The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-02-07
A Scraped
Acquaintance
BY RICHARD MARLEY

1
the men and sweetmeats for the
women.
l was travelling one day in a train
from morning till evening. A pretty
girl was sitting alone by herself, uti-
lizing two seats, the one for herself,
the other for her belongings. l took
the seat facing her and peered steadi-
ly out through the window as though
looking for something. Then suddenly
turned from the window and covered
my face with my hands. When / re-
moved them the girl was looking at me
curiously.
Il dare say" said to her, that you
take me for lunatic / will explain.
We have just passed the home of my
childhood. There my parents both
died; there my sister was married
From there | went forth poor boy
to struggle with the world"
This cooked up tale excited a COM
miseration that appeared In her fea-
lures, especially her beautiful eyes,
Having effected an acquaintance, l
dropped playing part and acted my
own sane self. informed the young
lady truthfully where belonged and
as much about myself as l cared to
have her know. She returned my con-
idence by telling me that she was a
country girl going to the city to seek
employment.
| During the afternoon the car filed
| up, and one of the vacant seats we
were using for our hand baggage was
occupied by man, who set his suit
case In the aisle beside him. | there
| upon lifted suit case of my own and
one belonging to the girl TO the rack,
and the newcomer concluded to do the
same with his own suit case.
This man seemed very Ill at ease
He was constantly changing his posi-
ton, and whenever the car door open
ed behind him he would turn around
and look to see who had entered
AS we approached the terminal no
ticed that this agitation increased.
I had got so far with the girl as to
exchange addresses, and | was to call |
upon her. She was going to board |
ing house, where. took It, she would |
stay till her money gave out l had |
really become interested In her and |
fully intended IL she got into trouble TO |
pack her off to her country home, pay |
ing her way myself.
When we reached the terminal the |
man who was sitting with us arose,
CROPPED In the rack for his suit case
for there was little light in the car
and. swinging II down. left with 1t. l
handed the girl her suit case and took
the remaining one myself. On alight-
ing our paths parted, and I babe her
goodby, telling her that / would see
her soon.
And so intended. But i was off on
another trip almost Immediately and
did not return for three months. BY
this time she had passed out of my
memory, so far as any desire to pursue
the acquaintance was concerned, but
/ was troubled for fear she had been
ground to powder under the wheels
of the great destroyer. wrote her a
note, frankly stating the case and ask
ing her IL she were In trouble and II
81 WOutu ntip oht' ,
l received a reply from her home in
the country She said that my letter
had been forwarded to her. She had
from the city under circum-
stances that had resulted from her
meeting with me. She seemed very
appreciative of the interest I had taken
In her welfare and especially of my ,
offer to help her in case she were In
trouble. II in my travels I happened
TO visit the place where she lived and
would call upon her she would explain
more fully.
On one of my subsequent trips my
route lay through the town Of her res
idence, and l stopped over on purpose q
10 hear those circumstances connected S
with her meeting with me. The same a
evening appeared at her home. She b
was apparently living in comfort. This
was her statement:
when I reached my boarding house n
IN the day / met you / found that L &
lad some one else's suit case. ] forced a
I open to see If 1t contained the adj v
iress Of the owner that / might ex- b
IL AOi my V"bs 'aNffoN | y
ome mems underclothing 1 found a n
,ackage containing a large number OF
What / was told were securities. 1 IL
new I had hit on something of i'm e.
,ortance, but was afraid to ask for adj e.
ice as to what to do with 1t. On ex- Il
mining the securities / saw that some 81
4 them bore the stamp of certain
ank. / took them TO the bank and 81
allied for one OF its officers. i was o,
AIKEN into the presidents private office ST
nd laid the securities on a desk before in
i'm. He was much delighted and as
onished. They had been stolen from cl
he bank several years before. "
when 1 told of my journey and the
ian who took seat with US the pres pc
lent said that he was doubtless bring n
lg the securities TO the city, but got pa
ervous, fearing that he would be
sught with the property on his per-
IN. On leaving the train he had prob
bly, Intentionally taken my suit case. 10
nd when you handed me what you e'
opposed was mine you handed me his W
stead. A reward Of $4,000 had been te
Tered for the return Of the property, az
Al flta ,-ae "a ~, mo - ! VI