The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1914-08-27

in advance, he might express the bag
to--and so forth.
Many men would have done so and
said the matter could go hang, but
Mr.. Rexford didn't A faint sniff Of
romance was in the air. He was
aware Of emotions to which he had.
heretofore been a total stranger. Back
he went to Hartford. 1t was eight
o'clock in the evening when he gazed
into Miss Merritt's eyes and wondered
whether she was iifty-five or sixty.
Shippers and so glads! So sorry he
had gone to all the trouble he had.
She was sure that he was one man out
OF a thousand. She had read of such
gallant actions in books, but never ex-
pected to meet the hero of them. She
had hesitated to write MIN, net know
ing but he might be a confidence man,
or want a missive from her to levy
blackmail. She now saw that she had
Wronged him and must beg his par
don a million times over. Once she
had written letter to a man about
investing in silver mine stock, and
in her ignorance of the wiles Of the
world she had poured out her heart
so effusively that it had cost her $500
to get her letter hack 1t was because
Of this sad experience that she had
written so formally to Mr.. Rexford.
Now that they had met and he had
hnr CHI oh
was sure he would forgive.
Yes, Mr.. Rexford would forgive. He
would even praise her maidenly dis
erection, but was that her shopping
bag? Shopping bags with the initial
M" on them were SO numerous that
mistake was easily made.
oh, there was not a dulbt in the
world about ownership. That bag had
called up too many sad thoughts for
her to be mistaken in it. 1t had been
a gift from a dear friend-a very dear
friend. Indeed, she was not ashamed
to admit that she and that very dear
friend had been betrothed only the
week before he had been run down
by an auto. Yes, she had loved and
lost, but.
will you please make sure of the
bag, Miss Merritt"
She opened it and plunged in her
hand and TIM stood up and shouted:
You bold, bad mani"
What is it?"
"Here-take it-go! | was right IN
thinking you a sCoundrel of the black
est dye. Oh, if | were only a mani"
When Mr.. Rexford got back to New
York he had the bag with him, and
he found third letter awaiting him.
The bag, so the writer said, was care
lessly left behind when she left the
train at Hartford, and she would be
only too happy to pay any costs and
get her property back
Mr., Rexford started on his third
journey He was sure of the curiosity
and romance now. He found Miss
Merriweather at home He found her
petite and amiable Almost her first
greeting was laugh as she said:
The whole family will feel re-
lieved now"
cure IL yours
of course. Here's some false
hair for sister-a bottle of hair-dye
for mother-a pipe and tobacco for
father-a jumping jack for bub, and"
My card tells you that | am Mr.
ROYAL Rexford, of New York"
Yes"
And | want toto"
You want to see father"
"No-er-nor. That is not just now
but soon"
Miss Merriweather puzzled a mo-
ment and then the bushes came. She
didn't exactly know what she was
blushing for but she keeps it up as
often as Mr.. Rexford lands in Hart
ford, and that is once a week. And
his mother has had to explain to sew
eral friends
oh, yes, there can be romance in
lady's shopping bag as we'll as in
saving maid from drowning"
Copyright, 1912, by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate)