The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-03-27

nad preSentlment as she rode from
White & Company's to her boarding
house. 1t wasn't that the landlady was
going to pick the cotton batting out of
the gas burners and enable her guests
to get around their rooms without q
guide to New York. But it was that
her romance was due.
When Mr.. Guy Taylor left the store
he had that very same feeling, and he
WhlStled and hummed.
When Miss Eileen had finished her
prunes and tea and retired to her room
she decided to help romance along a
bit. She therefore, by the light. of the
gas jet, penciled the following note:
"a young and innocent GIRL has been
kidnapped and is being held a prisoner
in room on the second floor of No.
49,. Whoever finds this hand it to the
nearest policeman. | am in a terrible
situatiOn!"
This note was dropped out of the
window and went fiuttering down until
it reposed on the flagstone, and was
picked up only after q full hundred
pedestrians had walked over it.
And was the name of the man that
picked it up Guy Taylor, who was out
for an evening stroll and ready to meet
his romance half way?
1t was! He picked it up from force
of habit, and he started to read il
without jot of curiosity. When he
had finished his hair was curling.
Here was romance at Iast!
Hand it to the nearest policeman
Not if his true name was D'Artagaa (!
He would make the rescue alone and
unaided, or he would perish trying.
He looked up, and the number 432
stared him in the face. Up the steps
at three hops. The door was not
locked. Up the stairs, and half way
up he met the landlady. This person
was fat and solid, and weighed 200
pounds. She was not near-sighted.
She saw at a glance that the floor
walker was stranger, and as he tried
to elbow her aside she took him by the
neck. In their struggles both rolled
down into the hall, and both shouted
for the police.
The police came. They drew the
fighters apart, and as soon as Mr..
Taylor could get his breath he told his
story and exhibited the note. The
police went bounding upstairs, and he
went bounding after them
Every room on the upper floor was
searched. No kidnapped maid. They
came across Miss Eileen, of course,
but she could tell them nothing about
prisoner in the house. When the en-
tire premises had been gone over the
detective in charge of the search called
all the female boarders together. There
were seven of them.
zone of you wrote this note" he
said. at was done as a joke, but !
must know who did it or I'll lock up
the whole batch of your
Miss Eileen was given away as the
guilty party. Indeed, her face told
the story.
81 just did it out of romance" she
sobbed.
Romance !" exclaimed the detective.
"Who ever heard of romance in a sec
ond-class clearinghouse? You'll not
find much romance at BlackwelPs, I'm
thinking"
And then he turned to Mr.. Taylor
with: Fall in Chevalier. You for
the coop, too"
'But-but I picked up the note" he
stammered
cts against the law"
"And 1 felt it a duty to rescue the
writer"
"Well, the Judge will feel something
or other to be his duty. After this
you'd better let the police do the rescu-
ing act"
AT the police station the prisoners
had to identify themselves, and as
neither could get bail at that hour of
the night they were locked up until
morning on the charge of disOrderly
conduct.
Romance, en-" said his honor the
next morning, after the officer and the
-landlady had testified 81 didn't think
there had been any of that in New
York for the last hundred years. Tay-
Tor, how do you think this romance
ought to end?"
"As most of them do, your honor,
| stand ready to ask for Miss Danvers'
heart and hand" was the reply
"But you can't say that you love
her"
81 can two weeks later, if you'll give
me fair chance"
Dear me, but / never suspected that
fOOr-walkerS had their romances. If
it is true. l must be lenieH with my
first case. Miss Danvers, can girl
be stenOgrapher and romantic too?"
81 am a living example of it, she
smiled
Il didn't think that romance would
mix with the hen-tracks of stenOgra-
ply, but if it does, all right How
should a romance of this sort turn out
happily?"
"1Ou-you might leave that to Mr..
Taylor and myself"
81 think I will. You are both dis
charged"
His honor was invited to the we'd
ding that took place three weeks later,
and although he couldn't attend, he
sent flowers and his best wishes