The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-03-09
A Scraped
Acquaintance
By RICHARD MARLEY

When | was commercial traveller
| always made it point TO scrape ac-
quaintance with my fellow travellers.
Ry this means | avoided much of the
tedinm of my calling. To facilitate
good fellowship | carried cigars for
the men and sweetmeats for the
women.
| was travelling one day in n train
from morning till evening. A pretty
girl was sitting alone by herself, uti-
llZlnS two seats, the one for herself.
the other for her belongings. | took
the seat facing her and peered steadi-
ly out through the window as though
looking for something. Then suddenly
l turned from the window and covered
my face with my hands. When l 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 COM
miSeration that appeared in her fea-
lures, especially her beautiful eyes.
Having effected an acquaintance. |
dropped playing a part and acted my
own sane self. | informed the young
lady truthfully where | belonged and
as much about myself as | cared to
have her know. She returned my con
idcnce by telling me that she was
country Girl going to the city TO seek
employment
During the afternoon the ear filled
up. and one of the vacant seats we
were using for our hand baggage was
Z occupied by man. who set his suit
case in the aisle beside him | there
/ upon lifted a suit case of my own and
one belonging to the girl to the rack.
and the newcomer concluded 10 do the
same with his own suit ease.
This man seemed very i'll at ease.
lie was constantly changing his posi-
tion. 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
ticcd that this agitation increased.
had got SO far with the girl as to
exchange addresses. and | was to call
upon her She was going to n board
l,,,, I hn
stay till her money gave out. | had
really become interested i'm her and
fully intended If 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,
gropcd in the rack for his suit case
for there was little light in the car
and swinging II down. left with II.
handed the girl her suit ease and took
the remaining one myself. On alight
ing our paths parted, and | babe her
goodby. telling her that | would see
her soon.
And so intended But | was off or
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 beer
ground to powder under the wheels
of the great destroyer | wrote her Q
note. frankly stating the case and ask
ing her If she were In trouble and II
so would gladly help her out.
received reply from her home IL
the country She said that my letter
had been forwarded to her. She hat
returned from the city under circum
stances that had resulted from he
meeting with me She seemed very
apnrcciative of the interest had taker
in her welfare and especially of m.
offer to help her In ease she were il
trouble. If in my travels | happened
TO visit the place where she lived ant
would call upon her she would explain
more fully.
on one of my subsequent trips my
route lay through the town of her res
to hear those circumstances connected
with her meeting with me. The sam,
evening | appeared at her home. Sh'
was apparently living in comfort, Thi'
was her statement.
"When / reached my boarding hous'
on the day | met YOU | found that
had some one else's suit case. forced
il open to see if it contained the al
dress Of the owner that | might OK
change it for my own. Wrapped il
some mems Undertaking | found {
package containing a large number o
what | was old were securities.
knew | had hit on something of i'm
portance. but was afraid TO ask for al
vice as TO what to do with il. ON eX
amining the securities | saw that SOM
of them bore the stamp of a certain
bank. took them to the bank ant
\ xro