christened after her grandmother, that she was an orphan, that
there were relatives with whom she did not "hit it off," that she
was very well read, possessed of a most charming sense of humor,
and that I found her the most attractive girl I had ever met.

The next morning I awoke in an exalted frame of mind. I was in love
with life, with New Bedford, and with Polly Briggs. I had been in
love before but never with a young lady who worked in a shop, and
I found that loving a lady so occupied gives one a tremendous
advantage. For when you call she must always be at home, nor can
she plead another engagement. So, before noon, knowing she could
not deny herself, I was again at Hatchardson's, purchasing more
postal-cards. But Miss Briggs was not deceived. Nor apparently was
any one else. The BEDFORD MERCURY had told how, the previous
evening, Frederick Fitzgibbon, an automobile salesman from New
York, had been knocked out by an automobile while saving Miss Polly
Briggs from a similar fate; and Mr. Hatchardson and all the old
ladies who were in the bookstore making purchases congratulated me.
It was evident that in Miss Briggs they took much more than a
perfunctory interest. They were very fond of her. She was an
institution; and I could see that as such to visitors she would be
pointed out with pride, as was the new bronze statue of the
Whaleman in Court House Square. Nor did they cease discussing her
until they had made it quite clear to me that in being knocked out
in her service I was a very lucky man. I did not need to be told
that, especially as I noted that Miss Briggs was anxious lest I
should not be properly modest. Indeed, her wish that in the eyes of
the old ladies I should appear to advantage was so evident, and her
interest in me so proprietary, that I was far from unhappy.