The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-02-01
A MISTAKE
IN IDENTITY
By OSCAR cox

nose and looked an appeal TO buy them
did so, and putting them In the but.
tonhole of my coat ! strolled toward
the door through which passengers
were going to the trains.
Are you WHIP"
The voice came from a very pretty
girl who was looking into my face in
quiringly. My name is William. and
II Is so common for men that | was
not especially surprised at being asked
the question by stranger. thinking
her to have made mistake in the per-
son. My reply was:
ut is"
II supposed so by the violets. Come;
let us get on to the train. have my
ticket"
She slipped her arm through mine as
confdingly as IL belonged to her. Not
knowing what to do did nothing, but
/ fully intended to make her aware of
her error at once.
THAT last letter of Claras." she said
as we walked to the train, decided
me-"
Curiosity here stepped in to take
hand. | wondered what Clara had
said in the letter.
"Um," | said by way of saying MOTH
ing. But by this time we reached the
car steps, Qnd handed the young lady
In. She took a seat, and j sat down
beside her. / had thus far taken no
advantage of her mistake. l would let
her go on little further before head
ing her off. / have noticed that if a
woman has anything to say she will
usually say 1t without announcement.
CLARA is just too lovely for any.
thing" said the girl.
"UmP
She has been very kind to me. !
When she wrote me that you had
grown tired of your lonely life, that a
big city like New York is of all places
In the world the most desolate, that
you wished she would introduce YOU
to some girl who would make you a
good wife and without the bother of a
courtship | realized that it was the
same for men>as for women, and, while
4 didn't like your words-'the bother
of courting'-I felt that in the main
you were right Then / received he1
letter making the arrangement for us
to spend the week end with her and
saying that you would meet me for
this train and would wear bouton
Mere of violets"
| had got the whole story in a nut
shell. There was none of that shooting
out in different directions like burst.
ing rocket, but concise narration OF
facts. Just then the conductor came
along taking tickets. My companion
showed one for Dune. n station not
quite so far as Seabright. Both tickets
were taken up. and she did not see
that mine was for a different station
from hers. | began to explain:
II dare say you VIII blame me when
you have heard
CLARA told me all about your mar
'iage and divorce" she interrupted
Il may as well say right here that |
lon't consider you in the least to
blame. Indeed l don't see how you
,ould have acted otherwise"
Why not make the break right here?
concluded to plunge
II am not divorced man." / said. .
i have never been married. l think ,
ou must have made mistake For ,
whom have you taken me?" :
She looked at me in establishment
Clara gave me no name except VIII.
he said your other name would come
ltpr IL fha n flair proeeadad
Il am quite sure there has been a !
listake. | began to tell you few !
linutes ago. when you interrupted :
le" !,
"Oh, my goodness graciousr' !,
Don't disturb yourself. Your secret I
perfectly safe with me. But | re i
ret that you should have fallen into !
lie wrong hands. Is there anything r,
can do TO right masters I,
mo, no. no. IL
How do we know that if you have /,
ade a mistake Fate has not:" :.
The young lady was apparently at OF
asst Gained by this. At any rate. she al
emed interested. took out my card 81
se, drew a card and, having pen II
led my address on it, handed it TO ga
n, asking her to let me know how
r affair with Will came out A
W moments later the train slowed
}, the guard cried, "Duner' and l nj
nded my new found friend out of II
e train. She gave me an embar- Ia
ssed smile at parting ! saw her en- M
: carriage driven by coachman ar
livery and roll away TO
heard nothing more of the matter te,
one day / received note signed
name / did not recognize as
long my acquaintance. As soon as
lad read few lines i knew it was
I'M the girl who made the mistake.
keep her promise she informed me
It the matter which had come to
knowledge had not materialized.
E seemed much mortified at having els'
cred upon it in the way she had p is
wrote asking permission 10 call and stt
eived il. | found one who had mi,
ID IN affiuence. but. having been han
uced to want had gone TO the city yea
earn her living. She had so suffered est
m loneliness that when a friend un- abb,
took to make a match for her in Of
ather crude way she was tempted. ma
discovered that the man she was -
meet did not suit her. &
found her ready TO be consoled in -