The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1915-07-30
Romance Of a
Broken Nose
How q Dream Turned Out
a Reality
By MARTHA ". MONROE

window looking out on street along
which now and again some pedestrian
was forcing his way against wind and
rain. Mr.. Chichester was depressed
and the sight from the window did not
tend to raise his spirits. His club was
supposed TO be a home for bachelors,
but 1t was a great stone structure, its
interior faced with marble and during
the day usually deserted.
Mr.. Chichester thought how pleasant
a real home would be on such day as
this. He pictured himself coming home
from business, met at the door by
loving wife with kiss, divesting him
self of wet clothing and sitting down
before a cheerful fire In his library, his
wife on the arm Of his easy chair listen
ing to a recital Of the events Of the
day.
A gust of wind changed a woman's
umbrella from concave to convex and
sent a mans hat rolling over the wet
pavement. Chichester turned away
from the scene contrasting so widely
with his dream of a home, and to
escape 1t he went into the billiard
room. There was no one there to play
with, 80 after knocking the balls about
for a few minutes he started out into
the storm to go to his room to dress
for dinner.
The wind sent the rain almost
parallel with the sidewalk, SO instead
of holding his umbrella over his head
he held 1t before his face. Suddenly
he felt a shock and heard a scream.
Raising his umbrella he saw girl
directly in front of him from whose
nose blood was running. 1t occurred
to him that he had drawn that blood
with the stick Of his umbrella.
1t was no time to talk, but to act,
though Chichester gave vent to two
words, Thousand pardons," as he
whipped out his handkerchief to sup
ply the place Of the one used by the
girl, which resembled a dolly rather
than blood stancher. She seized
the one he offered her greedily and held
1t to her nose.
A cab was passing, and Chichester
hailed it. Fortunately 1t was empty,
and the driver was ready for a fare.
He drew up by the curb. Chichester.
opening the door, said to the lady:
~ beg Of you to permit me to do
what I can to atone for my careless
ness by taking you home"
The girl removed the handkerchief
from her face, saw that her nose was
still bleeding, hesitated, then got into
the cab. Chichester asked for her
street and number, then, giving 1t to
the driver, got In and sat down beside
her. On the way he bemOaned having
injured her and hoped that there would
be no Ill result. The girl said very lit
tie and when they reached her home
and he handed her out was in no state
Of mind to thank him for his attention.
Nevertheless he followed her to the
door and into the house, where she
was received by her mother, who natu-
rally showed great anxiety to know
what had happened.
Inviting Chichester to a little parlor,
the mother went upstairs with her
daughter and presently returned with
the report that the hemorrhage had
ceased, but she had decided to call In a
doctor to make sure that all was right.
Chichester asked If he might remain to
hear the doctors report and was grant
ed his request. A telephone message
was sent for the family physician, who
arrived In due time and went upstairs
to the patient.
Meanwhile Chichester remained in
the cozy room to which he had been
shown. A cheerful fire was burning
on the hearth, and some one had been
sitting In an easy chair directly before
1t, for such was the position of the
chair. Chichester dDopped into it, and
presently his mind became diverted
from the damage he had done to his
Immediate surroundings.
The room was very tastefully fur
nished. Indeed, there was an air Of
comfort about it which is in some
rooms and not In others, why, It Is hard
to tell. On the wall We're pictures, all
works Of art, one Of which was a Dor
trait of young girl evidently about
fifteen, which Chichester recognized at
once for likeness Of the girl he had
injured, though 1t must have been
painted several years before. His at
tention was fixed on the nose, which
was very shapely. He WINGED as he
thought that he might have made II a
DETACHMENT instead of a thing Of
beauty.
Chichester sat musing. He recalled
the dream that had come TO him while
looking out of his window at his club,
when he had pictured himself coming
In out Of the rain received by a wife.
her sitting beside him on the arm Of
his chair and their talking over the
events Of the day. He now fancied the
girl stepping out of the picture and
taking the place Of the wife Of his
dream. True, she was but chit, but
he had seen her as a woman, and It
was not difficult to realize the two as
one and the same person. Would that
his fancy could become reall He would
shake the dust of his club Off his boots.
There was the tread of mans step
on the stairs. and the doctor entered
the room where Chichester sat He
looked grave. Chichester rose and
faced him.
"Mrs. Corwith,- said the physician,