Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-09-27
The Mayors
Suitcase
G. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service
BY B. C. CRAVEN

THE train pulled into the Granville
station and pulled out again. In
the brief instant that 1t paused. two
suitcases were tossed off and two pas
sengers descended.
The bags were very similar-Of
brown leather with corners reinforced
In brass-but their owners were as
unlike as q rose and an elm tree. One
was Miss Margaret Hawthorne, bound
for a dance at the Granville Country
club; the other. young Simon Bald
win. mayor Of Mansfield. guest of
honor at the chamber Of commerce
banquet at the Hotel Mohawk.
At the baggageroom counter they
nearly bumped elbows yet neither
was actually aware of the other. Mar
garet was intent on her imminent
meeting with a recently acquired
hance, one Cyrus Underhill. while his
honor was mulling over the climax
Of the speech he was scheduled to
make.
Yet 1t was not very long afterward
that each was reminded forcibly Of
the other.
Margaret, who had been asked to
spend the weekend with Cyrus Cous-
In Amelia, had gone up to her room
and, kneeling on the floor. opened the
suitcase and flung back the cover,
only to utter little shrek Of con-
sternation.
There lay within. carefully folded,
mans tuxedo; a pleated shirt; q
collar; q black unmade bow tie; two
spotless handkerchiefs.
Vaguely she recalled that there had
been another passenger to alight from
the train besides herself.
Well. there was a remote POSSIBLE
ity that he might have discovered
sooner than she the mistake and that,
had he done so, he might have re-
turned her bag at once to the station.
Margaret looked over the contents
Of the suitcase before her. but there
was nothing to help her establish the
identity Of the man to whom they be-
longed.
Hastily, she put on her hat and
coat again. went downstairs, and with
q hurried word Of explanation which
Cousin Amelia only half understood
street to the corner where presently
she caught a car.
Margaret had not yet seen Cyrus.
But then she had not expected to. In
the very letter which the postman
had handed her that morning, as she
was leaving the house. he had said
that pressure Of work at the Office
would probably detain him until seven
or eight o'clock.
The baggage master proved a dis
appointment. No, no one had returned
any suitcase. No, he could not pos
sibly say who had hers. There had
been several.
Are you looking for somebody,
miss?" the young bootblack who ran
stand on the platform had sauntered
in and was trying to get the drift of
the conversation
Il am looking for the owner Of this
suitcase" said Margaret
The youngster walked around the
article in question. hands in his
pockets 81 sure have seen that very
grip before" he said earnestly. 1T
belongs to his honor. the mayor Of
Mansfield!"
Mayor Of Mansfield! But this is
Granville
swell, he's a great traveller
Speeches and dinners all over the
country. l used to be in the Mans
field station and every time he was
going anywhere the mayor would get
shine from me-"
But how can why Cyl" II
Margaret looked for Cyrus to take
her in his arms she was disappointed.
Nor could her amazement at his un-
expected appearance blind her to the
fact that something was the matter.
"Why. Cy. wherever did you spring
from?"
II called the house, Margaret, to
see If you had arrived safely" said
Cyrus stiffly. cousin Amelia said
you had gone back to the station and
ElSul YOU lcll b uldU 0dQ
telephoned from the Hotel Mohawk
and said he must talk with you at
once!"
Margaret clutched her fiance's arm.
''Oh. he must be waiting there. Call
a taxi, Cy. It's the mayor of Mans
fieldv'
But Cyrus did not bulge "Just why
should the mayor Of Mansfield, or, for
that matter, the governor Of the state,
be waiting at the Hotel Mohawk for
the girl am supposed to be engaged
to-"
How masculinely stupid!" Mar
garet thought. But there was no time
to waste. "Get taxi at once, dear"
she insisted. And I'll explain all
about it on the way"
Twenty minutes later Margaret
was talking with the mayor himself.
I'm so sorry, Miss Hawthorne, that
you should have gone to all this trou-
BILE. I wished to make sure you were
really at that address before dispatch.
ing boy with your suitcase"
But how" inquired Margaret, "did
you know about that address at all?"
There was letter on the very
top" said his honor, with smile
"from Cyrus. Believe me. however,