
the son of the great financier His
eyes met hers uncertainty. steadied
and became bits Of gray agate.
1t could not be Len. for he did not
recognize her. 1t was a wonderful re-
semblance.
apologized Kitty. What shall do?"
You can pay me another time" he
said gravely and touched his hat. He
rang up her fare and went away to the
back of the car.
Kitty sat paralyzed with surprise.
1t was Len Thornleigh's voice she had
heard too.
Her good sense told her that this
was absurd-to imagine that this troll
ley conductor could be Len Thornleigh.
Why. Len drove around in his own
high power motorcars and she had
read only the day before that his IA
ther was building great country
house at Marblehead
The car whistled shrilly as it went
down the steep incline that approached
a narrow bridge over the little river.
AS they rumbled over the bridge the
car slackened speed and came to a sud
den standstill at the same instant that
the lights went ont
The conductor went forward apd sat
down with the motorman They talk
| ed together in low tones Kitty look
| cd back through the car and saw one
| man sitting alone on the rear seat. He
| appeared to be asleep. although be
| stirred as she looked at him.
1t was very quiet there waiting for