Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1917-06-02
A Scraped
Acquaintance
BY RICHARD MARLEY

BY this means | avoided much or the
tediun OF my calling. To facilitate
good fellowship | carried rls RS for
women.
/ WIS travelling one day In a train
from morning till evening. A pretty
girl was sitting alone by herself. uu-
/ liZing two seats, the one for herself,
the other for her belongings / took
the seat facing her and peered steadt-
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 | re-
moved them the girl was looking at me
curiously.
Il dare say" l said to her. that you
take me for Il 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
10 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, |
dropped playing a part and acted my
own sane self j informed the young
lady truthfully where | belonged and
az much about myself as | cared to
have her know. She returned my con
tidence 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 a 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 10 do the
same with his own suit case
This man seemed very i'll at ease
He was constantly changing his post
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
iced 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 board
ing house. where, | took 1t, 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 1t down, left with It,
handed the girl her suit case 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 OF 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
note. frankly stating the case and ask
ing her II she were In trouble and If
so would gladly help her out
/ | received a reply from her home in
/ the country She said that my letter
/ had been forwarded to her She had
returned from the city under circum-
stances that had resulted from her
meeting with me She seemed very
appreciatiye OF the interest had taken
! in her welfare and especially OF my
offer TO help her In case she were In
trouble. II In my travels 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 | stopped over ON purpose
to hear those circumstances connected
with her meeting with me. The same
evening | appeared at her home. She
was apparently living III comfort. This
was her statement;
when | reached nay boarding house
ON the day met you | found that l
had some one elses suit case. | forced
It open to see il it contained the ad-
lresS OF the owner that | might ex-
change il for my own. Wrapped in
some meu's Undertaking l found
lackage containing 4 large number OF
What | was told We're securities.
knew | had hit ON something OF i'm
,ortance. but was afraid to ask for adj
vice as To what TO do with it. On ex-
tmiuing the securities | saw that some
Il them bore the stamp OF 4 certain
',auA took them TO the bank and
called for one Of its officers. | WAS
taken idto the presidents private office
ana laid the securities GA desk before
him He VAS much delighted and as
tonished. They had been stolen from
he bank several years before.
when | told OF my Journey and the
nan who took a seat with us the pres
ident 81 id that he was doubtless bring
ng the securities 10 the city. but got
o-~vonS faa ring that ba unsal3 h,