Year: 1872

some Of the ladies' particularly anxious to
carry It of, as it had become a sort Of
prize to be taken by competition. Some
times q girl would stop to see it, and talk
about 1t, and blush in q way meant
to hint to me that she would like il.
But vos determined that none but a
full jeweled woman should have it. And
is not mOdes'y a jewel exceedingly
precious a.?


My business was even more prosperous
the second year than the first, for Catta-
qua was growing rapidly IN consequence
Of the location Of Bodger Female College
in The town, and the Perkinstown Branch
r. r., which made our town q railway
junction.


and had we'll nigh settled on Miss So
phio Bennett, a member Of the senior
class in the Bodger Female College, and
the daughter Of Mr.. Bennett Of the firm
Of Bennett h Brown, dry goods mer.
chants. Sophie is handsome and a fne
musician. She is we'll educated, and she
taught a class of girls in the Sunday
I
time. did admire her a great deal, for
she was a brilliant talker and knew
great deal more than I did. And she
had the art OF winning. When I walked
home with her she managed to make the
conversation pleasant. and though she
knew 80 much more than did about
many things, she never let me feel it.
She was in every regard amiable. That
is what everybody called her.


She had fread hardly SO handsome
as she was-at least l thought not
Louise Jones was quite young yet, but
she was teaching in the public schools in
order to help her father, who was poor.
| mention this Louise Jones here be-
cause Of o conversation l overheard be
tween her and her friend Sophie Bennett.
l had paid some attention to the latter,
until | found that people talked about
il. Everybody's curiosity had been ex.
cited about my watch, and | could not
walk home with young woman without
starting talk about my Lady EIgiu, 50
| was careful not to give too much atten
ton to Sophie while l was still Jude
cided.


But one evening had about made up
my mind. Fixing a watch fer MIR. Ben,
nett set mo to thinking on Sophie Ben
nett and all her amiable ways and 6ne
scholarship. | thought would 60 to
the Church soslable that very evening
and 20 home with Sophie, perhaps |
should do more. That watch would look
we'll On her. But did not get Mr.. Ben
nett's watch done as soon as l had ex
pected, on account Of being interrupted
BY customers buying presents for the
holidays. l had promised that the
watch should be ready in the morning.
for Mr.. Bennett was to start to Chicago
on the half past eight clock train to buy
goods. Al last | finished the job, locked
all my valuables 10 the safe as quickly
as possible, put cut the kerosene lamp
it was before gas was introduced into the
village-and FASTENED to the sociable,
hoping to arrive IN time to 20 home with
Sophie Bennett. must have pretty
much made up my mind before starting,
for l remember now-and blush when
| remember it-that l did not lock the
Lady Elgin 10 the safe that evenin.. l
thrust it, chain and all. into an inside
pocket of my vest. l cannot tell why l
did it. l certainly had no very distinct
purpose of offering it to Sophie Bennett
that evening, and yet doubtless thought
b.st to have it handy. 1t made my
heart beast faster to feel it there US l
walked briskly toward the house where
the sociabe was, for had missed the
car The street cars had just been in.
troduced at that time, and the on,y line
running was the one from the depot to the
Female College, and it would have car
ricd mo past the door, but that l had
missed the car, and there was NJ other
one at that time iu the evening for half
an hour, so I was obliged to walk
through the rain. But l had brought q
large umbrella. Itis always we'll to have
a large umbrella when you mean to share
it with lady.


soon found that I was too late for
the sociable. The people were already
going home. 1t was very dark and rain
ing. noticed two young ladies pass
and stop within six feet OF me, standing
under an umbrella together. could not
tell who they were, it was SO dark, and
they evidently did not SEQ me at all l
stood sheltered by the box which pro-
tscted one Of those feeble naples that we
prairie people plant along our side walks
aud call shade trees. | thought from
their relative stature and figure that they
must be Sophie Bennett and Louise
Jones. And the Lady Elgin in my
pocket made my heart palpitats as
stood there waiting to recognize their
voices and then make myself known to
them. But by the time l had made sure
who they were l was SO much interested
in what they were saying that | was
guilty for the 6rst time in my life, Of
caves dropping. shouldn't have lis
tened if it had not been for tho watch in
nv lnside vest pocket. | was never q