The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1916-02-18
Miss Tucker S
Revenge
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

Worthington was an excellent fellow,
but thoughtless about treading on 9TH
er persons toes. He would not hurt
any ones feelings Intentionally, but I'M
Intentionally was always laundering.
1t is question which kind Of person is
the least Objectionable, the selfish per-
son or the unselfish person who has not
the sensibility to see that he Is wound
ing some one.
Worthington was getting to an age
when he wished for home, and every
one knows that man can't make
home without woman, else 1t would
be like body without soul. One
evening married lady friend of his
said to him:
Jim. know girl who would suit
you exactly"
Does she wish to get marriedT
what question:"
"Why do you say that?'
Every girl wishes to marry; at least
that is her natural part in life. and she
prefers to fulfill it,
"Oh.'
would you like me to Introduce
you?"
Il should be greatly obliged if you
would"
Now, such matters should be man.
aged with consummate tact. This one
was managed with no tact at all. The
tntroducer told the girl, Miss Helen
Tucker. that she had husband picked
out for her. The consequence was that
when the pair were 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
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 en-
tirely slipped out of his mind. Not so
the lady he had turned down. She
was nursing wound in her bosom
that panied her perpetually. One
night she met Worthington at a ball.
She was eighteen when she met him
before; now she was twenty-three
Worthington was thirty-four. One
glance at 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. burning
desire was in her bosom; that desire
was for revenge.
Turning again to Worthington, she
threw look of admiration into her
eyes that he had not seen in the eyes
Of any other woman. Blind before to
his attractions, he suddenly discover
ed them in the worshipful look Of this
woman. He talked to her and made
another discovery-that he was very
interesting man. When the two part
ed the lady half repressed a sigh, as
though she could not bear the separa-
ton. He asked permission to call, and
1t was granted with ii happy smile.
Miss Tucker feared that her fish
would learn who she was before she
could land him. 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 week Worth.
ington had been hooked: in a month
he was pasSionately in love. He
sought an opportunity to propose. but
Miss Tucker foiled 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 it.
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 a donkey |
engine pulling coal train-she cast ,
her eyes demurely on the floor. Then
suddenly she raised them to him cold +
as a ,IaDuarV sky and oSlyad him what