Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-09-13

--o-s
triumph or tantalization.
We rode on together for another ten
miles, when the girl began to gather
ner belongings. Thank heaven, she was
preparing to aifght! True enough,
when the next station, Talbotsville,
was announced by the brakeman the
young lady sross from her seat and
moved to the dUsr. She had scarcely
reached it before l changed my seat for
the one she had left and begun my
search.
looked on the seat. looked on the
noor. l lit match to see better while
hunting beneath. No pin was to be
seen. examined the aisle between tho
seat l had occupied and that ON which
the girl had sat. 1 was doomed to dis
appointment.
now suspected that she had my pin.
L left the train at the next station,
took cab and rode back to Talbots-
vile. There l visited the two news
paper offices of the place and left all
advertisement at each stating that
mosaic scarfpin had been lost on GER
tain train and the finder would be prop
erly rewarded for it's return; no ques-
tlons asked. Then 1 went to my home.
having left Instructions at the Offices of
the papers to send me any replies that
| might come for me.
A couple of days later I received a
| letter signed Julia Waterman stating
that she had found a mosaic scarfpfn
on the train mentioned. AS to mo
questions asked" the finder Of the pin
would ask the questions. She would
return the pin without reward after
the loser had explained how he came to
| lose it.
My suspicion of an amused smile was
now explained. The girl had had my
I pin all the While 1 was looking for it.
1t was evident that I must confess. l
wrote Miss Waterman that no girl with
such kissable lips should be permitted
to travel on any train that passed
through tunnel, for they offered an ir-
resistible temptation. 1 was quite will
ing to give my pin, though it was
gift from my dear mother, for the kiss
had taken. 1t grew sweeter each day
in my memory. If she would accept
the one in lieu Of the other I would
consider the account closed.
The next day l recovered my scarf
pin by express and note saying that
the writer had no kisses to dispose Of
in exchange for anything. She reserv-
ed the right to give her kisses to whom
soever she might choose. Not another
word did she write. There was no de-
| mand for an apology or for a confess
sion from me that l had committed a
wrong. What l didn't like about it
was that it closed the incident
Now, did not propose that it should
be closed. l wished to form the young
lady's acquaintance with view to get
ting another kiss. One more? No; a
dozen. A dozen? No; a hundred, a
thousand, ten thousand. But how re-
open the matter? must invent some
plan. Almost any plan would do pro
vided the young lady would be pleased
to make my acquaintance. No plan
would suffice if she desired that tho
matter be dropped. In other words,
ILiSohI bO tLC S0AICl ny puSEluS Oll, anu
if 1 did not push on I would certainly
be a loser.
I wrote her that I would be glad to
expiate my robbery by giving her my
Scarfpin, but since she would not ac-
cept it in exchange for what 1 had
taken, would be only too glad to do
nate it or it's value to any charity she
might designate. This would not be
disposing of the kiss for her own bene-
fit, but for the relief of the needy.
With this note l sent the scarfpin
The offer without the pin would have
been useless. By sending the pin
forced her to take another step.
When a woman gives way to per-
sistent admirer, she is apt to do so all
of sudden. Miss Waterman replied
to my note in a very different vein than
before. She wrote me that I had be-
haved very we'll in atoning for my
fault. AS to what should be done with
the pin, perhaps we had better talk the
matter over. She would be pleased to
have me call upon her for the purpose
on a certain evening.
Napoleon at the battle of Wagram,
when he saw certain maneuver of
the enemy, closed his fieldglass consid-
ering the battle won. l folded Miss
Waterman's note, considering that an
acquaintance was effected No more
skirmishing was needed. On the even
ing designated went over to the place
of her residence on a train and at s
o'clock in the evening appeared at her
home.
Miss Waterman must have regretted
her giving way or considered that an
acquaintance formed in such manner
was beneath her dignity. At any rate,
she held me at some distance. This did
not trouble me at all. There was plenty
Of time for it to wear off, and l made
no mistake by proceeding too rapidly.
She did not remain long ON her dignity.
She was full of love for adventure, and
had won her good will by my daring.