The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-12-31
Miss Tucker's
Revenge
By ESTHER VANDEvEER

any ones feelings Intentionally, but In
Intentionally was always laundering.
1t Is q question which kind Of person Is
the least Objectionable, the selfish per
son or the unselfish person who has not
the s%ensibility to see that he is wound
ing some one.
WorthingtOh was getting to an age
when he wished for a home, and every
one knows that a man can't make q
home without a woman. else 1t would
be like a body without a soul. One
evening a married lady friend Of his
said to him:
"Jim, I know a girl who would suit
you exactly"
Does she wish to get married?"
what a question:"
why do you say that?"
Every girl wishes to marry: Mt least
that is her natural part in life. ana she
prefers to fulfill it."
"Oh!w
Would you like me to Introduce
you?"
Il should be greatly obliged if yon
would"
Now. such matters should be man.
aged with cOnsummate tact. This one
was managed with no tact ut all. The
introducer told the girl. Miss Helen
Tucker, that she had a husband picked
out for her. The consequence was that
when the pair We're introduced each
knew the purpose Of the introduction.
The girl treated Jim as cordially as she
could under the circumstances. which
were not conducive to cordiality. Jim
looked the girl over and made up his
mind that he did not want her. After a
brief and embarrassing visit he depart
ed with no effort whatever to divest
Miss Tucker Of the opinion she had
formed that she had been turned down.
1t did not occur to him that she would
feel sighted.
Five years passed. Jim was still I'M
married. He had never seen Miss
Tucker since the single call he had
made on her, and the incident had ell
tirely slipped out of his mind. Not so
the lady be had turned down. She
was nursing q wound in her bosom
that panied her perpetually. One
night she met WOrthingtOn at Il ball.
She was eighteen when she met him
before; now she was twenty-three.
Worthington was thtrty-four. One
glance ut him told her that he did not
remember her. Her heart beat wildly.
but she turned away from him in time
to prevent his seeing it. A burning
desire was in her bosom; that desire
was for revenge.
Turning again to Werthington. she
threw a look Of admiration into her
eyes that he had not seen in the eyes
Of any other woman. Blind before to
bis attractions. he suddenly discover
ed them in the worshipful look Of this
woman. He talked to her and made
another discovery-that he was Il very
interesting u When the two part
ed the lady half repressed a sigh, :s
though she could not bear the scpar;y
ton. He asked permission to call. and
it was granted with It happy smile.
Miss Tucker feared that her tisl,
would learn who she was before she
could land hin. Fortunately her
dwelling had been changed. Her name
remained the same. But there was no
fear of the latter giving her away.
Worthington remembered only one
Tucker. his tailor. In a week Worth
ington had been hooked: in u month
he was passionately in love. He
sought an opportunity ia propose. hut
Miss Tucker fdiled him. She believed
she had nine-tenths Of his heart. and
she wished the other tenth. When she
had got this. too. she wanted to- squeeze
every drop of blood out Of 1t.
At last, when she found that she
couldn't frown at him without bringing
signs Of collapse. she let him tell her
how he loved her. While he was get,
ting it Out-he labored like ~ donkey
engine pulling u coal train-she cast
her eyes demurely on the floor. Then
suddenly she raised them to him cold
as a January sky and asked him what
In the world she had done to cause
him to mistake. an ordinary friendship,
for love.
When Worthington left the house he
staggered down the steps. and 1t seem-
ed to bin that the sidewalk was an
abyss with no bottom. He went to his
desolate room and sat all night starring
ut vacancy. During the next day while
he was pacing the floor with a wild
look IN his eye the postman came and
brought him a note from bis refuser
She expressed regret at his mistake.
wondering II after all he had failed to
recognize in her the Miss Tucker he
had met five years before. they having
been introduced with matrimonial in.
tent. She had been ready then to say
yes. Since then her taste had changed.
She was. oh, so sorry!
This was doubling a load already un.
bearabie. Worthington looked upon
the world before him as q prisoner on
the way to Siberia views the trackless
SHOWS before him. remembering the
Kara mines at the other end Of the
journey.
Remembering the friend who had I'm
PRODUCED him to Miss Tucker, he called
on her and told her his ~heartrending
story.