Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1921-03-25
A LITTLE COURAGE
BY GRACE cANFIELo.
90 % % cnoo % % 20

| ~ 1871. y Mcclure TeNsp~2=f S|n14c@'
Charlie Wetherbee." remarse
that young man to his own rehectiO
as he rugged at colorfuI tie. ID
you realize that you are twentJ-on
today rising business man. and ye
you haven't got giri9 You TOO
boob. Ardeth Appel doesn't ever
know that you exist. Are you neyei
going 10 forget her and 90 hunt VI
a wifeg'
The blue eyes glared 0ack at hin
for moment, then tninkled irrepres
sibiy
Yes. by gum, l am" replied the
other Charlie. And I'm going to be-
gin today! 1 appoint myself a CON-
mittee Of one to declare a holiday"
The fates had been preparing a
little joke or Charlie Wetherbee
Here was a girl. beautiful. rich. and
/ full Of the love Of adventure. who.
unknown TO herself, had been adored
for years by a youth strong. active
and poor. but also loving adventure
Ardeth Appel did not know Charlie
al all-Or she had not until the fates
took a hand.
Charlie smiled blithely as he swung
down the street to the station on his
way to New York on his search for
wife. But every step took him
away from her. and by the time he
bought his ticket, his smile had faded
a little.
Wonderful weather" he remarked
to himself enthusiastically, and forced
a large, artificial smile He won
dered II, after all. he wanted a wife.
when he couldn't have Ardeth. He
propped up the fast-fading grin with
two fingers.
why grieve so hard? asked an old
gentleman.
Il beg your pardong" stammered
Charlie
Charlie looked at him earnestly,
seized with a sudden desire to con.
tide in someone.
II am sad" he confessed. "and so
wosld you be if you had loved girl
for five years without ever meeting
her"
But why don't you meet herr"
Cant. ! am only a poor working
boy, and her father is a millionaire
more or less. She sure is a winner,
though" in a muslng tone.
Charles smile was gone now, and
1t had been his undoing. If he had
not been so busy trying to hold on
to 1t he would have seen Ardeth |
Appel get in at the other end of the
car. She, too, had felt the urge of
adventure that morning, and had
slipped out Of the house before her
father could stop her
Now as Charlie WetheIoee told his
sorrows to the kind gentleman. some
thing strange happened to him. He
had just said: ITS pretty hopeless.
! guess" when he suddenly felt that
II couldn't bet mustn't be hopeless
Unaware that the train had stopped
and that the passengers were filing
out, he said in a loud. determined
voice, looking straight ahead:
mo. it is not Some day." he con-
tinued with conviction. 81 am going
to marry that grill" And as he spoke
he looked right into the eyes of the
girl herself The Fates chuckled with
slee.
Ardeth. at first inclined TO feel In
suited was suddenly amused. Look
ny calmly back into the clear. hon
ST eyes of the stranger she an
You may consider yourself accept
d." Before the astonished young
nan could follow she was speeding
way In the luxurious limousine OF
school friend.
II was two years before the Fates
ave him the opportunity The morn
ne was perfect. and Charlie quite
ooked the successful young business
IAN as he boarded the train-bound
Or a conference in New York. The
'ain was crowded and when Charlie
lw that he must share the seat with
rdeth Appel or stand up. he felt
lat the moment waa indeed his
He settled himself beside Ardeth {
ith polite, impersonal bow. and
sgan to read story.
Things like this just don't happen.
~ know" He broke the silence cas-
lilly. Ardeth. startled. looked a
lestion. {
Like this story" lie went on. Man =
we'd girl for years without her :
lowing it. He sees her on the train !,
e day and, throwing all caution TO y
winds. proposes to her. =
How improbable But the girls "
eeks were suddenly flushed. =
she calls his blum. though" he :,
ltinued In the same Impersonal Nc
re. "and accepts him. .,
You say he has always loved nerr
e girls voice was faint :,
Since he was kid. But her IA I,
r had no use for him. Good chap. q,
:" he added. brazenly. M
The girl recognized him suddenly. a.
an overpowering embarrassment al
zed her. What would this terri bl
young man say next?