The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-08-27
A NEWSPAPER ROMANCE.
Why Mrs. Warner Purchased a
Great Metropolitan journal.

Great Metropolitan journal.
Mary Warner was the richest woman
in California, if not. indeed. the richest
woman in the world. Her husband had
accumulated his fortune in railroad
ventures. and had died before he had
time to lose it again. Possessed OF
sound sense, and blessed with judicious
advisers, Mrs Warner divided her in
vestments between improved real es-
tate and Government securities. and de-
voted herself to the improvement OF
her leisure. Two years after her hus-
bands death she celebrated her fiftieth
birthday. Her house on California
street was one of the most magnificent
in San Francisco, but during the pro-
tracted interval of her mourning it had
not been the scene of any such festivi-
ties as its generous and costly garniturc
beiitted. Mrs. Warner acceded to her
friends W shes and left her quiet home
at Menlo Park to entertain all Sa n
Francisco at the Warner Palace"
without great reluctance. but certainly
without enthusiasm. The music, the
flowers and the supper were the best
that could be had. Nine. Luque, a wo-
man who had subsidized from the brief
prosperity of the Ranch Luque Mines
into position of decent Independence
upon Mrs. Warmers bounty, made all
the arrangements and relieved her
friend of even the task of entertaining
guests.
Mrs Warner esconced herself in a
cOzy corner of the conservatory accom-
panied by MIR. Richard Headley, the
managing editor of the San Francisco
Journal. MIR. Hcadley was only thirty
years old-a young man to control the
most important daily in San Francisco
but his discretion and ability had
( more than justified his advancement"
swell. Dick" said Mrs. Warner,
s'and why haven't YOU been down to
Mcnlo lately? You are not going to
forget your old friends now that
you are becoming a great man, sure
ty?"
s.No, indeed. dear Mrs. Warner"
said Hcadlcy, .'but the responsibilities
of my position, as what you call a great
man Keep me pretty busy. You see,
every man on the staff, from the city
editor 10 the sporting reporter, thinks
that he would have filled poor old Dun
cans berth infinitely better than 1 do,
and have to work with both hands 10
keep out of trouble"
Il ALWAYS knew You had it in YOU,
and I'm as proud and happy as can be.
But what is this l hear about the jour
nal changing hands?"
I'm afraid it's true. Cushm IN wants
to 60 abroad and loaf the rest of his
life, and l don't blame him. He's made
more than enough money, and he may
as well enjoy it. l think it will be
bought by syndicate, headed by the
Elynns."
land how will that affect you?''
Throw ME out in short order. The
Flynns have never forgiven me for at
lacking them when Twas Oh the Herald,
and they would give my chair to old
Parsons, anyway. There's no use pre-
tending 1 don't feel badly about it, be-
cause | do. l shall have to start fresh
somewhere else, and shall hardly have
such luck again"
Mrs. Warner looked at him kindly,
and put her hand on his arm. 1t was
not a pretty hand; as a girls hand it
had been almost too round and dimpled,
and it had lost all its shapelincss since
then.
.'Dick, how much does the Journal
make?"
FIFTY thousand a year, in round num-
bers. Sometimes there are big subsidies
that run it over that, but fifty thousand
is fair estimate"
"And how much does Mr.. Cushman
expect to get from this syndicate for the
paper?''
''Thev talk about capitalizing it at
10000 shares at $50 each, but / think
about SOC, 900 will come to eastman.
The paper is worth that fairly enough"
..And what are your plans, Dick? You
talk about making fresh start, but
where will you make it?''
II think shall go East. Reece, the
man who writes the column of causene
every Sunday. YOU known, wants to 60
have me go with him. But don't
fancy making such change l have
written so much Amer;canese that
don't think / could get into the swing
of the formal English style; and then it
seems like running away, too"
'tDick, am going to be great so
ciety woman now. Nine. Luque wants
me to go abrord and live at Nice-but
I'm like Won. fond of my own country,
and mean TO live here and make the
49, pleasant for young people That
= uhat 2 rich old woman Dug int to do,
f1athpn
.sOld woman, indeed! You're as
young as any of us now, Mrs
Warner"
sIndeed I'm not. am developing
q taste for buttered toast-and that
settles the matter, Mr.. Dufion saws.
But [ em going to entertain all the
same-and / am dreadfully afraid of
the society columns in the Journal.
Suppose they should say that the
flowers at this reception only cost 5000
instead of 800. It's an awful power,
that society column, and I should like
% propitiatc it. Why shouldn't buy
the Journal, Dick?"