The Clio messenger., 1914-12-25
WAITING ON THE CORNER
BY JOHN PHILIP ORTIZ.

| Copyright. 1914, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate)
Miss Madge Seaforth was playing
the piano in the parlor of her fathers
house when all at once there came a
jangle. II one is playing The Old
Folks at Home" and absently wan
ders off into the air of Yankee
Doodle" there's going to be a jangle.
And then you suddenly remember
that you borrowed Bessie Walters
dream-book day or two ago, and
solemnly promised her that II the
reading Of 1t caused you to dream you
would faithfully relate that dream to
the lender of the book without unnec-
essary delay.
Well, Miss Madge had read the book
from cover to cover. Much of it's con-
tents had made her gasp and shiver.
She had dreamed of being chased by
snakes, wolves, brigands and runaway
locomotives.
thickets and meadows; they had run
her up hill and down; they ran her
through streets and alleys.
At last, after the chase had con-
tinued for miles and the poor girl
had just jumped a fence nine feet
high without her French heels touch
ing splinter she caught the lower
limb of tree and clambered up to
safety. She went to the telephone to
relate the dream In full. Miss Madge
settled herself for q cozy chat when
the answer came back from the GEN.
tral office:
Cant do It; the lines are crossed" :"
Whats the matter with the line?"
IT'S never In order!"
And / wanted to talk to Wall
street,"
You man with the big bull voice.
shut up!"
Miss Madge found herself interest
that dominated the rest, though it was
lost in the shuttle now and then. The
girl caught these words:
"At least ten thousand. About two
o'clock. The corner of Willow and
Stark streets. Don't strike to kill,
but to stun. Yes, two Of them. Then
upstairs and down the back way.
Sure thing"
What was the meaning of those
words! Here was something different
from a dream. 1t was a mystery. Il
am going to be there and see it," she
unused.
At 1:45 that afternoon an auto with
IT,, N
tonneau was at the corner Of Willow
and Stark streets. Three men were
leaning against wall.
From down Stark street came two
men. One of the men carried a
leather bag.
A moment more and things began
to happen. The three loungers at
tackled the two men with the bag.
There were shouts and blows and
scuffling. The chauffeur leaped to the
walk and ran away. Miss Madge
opened the door of the vehicle and
stood screaming She hardly realized
it when one of the men threw the bag
at her feet
Save it from the thugs If you can!"
And then the girl found herself at
the wheel and speeding away. Straight
home, a mile away, and the bag was
carried into the house. 1t was then
! that Miss Madge had fit of hysteria.
The evening papers had a sensation,
and as Miss Madge read the scare
heads she was as white as sheet.
THE boldest holdup for years."
Planned by handsome girl"
She waits in an auto and drives
off with the $4,000 that was to pay
the hands in a factory"
"The robbers arrested, but they
won't talk!"
Their victims seriously injured in
their plucky fight!"
"Who is the handsome queen of the
robber gang?"
No police and no reporters until
Mr.. Seaforth arrived home and tele-
phoned them. A few explanations and
all was made clear.
Nine detectives and 21 reporters
called at the Seaforth residence for in
terviews. The factory men called.
Strangers in the city called aud said
1t was bully thing to do. Seventeen
photographers wanted sittings, and
felt ill-used when they did not secure
them.
Among the last callers was Stephen
Adair, one of the robbers victims. He
II was who threw the bag into the
auto and shouted to the girl to drive
off, and he had been made a hero of.
He still wore plaster or two over
his hurts, but it is always proper for
hero to want to call on heroine.
And there was opportunity for adj
miration to grow into love-. and 1t
grew.