The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1918-02-07
TO HER ADVANTAGE
BY HlLDA MORRIS.

bdNh III SIunlOn Olu Ellis SleNCuS
bookShop was famous place, for
friendly gatherings and gossip. Its
hospitable table full of magazines, its
big base-burner with a fire gIimmering
red through the mica windows, its we'll
lined displays of paper, pens and other
literary appliances made it popular
place for evening gatherings. Young
Ellis had been brought up in that
bookshop; he loved the very sight and
touch of book. SO when ambition
drove him to the city with a little cap
ital it was natural that he should start
a bookshop of his own. This was a
modest place at first, but it grew rap
idly, as some shops have a way of do
ing.
There was one young girl who came
into the shop rather often. Ellis had
noticed her once or twice-she seemed
to. be always reading magazines,
though she seldom bought more than
a pen or an eraser. Ellis Stevens,
watching her out a particular morn
| ing when there We're few other GUS
| toners, felt a growing conviction that
he had seen that girl before some
where. He stared after her as she
left the shop. Where had he known
that girl? In Stanton? 1t was pos
sible.
The girl did not appear that day,
however, and Ellis made n discovery.
She had forgotten something. On the
| 20 tt.h CHI ho clio 10
a book, well-thumbed copy of Pen
dennis. And on its fly-leaf was writ
ten, "Rose Maxwell, Stanton, New
York"
| Rose MAXWELL He remembered
now. She was one of the innumerabe
Maxwell family who lived in the old
gray farmhouse out on the Greenville
road. He had seen her In school, per-
| haps, or at the church affairs. She
would come back for the book, of
| course.
But the weeks went by and Rose
Maxwell did not return to the shop.
| 1t was strauge-she had been in the
habit Of dropping in every day or so,
before.
a month or so later Ellis made n
flying visit to Stanton and there he
learned that Rose Maxwell had not
returned home. She was writing short
| stories, it seemed one of her prOduc-
tons was in last months Spectrum.
| Ellis got her address from friends
without any trouble, and hurried back
to town. He meant to find Rose Max
well-of course it was his duty to re-
| turn that book.
So the following Sunday Ellis Stew
ems, carrying "Pendennis," called at
Rose Maxwells boarding house. An
| incongruouS landlady met him at the
| brown-stone entrance. Miss Maxwell
| had moved. No, she didn't know her
| present address. No. she couldn't give
| him any idea as to where to find her;
she had moved some weeks ago. SO
the following morning this notice APP
| peared in the columns of a daily pa
per:
IF the young lady who left a copy
Of pendennis' in Stevens book store
| at Eighty-third street will come to
claim her property she will learn of
something to her advantage"
1t was rather a remarkable adver-
| tisement but it brought results. Rose
| Maxwell came. Ellis was busy with
! an old gentleman who was fussily
purchasing an edition Of the English
| poets, and it was some time before he
! could speak to Rose,
After an interminable while the old
| gentleman departed, and Ellis APP
| preached the girl. She was still read
| ing, but she looked up with a smile.
Ellis thought she was pale and lit
| tie thinner. Perhaps she had been i'll,
after all.
"Was it you who advertised my
pendennsY" she asked ut was /
who left it here, several weeks ago"
81 know it was" he answered. 81
thought you would come back after it.
| waited and waited before / adver-
tiSed-because-"
"Becausep she repeated curiously.
Because thought I'd find you, Miss
Rose Maxwell. You see l knew you
that Is | remembered seeing you in
| Stanton, and l tried all sorts of ways
TO find you. / looked in the directory.
Why, | even went back home to STAN
ton to find your address-but 1 found
you'd moved"
She was looking ut him curiously,
her eyes wide.
"But why should you take so much
trouble" she asked. "The book Is Of
no value"
mo, but-well, wanted to see you.
l had to see you again. Don't you
see"
She looked down, her face flushed,
and stroked the edge of the counter.
"Not exactly" she said.
"Why I-I-You little Rose Maxwell,
1 love you'll Don't you see? / had to
see you again and tell you so, whether
you could care or not l loved you
from the first minute you set foot In
my shop!"
She looked up, starry-eyed.
"Thats why you advertised some
thing to my advantageY" she asked.
"Yes-that was concelted Of me. I
didn't mean to be conceited. But If
you could care u little, Rose, / could
make you so happyp
"You doear old goosew she ex.
claimed. "Tve cared all the time
Haven't you even guessed that l left