The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-12-19
A Broken
Shoestring
BY MARTHA v. MONROE


one of the meetings of q dancing club
of which he was a member. To kill
time ! concluded to go. but l knew
none of the ladies who would be there.
nor was there any person to introduce
me. Had my friend who gave me the
invitation been there l would undoubt-
eddy have enjoyed the evening. AS it
was / had a very slow time.
! saw there IL young lady who was
evidently similarly situated as ! was.
She was very attractive looking, but
was nevertheless Il wallfiower. l would
have been glad to know her, but
could only do SO by addressing her
without All introduction. which l had
not the assurance to do. She saw me
looking at her wistfully. and l saw an
amused smile on her face in conse-
quence. This should have encouraged
me to speak to her. but l was fearful
of a rebuff. Ten years later 1 would
not have been so backward.
But the wall1ower. A few days
after the dance while passing along
the street ] saw a young lady with her
foot on a step trying to tie her shoe.
1t is not an easy matter for a woman
on the street carrying a parasOl and a
reticule to do this, so l volunteered to
do it for her. Without looking at her
bent over her foot. and while pulling
on the string it broke. l Immediately
took off one Of my own shoes. placed
it where she could rest a foot on it.
removed the shoe with the broken
string and substituted my own shoe
string. Then. the shoe business set
tied. ! turned and looked at her.
She was the wallfower l had seen
a few evenings before.
Her smile indicated that she recog-
nized me. Indeed. it was the same
amused smile had seen on those
same lips. However. she treated me
as a stranger to her. but asked me for
my pocketknife and. cutting OF q bit
of loose trimming from her dress.
handed it to me, with the words:
"The only return ! can make for
your shOeString."
She passed on. and ] stood gaping
after her. cursing myself for a fool
that I had not had the courage to ask
an acquaintance, for by her gift she
certainly conveyed what constituted
permission for me to address her. @N'
My courage came. but too late.
started after her. but she went up
steps leading to a front door. The
mink saw me coming and doubtless
knew what ] was about to do. With
the same amused smile she entered the
house aud closed the door behind her.
1t was in part that amused smile
which showed me how backward I had
been. and I was now brave enough In
all conscience. But what could ] do?
Suppose ! should follow her into the
house. Even il such ;,n act wer not
Il breach Of prOpriets it might serious
~ compromise her before others and
would surely I've embarrassing for me
I couldn't ioiter about the door waiting |
for her to come out. All could do
was to give the matter up. trusting
that she lived in the house she entered. |
and If she did | might by passing 1t
frequently catch sight of her again.
But my stay in the city came to an
end. and. though | spent hours watch
ing the house from a distance. l did
not see her. I went home. wearing the
bit of cord she had given me in my
buttonbole. and continued to wear 1t
indefinitely. One day some months
after my return. when driving an auto
the street. passed another car
driven by a chauffeur. and on the rear
seat was my girl Of the shOestring. %
saw her eyes fixed on her gift In my
h%uttonhole. and on her face was the
same amused smile.
What COMPOUNDED luck! Had met
her on the ground l could have done
to end these happenings.
but in a car going at the rate Of twelve
miles an hour. while she was In another
moving Mt the same rate. there WAS no
hope. Nevertheless I slowed mp anti
turned. But the street was not wide
enough to turn without backing. ard
by the time I got around saw the
other auto quite a distance ahead. ll
put OH power to take me ut Il rate OF
forty miles an hour. A policeman on
n motorcycle ordered me to stop. vi
drove ON without paying any attention
to him. He gnve. chase. Just as ! over
took the auto ] followed a pistol shot
cracked. and the ear wheel of nv auto
collapsed. The policeman Ind put "a
bullet into 1t.
The chauffeur of the other antO. henr-
ing n noise behind him. pulled to the
curb aud stopped. The Young lady on;
the rear seat lO,ked back and took In
the situation.
II II man Is going to have courage he
should have. II at. once. My putting
OF taking the risk s!1n snuh plArpd me
In a very ridiculous and trying posi-
.tiOn.
Whit were. .ypI doing going ut such
q rat,::' asked the cop. ga
II WAX chasing,'-s
I stopped. What u fool TO begin Ii
such a way: The dear girl came to my
rescue and nut me to the blush for mys*a4