Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-04-22

Ms. from you.-Hartopp d Co."
/ Without werd showed 1t to my
companion, and sighed heavily.
ION, come, don't give way like that, "
be cried. "Write back thus:
| 81 much regret that at present have
no COPY ready. The search has neces-
sarily been long and ardrous; but
have found the requisite reformation at
last, and hope TO send you . large batch
! OF copy SOON"
| Mechanically wro'e the words as
they were dictated, and then folding up
the paper, directed it and took it to the
door and gave It to the messenger from
HartOpp & Co.
When returned to my seat, the old
gentleman and the young lady were
esgerly scanning the columns OF last
weeks AIheDseum. and n approached
| be cried in an excited whisper:
"Here 1t il, here 1t Is; l thought /
saw IL the other day"
I glanced over his shoulder to where
his trembling finger pointed, and saw
| the announce meut of the publication,
by another house, of a cneap edition Of
tie very work upon which | was ell
gagged.
"Wolfr'' L said inquiringly "what
thenm was sure another hrm was
about to issue it; hence the haste.
"Yes, hut you did not know what
firm. Now we can tell from this an.
nouncement; ii is 'Matson & Co., you
ste, n smart, pushing house."
"Well, but what then"
"GO and tell Them what has occurred
and say that your copy has been stolen
by the writer they employed, and ask
to look at the MS"
"Whew! That is difficult job" re-
piled.
"Dificult! OF course it Is difficult.
But YOU will have to do q great many
difficult and delicate things before you
| have finished your literary career, my
young friend. Be off at once. Miss
! Miller and will see what we can do
to help you for an hour or so, IL you
will show as what you have done and
what is to be DONE"
With beating heart and whirling
brain hurried from tue reading room.
| Was ever mortal engaged upon such an
! extraordinary GRAND before!
In due time reached the publishing
| house of Matson & Co. Without walt
ing to think, pushed hastily for
ward and asked the first person saw,
who happened to be a mere boy, TOR
Mr.. Matson.
~ fear he has gone out, sir, but | will
see."
Anxiously I waited the boys return.
| At last he came. "Mr. Mstson is not
| in his room, sir, just now, hut believe
he is in the house, Would you wait
awhile~
| nodded assent. I was too impatient
to speak. ] had endeavored to prepare
myself for an unpleasant interview,
but not for time of weary waiting.
AS stood there, one Of those extra
ordinary condolences occurred wnica
in novels, are always voted improba-
bic, and yet which are frequently hap
d, ning in real life, for fact is stranger
than fiction. AS stood there, say,
a printers boy passed me. He appear
ed to have come for copy, for he asked
in the usual uncouth manner in which
these gentle individuals converse, "if
there was anything for Meaningless.
| "Now exclaimed one Of the young
men, while the other as speedily cor
rected him, and exclaimed in tones
that thrilled through me. There's
the first batch of Baldwin's copy for
you forget that Matson will go raw
ing msd."
My temples throbbed and ached
more than ever. Here, then, was the
discovery. Baldwin, no doubt, was
the man who had stolen my Ms. Mat
son was to publish it, and Manning
was TO print it.
could scarcely control myself as I
saw the boy clutch the roll Of MS.
handed him by one Of the young men,
and slip 1t into his leather bag.
That, l felt sure, was my lost manu-
script, but how was l to regain it?
I looked at my watch. Hall an hour
only 10 reach the museum before it
closed; saying, therefore, that could
wait 10 longer, abruptly left the pub.
| fishing Office. 1t was useless TO see Mr..
! MatsOn now, for even if ne credited my
extraordinary story, he would hardly
send for the Ms. tonight. Moreover l
| had almost accomplished my mission,
and gained the information | required
and a. it was necessary should see my
! friends again tonight, / had no time to
! lose.
81 arrived at the museum just before
| the time for closing, and found Miss
Miller aud her companion just leaving.
! Hurriedly told them what had oc-
! CURED, and concluded by saying that |
| felt sure my lost Ms. was at Manning's,
the printers"
"Manningw exclaimed Miss Miller,
"Oh, know them. They are print
ing my copy, and have printed great
deal OF IL. Oh! it is only real copying;I
do not aspire to original writing" she
added, with silvery little laugh. Then
she said impulsively: 81 think perhaps
l could help you now, as l have been
to Manning's so often. If you will call
on my mother this evening at perhaps
may have il. Tue address Is No. 10,
Railton road, Kentish Town"
Precisely at 9 o'elsck that evening
found myself in the dull, respectable
shabby genteel street, known as Rail-
lat strokes Of the hour were Ginning
from neighboring cL urch, 1 knocked
at the door of No. 10. Adirty, slattern-
~ woman, evidently lodging house
keeper, opened the door, and in reply
to my inquiry for Mrs. Miller, she ex.
claimed Grossly:
| 'flrSl nOOr, lTOul, anu uisdppedIcuh
Speedily / made my way up stairs, az
directed, and knocked at the front
room door. 1t was soon opened and l
found myselfface to face with q pleasant
visaged old lady of mild manners and
gentle demeanor, who, upon hearing
the reason Of my visit, cordially invited
me to. "come in"
had not been long In her presence
before she had garrulously Informed
me of all the principal features Of her
family history; how she had lost her
husf and and all her children save one,
and had been obliged to retire from her
large house at Kensington to dingy
apartments in KentIsh Town. All
this, and more, she was relating with
much yolubility aud precision, when
she was interrupted by the appearance
| of her daughter, who having let her.
self in with her door key, had has.
tened up stairs, and abruptly entered
the room. not knowing l was within.
"Alasw she cried, ~ have not
H -c..l al. kttk