Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-07-29

Ing him that Sne loveQ MIN Qedriy,
but that the police were still looking
for people to put in Jail.
One afternoon, just after she had
returned from ball game In which
Kelley had struck out twice when
men were on bases, in came Mr..
Davenport, one Of Mary's regular Gus
toners.
Then came surprise.
'Tm shy a shirt" Mr.. Davenport
said.
ut can't be, Mr.. Davenport" Mary
replied, decisively. "All the parties
that bring laundry in here get all OF
It back. check 1t myself"
Mr.. Davenport insisted, and Mary
became angry.
"You might have put 1t In another
package" he suggested.
Gall my customers are honest men,
Mr.. Davenport" she replied with a
toss of her big pompadour, which
Twelfth street said was all her own;
"and If they had got shirt that wasn't
theirs they would have returned 1t.
What kind Of shirt was it2
Mr.. Davenport explained that 1t was
a soft silk shirt for which he had paid
three dollars. He had had 1t laun-
dered twice, he said, and 1t was blue,
with little white horseshoes In 1t.
Mary remembered 1t. Did 1t have
a red stain Just below the second but
toni
He considered for moment
It did. Mr. Davenport had bought
1t for half price because Of that stain.
"Well, it hasn't been lost here"
Mary assured him with finality that
meant Just what she said.
There was no chance for argument,
so Mr.. Davenport departed.
Mary told herself that she was an
abused girl and that no gentleman ever
would have come In and accused her
of making q mistake In returning ones
laundry. She worked herself into such
temper that she decided that now
was the time to write to Terry Ind tell
him that she loved another, but that
she always would be Terry's, very best
friend. Her ending was:
Remember it's best for US both,
always,
"Mary.
sP. S.-The police are still on the
lookout. NJ"
She regarded the letter long time.
Finally she sealed 1t and laid 1t on the
cash register so she would be sure to
remember to mail It, She sat down
and regarded 1t intently and question
ingly.
The atmosphere cleared when Mr..
Kelley came In.
'Hi, Mary" he said.
"Hi, Spike" she smiled.
He slipped an arm round her, drew
her back where they couldn't be seen
from the street and kissed her. Her
head nestled on his big chest mo-
ment and then she pushed him back
with cry.
Her face had rested on blue silk
shirt with white horseshoes on 1t, and
one of her eyes almost had touched
red stain below the second button.
"Get out of here. you-you," her
voice choked and she beat him with
her fists.
"What's the matterT" said Mr.. Kel-
ley.
Mary dragged the topaz ring off her
finger and threw the circlet Of gold at
him. Then she pushed the wondering.
startled Mr.. Kelley, who was too sur
prised to resist, out onto the sidewalk,
slammed the door and locked 1t. Gov
ering her face with her hands she
dropped into chair. Just for mo-
ment she sat there. Suddenly she
looked up at the letter on the cash
register and, as If In fear the letter
might elude her, she jumped up,
grasped it in both hands and tore 1t
to pieces.
From the cash drawer she took the
two and one-sixteenth carat ring, and
with little joyous laugh, kissed 1t and
slipped it on the third finger Of her
left hand.
HurrIedly she found the telegraph
company's number in the telephone
book.
"Send boy for a telegram. Hurry"
she commanded.
Then she sat down and wrote mes
sage:
"The cops are OF watch for good.
Come back quick. Mary
She wiped her eyes, looked In the
mirror and brushed her face with a
powder-rag.
"Think I'm going to marry crook?"
she said to her pretty reflection. mot
on your life"