Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1917-07-03

sy ALoNzo THOMAS.
Miss Gertrude whitney painted lit

She composed poem now and then
/: She wrote a story now and then foI
the magazines.
She read a good many books.
That was the sum and substance Of
what Miss Gertrude Whitney did, and
there we're good reasons why she didn't
do more or less. She was all alone in
the world. She had an apartment 10
the city and a maid. She had just
enough of an income to maintain her
comfortably.
| She attended the theater now and
then. made brief trips here and there,
did her shopping like any other young
woman, and sat on a park bench with
her book. Scores and scores of times
men had come that way and seeing her
alone on the long bench had halted and
were about to sit down when a look re-
| strained them.
1t was inevitable that a morning
would come, however and come 1t did.
Miss Gertrude sat at one end of her
| favorite bench with morning paper in
her hand when young man of about
| twenty-five came along and took the
other end, and also opened a newspa-
per. He didn't bow and he didn't ask
her permission.
1t seemed to Miss Gertrude that she
had been snubbed, ignored and con-
temptuously treated, and she hoped
the newcomer would try to open a con-
versation with her so that she might
snub him. But he didn't try it. On the
contrary, he turno partly away from
her, sat very still and read very intent
ly. She sat there for ten minutes.
When she got up to 60 she expected he
would look up, but he didn't. On the
contrary, he seemed to look down.
The next two mornings were lowry,
and Miss Gertrude did not go to the
park. 1t was better weather on the
third morning, and as she left home
she hoped that the young man had
spent the two days prowllng through
the park in hopes to find her. AS she
entered the grounds she walked and
walked and walked, until she was q
mile away from where she had last sat. !
She hadn't been seated five minutes !
when a loaferish-looking fellow came
along and pumped down and said:
"They say that squirrels are mighty
good eatin', but ] never had chanst
to y tEy EN-; EN-" 'syesy' iEHc''A.''sss'@c %
"Tve ct rabbits, and they are purity
good"
No reply.
as that air book you're readln' about
Buffalo Bin?" /
"Sir" demanded the girl. -,
"Oh, come on-let's go to matinee
this ar"
Miss Gertrude rose up to look for a
policeman, but sat down again almost
instantly. A hundred feet away, and =.
headed for her bench was the young
man and his newspaper. His eyes were
on the lOafer, but he did not increase
his pace any nor did he make any
preparations. He arrived at the bench
in due time and reached for the loaf
er's neck and lifted him to- his feet.
Then he got body hold and flung him
into the shrubbery as if he had been a
doll. He stood for q moment to watch
the loafer slink off, and then sat down .
on the other end of the bench and be-
gan to read.
There was a human being sitting
within few feet of him, but he seemed
oblivious of the fact.
What should she do--walk away !
again in huff or return thanks to
him Of the strong arm2 She did not
know that she had decided yet when
she found herself saying: I
"Sir, If you could see a loafer It
seems that you ought to be able to see
a young lady at the same distance"
''It does look that way" he smilingly
replied as he laid aside his paper. II
hope the fellow wasn't too rude."
"He deserved what you gave him.
Why did you hunt me down this morn
ingf
"Please don't use that term. Our
meetings have been by chance"
"But l changed to this place, and
here you are againT
"Chance, chance. / met that loafer
many rods from here and 1 thought he
looked impudent. should have taken
anpther path but for following him.
Have won or lost my case?"
''You have stated II pretty fairly,
guess, but what 1 can't understand is
is"
'Ts why l didn't take advantage Of
some Of the Incidents to address you,"
he finished for her, as a furtive glance
at her showed that she was blushing
and probably mad at herself for saying
as much as she had said.
She was looking on into the bushes
ms he continued.
1T was because fell in love with
you at first sight" ..tn
Miss Gertrude rose and hurried
away, and II cost Mr.. Fred Fayram.
civil engineer and mighty nice young