Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-10-29
A Broken
Shoestrllng
3, MARTHA v. MONROE

,tHf was bVt ny "~'N - Ar ""N
- 70 show me some attention. but
ohBged TO be absent during my
TORN gave me an invitation card to
"a ~ the meetings OF dancing club
. which he was member To kill
,re concluded 10 so. but | knew
- Of the ladies' who would be there.
~ was there any person to introduce
mad my friend who gave me the
.-r,,at,on been there would uEdoubt-
.slv have enjoyed tho evening. AS It
uas had very slow time.
Jaw there a young lady who was
.rtsently similarly situated as was.
shs WIS very attractive looking. but
wss nevertheless a wailf,ower. would
ssva been glad to know her. but
s,,ld only do 20 by addressing her
,-.,hout an introduction. which ] had
y, the assurance to do. She saw me
loostnz at her wsstfully. and | saw an
amused smile on her face In conse-
rpeuce. This should have encouraged
me- 10 speak to her. but was fearful
a rebuff. Ten years later | would
not have been so backward.
put the walltiower. A few days
after the dance while passing along
fss street saw young lady with her
toot on a step trying to tie her shoe.
7, Is not an easy matter for woman
os the street carrying q parnsoI and
retjcllc TO do this, SO | volunteered tn
Al Il for her. without looking Mt her
bent over her foot. and while pulling
an The string II broke. ! Immediately
troS oly one OF my own shoes. placed
II where she could rest foot on 1t
rvnoyed the shoe with the broken
string and substituted my own shoe
string Then. the shoe business set
lied. turned and looked Mt her.
She was the wailfiower I had seen
few evenings before.
Her smile indicated that she recog-
rgral NE. Indeed. IL was the same
amused smile had seen ON those
sane lips. However. she treated mo
asa stranger to her. but asked me for
nv porsetknife and. cutting OF bit
q loose trimming from her dress.
banded ii to me. with the words;
"Thc aaly return can make for
Jour sh0eString
she passed on. and stood gaping
afier her. curslng myself for fool
that md not had the courage To ask
AZ acquaintance. for by her gift she
certainly cvnveyed what constituted
permls .5u for me 10 address her
My pmge came. but too late.
started after her. but she went up
step, raGing to front door. The
mluy saw me coming and doubtless
knew what was abont TO do. With
the sauce amused smile she entered the
ho1se aud closed the door behind her.
II was In part that amused smile
With showed me how backward had
teea aud was now brave enough In
81 uu> ieHcc Bnt what could do;
SUP should follow her into the
a3l,e Sven II such an act were not
brea % ~ proprieiy It might serious
u compromise her before others and
leou.dut Ioiter about the door waiting
Tor Der 70 come out All I could do
was t4 give the matter up. trusting
tAat ,ls lived In the house she entered.
art >he dM might by passing 1t
freQuvn'y catch sight OF her again.
BIT uy stay in the city came to an
end and though spent hours watch
M ,lp house from distance. ! did
hot sse her. I went home. wearing the
BIT Of cord she had given me in my
baltonhole. and continued TO wear 1t
Indefinitely. One day some months
after my return. when driving an auto
On 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
paitonhole, and on her face was the
same amused smile.
What confounded luck. Had met
aer on the ground ! could have done
something TO end these happenings,
oat 10 a car going at the rate OF twelve
miles an hour. while she WAS In another
S'f4hg NJ the same rate. tnere Was no
nope, Nevertheless slowed mp and
Vrned But the street was not wide
enough to turn without backing. ard
oy the time I got around l saw the
ether auto quite distance ahead. l
Nt on power to take me at rate OF
"rty miles an hour A policeman on
: motorcycle ordered me to stop.
move on without paying any attention
70 MIN. He gave chase. Just as 4 over
'ooS the auto I followed pistol shot
cracked, and the rear wheel Of my auto
collapsed. The policeman had put a
bullet into IT.
The chauffeur OF the other auto. hear
ing q noise behind him. pulled to the
.uso and stopped. The young lady on
me rear seat looked back and took In
the situation.
II a man is going to have courage he
should have 1t at once Ny putting
va taking the risk Of snub placed me
- very ridiculous and trying posi-
ton.