The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-02-24
'ABlue Ribbon
1t Served For a S,1oestring,
and Thereby Hangs
the Tale
By F. A. Mitchell

eesesssessssssesossssesses
Harry Spangler. Il light hearted young
man Of twenty. opened the front door
and went out for walk He was i'm
maculately clad "a silk hat, light
spring overcoat. gloved and carried a
cane. There is always weak spot
somewhere about US. and the weak
spot in Mr. Spangler's attire was one
frayed shoestring. He had not gone
far before it was dangling under his
heels. He stopped near q stone stoop
and. putting his foot upon q lower
step. was about to tie it when he
discovered that it was broken. Not
only was 1t broken, but broken in the
middle. and in order to right it he must
take it out readjust one half of it and
throw the other half away.
To do this necessitated sitting down
on the stone step and taking off his
shoe. Looking about him to see thai
no one was near to see him in such a
undignified position he dseted off the
step with his snow white handkerchief,
seated himself and went to work Hav-
ing Withdrawn the string in endeavor-
Ing to get it back in place he discover
ed that the metal tip had been flattened
and would not go into the holes. The
cut end would not go in without the
skill of needle threader. He sue
ceeded, however. In doing the job
when be discovered that the string
could not be tied. one end being made
shorter than the other.
Mr.. Spangler was sitting there look
Ing at the shoe when along came
young lady u couple of years his Junior,
dressed as Immediately as he and
withal very pretty. She endeavored
to repress smile at the situation,
which she took in at once. then in the
kindness Of her heart began to feel
over her corsage. her shoulders, for
something with which to replace the
broken string. Finding a narrow rib
bon she detached it and handed it to
the handicapped man. but the look of
despair In his face at being able to in
troduce 1T into his shoe SO affected her
that. taking off her gloves. she intro
duced the ribbon with her own deft
fingers. Harry put on the shoe. tied
the ends Of the ribbon. then rising
shock the leg of his trousers down over
It. He was profuse in his thanks. lift
ed his hat with a bow he had often
practiced before the glass; and the girl
who had succored him passed on All
that was left of her was blue ribbon
q quarter of an inch wide and about
sixteen inches long.
When Spangler returned to his home
he took the ribbon out of his shoe.
smoothed out the kinks and contem-
plated it as Il valued memento of tie
girl whose charming person 1t had dec
grated and whose fingers had placed 1t
In his shoe Then folding it two or
three times. he ran it through the but
Stonhole Of his coat. tied 1t In a bow
knot and vowed he would leave 1t
there till he should meet the donor
again.
Mr. Spangler's mind was not so full
Of important subjects but that there
was room for pretty girl who had
given him smile for himsel. and a
ribbon for his boot Whenever he
looked ut the ribbon. remembering
where it had been. he was distressed
to think that it had descended from its
position in the neighborhood of violets
to rubbing against malodorous shoe
backing. 1t kept fresh in his mind
that pink and white complexion. those
eyes of the heavens own blue. those
coils of blond shining in the sunlight |
that dainty figure. displayed by fash
ionably cut costume,
Spangler never went out on to the |
street without wearing the ribbon tied |
in butterfly knot in his buttonhole
Several months passed without his |
meeting the donor again. when one
day. turning corner he came sudden
~ upon her. She passed him without |
any sign Of recognition whatever
though he caught her gaze momentari.
ly fastened on the ribbon in his but
tonhole. Notwithstanding that it would
not have been etiquette for her to no
tice stranger. even though she had
succored him in distress. he felt hurt
that she had not shown some evidence
of having met him before But she
passed on in among the throng. and he
did not know that he should ever meet
her again.
But. hopeful. he continued to wear
the ribbon. Every day for a year he
turned the corner where he had met
her. fancying that she might have oc.
caS1On at times to pass that way: vet
saw her there no more. But one gala
day while standing on curb where a
crowd had gathered to see n procession
pass he turned. and there in Il window
with others was the girl who was
haunting him. He stood looking up ut
her for some time. but whether she
saw him or whether she was ignorant
Of his presence he could not tell At
any rate. she ignored him. Loath as
be was to leave her without learnin.
something by which he might trace
her. he felt obliged to move on lest she
consider his stare an imrertinence.
Spangler felt that the girl had an nd
over him and was holding on
o It. man who wishes the acQuaint,
lnce of lady must find the means for
IN Introduction There is among re
lned women that gateway which must