Evening star., 1917-11-04

IL can't possibly thank you. she
stammered. "Are you badly hurtT
felt had never listened to words 50
original and well chosen. In compare
SON, the brilliant and graceful speecnes
/ had placed on the lips of my heroine
became nat and unconvincing.
assured her I was not at % an nur. nv
and endeavored, 3auntiiy. TO repiaSe my ny
telegraph pole a large lump had risen
which made my hat too small. So
hung II on the bump. 1t gave me
rakish air. One Of the chorus returned
wishing to remind Miss Briggs Of my
past impertinences. l guilty conceaieo
Then the policeman asked my name
and 1 gave the one had just invented,
and inquired my way to the Parker
House. Half the chorus volunteered 70
act as my escort, and as l departed
stole last look at Miss Briggs. sne
and the policeman were ,n .aklSs ~ ,ha eom ear
that had hit me. He was trying to per.
suade them he was not intoxicated anu
with each speech was furnishing eFi-
dence to the contrary.
After had given a cold bath to the
bump on my head and to the rest OF my
body, which, for the moment, seemed
the lesser Of the two. got into dry
things and seated myself on the We
randa Of the hotel. With a cigar 10
ed the position of Miss Briggs and my.
self I was happy in believing 1t had
improved. On the morrow there was no
law to prevent me from visiting Hatch.
what had happened since last left It.
I had reason to hope Miss Briggs would
receive me more kindly. or the cor
rectness Of this diagnosis was at once
assured. In front Of the hotel a aistflc.
messenger boy fell OF his bicycle and
with unerring instinct picked me out
as Mr. Fitzgibbon Of New York. The
note he carried was from Miss Briggs.
1t stated that in the presence OF 50
many people 1t had been impossible for
her to thank me as she wished for the
service I had rendered her. and that
Mrs. Cutler. with whom she boarded.
and herself would be glad II. after sup
per, I would call upon them. gave
the messenger boy enough gold to en-
able him to buy a new bicycle and In
my room executed a dance symbolizing
Joy I then kicked my suit case under
the bed. would not soon need 1t. Now
was determined to live and die In New
Bedford.
The home of Mrs. Cutler. where Miss
Briggs lodged and boarded. was In
side street Of respectable and distin-
was arched with the branches OF giant
elms. and each house was an island sur
rounded by grass, and over the porches
climbed roses. It was too warm to re-
main indoors, SO we sat on the steps of
the elms the electric light globe served
us as a moon. For an automobile sales
man 1 was very shy, very humble.
Twice before / had given offense and
/ was determined II 1t lay with me 1t
would not happen again. I did not hope
to interest Miss Briggs In myself. nor
did I let 1t appear how tremendously
1 was interested in her. For the mo-
ment was only stranger in a strange
land making a social call. I asked Miss
Briggs about New Bedford and the
whaling. about the books she sold, and
the books she liked. 1t was She who
talked. When I found we looked at
things in the same way and that tho
Same things gave us pleasure / did not
comment on that astonishing fact, but,
as an asset more precious than gold.
stored it away. When I returned to the
hotel found that concerning Miss Briggs
I had made important discoveries
had learned that her name was Polly.
that the Jolly Polly had been christen-
ed after her grandmother. that she
was an orphan. that there were rela-
tives with whom she did not "hit 1t OF.
that she was very well read. possessed
Of a most charmoing sense Of humor.
and that found her the most attrac-
tive girl had ever met.
alted frame of mind. was In love with
life. with New Bedford. and with Polly
Briggs. I had been in love before, but
never with a young lady who worked
in a shop, and ! found that loving q
lady SO occupied gives one a tremen-
dous advantage. For when you call she
must always be at home. nor can she
plead another engagement. So before
noon. knowing she could not deny her
self, was again at Hatchardsons, pur-