The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-08-14
Making an
Acquaintance
Bv EVERETT P. CLARKE

inc to count fat roll of blliS. Inc
ladv was young and pretty --ihueeo'
yos very much struck with her ap-
pearance. thought OF onerhs
services to count the bills TOT ner' W.
this would put her on guard asains'
me as desiring to play confluence
game and get her money.
Finally she gave up the attempt anu
rolling the bills into wau' stuheu
them into a portemonnaie ana lett tne
honk went out at another door'
bailad a street car. got aboard; lacy
got in behind me and sat uo"n oppo
site me. She was the one hao seen
in the bank. She was carrying uer
nortemonnaie In her hand, inviting So
r. seemed to me, some thief to snatcn
IT. No one taking advantage Vi .he
offer. she laid it on the seat Desiue nei
and nroceeded to put on her gloves
which she had removed to count the
money The portemonnaie lay on tne
smooth surface Of the seat ready " VIC
shaken out of sight or into some liners
nossession, but the lady didn't appear
to worry about 1t, seeming far more
afraid of tearing her gloves "nicn
could not have cost over ", IMAM VI
losing a fat roll of bills.
There is nothing that will toucn tne
heart like stupidity. And 1t seemed 10
me that there was quite enough SUI
pidity In this beautiful creature-ne,
ewes were great soft brown ones anu
her hair was shining chestnut-w
mako me love her forever. l watcheu
her and her pocketbooB till ! saw II
slide into the crack between the seat
and its back, disappearing behind tne
folds of her dress.
Ths oar logged on, most of the pas
sengers gradually getting out was
carried far beyond my destinanon' Due
IL had been intent on possessing my
self of the indy's pocketbook couio
NOT have been more absorbed In the
situation In fact, | did have designs
On that pockptbook, but for purpose
different from that Of using the money
In it
Having got her gloves on-without
tearing them-the lady felt OF her oack
hair. folded her plump little hands ana
was evidently lost III day dream.
She did not leave the car dli II reach-
ed the terminal. and when she did she
and | were the only persons in It.
waited till she had arisen and started
for the door There was the portemon-
naie resting safely in the Juncuon DE-
tween the seat and its back Inc
Iady's face was turned from me; the
motormaD was busy; took up the
portemonnaie, put it in my pocket ana
left the car The lady started up
street | followed her and, presently
passing her. raised my hat and said:
II beg pardon. Can you tell me
where Mr.. Smith livesT
She turned her eyes upon me ana
, asked:
what SMITH
, why, the MIR Smith. of course!
There's always one particular Smith In
place"
~ don't know any Mr.. Smith at ALL"
This was said with hauteur.
q Would you mind my walking with
!, YOU till you reach your homer |
asked.
II certainly would
well, then, | will leave you. pre-
= dict, however. that before twenty-four
= hours have passed you will give me an
= invitation to visit you. Here is my
- card"
y. She took the card and. tearing 1t into
i bits, scattered them on the sidewalk.
At the same time her color was rising
= like a bay of Biscay tide.
Good morning." l said, raising my
hat with infinite politeness, and left
her. At the same time l kept her in
= sight till saw her enter dwelling
e standing in handsome grounds anc
- afterward inquired all about it and it
= occupants. Returning to the city,
mailed one Of my cards to the ad
~ dress and waited. By noon the pey
q, day l received a note from Mis-
81 Edith Belforq stating that If was thu
's gentleman who had sat opposite her IL
! the car the day before and could tel
IL her anything about pocketbook sb,
II had lost she would be obliged II
ID would do so. replied that had join
ed her the day before for that purpose
q but, noticing that there seemed to b,
to something in my personality that wa
to distasteful to her, had felt 1t incum
as bent upon me to leave her. To thi
Ell she sent an invitation for me to COM
a and see her, did so and was eagerl.
received.
n DO you know anything about itf
ar she asked hurriedly.
re Have you found out anything abou
On where Mr.. Smith lives2" l asked Il
he reply.
in Her big eyes grew bigger. Wha
on could mean2
u took her portemonnaie from m
as pocket and handed it to her. Tn
change from the worried expression o
her face to one of delight was ravist
. ing.
Where did you find it," she asked.
Where yon left it on the seat in tn
car"
insisted on her counting the none
over till the amount came ont twit
alike-S2HI then Rose to go Nv III
time my facptinuSnPSs began To dnw
upon her She asked me il there WI
nothing she could do to show her a
probation of my kindness in the ma
ter, and | told her there was-.l shou
like to make her acquaintance.
| made II so effectually that we a
spending our lives together.