Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-03-19

work, it was just that the public
should extinguish it's resentment and
take the author to a forgiying and in
dulgent bosom. Therefollowed a crit
icism in which the claims Of the book
were seriously treated, and by the
time Lawrence had finished the perus-
al he was thinking that, after all, he
might have been little too fierce in
his resentment upon a. previous oc-
casion. There arose within him a de-
sire to make amends in some wav for
his open derision Of this person, who,
however hard upon him at first, was
clearly without malice in the matter,
and had no doubt in each instance
expressed an honest conviction. He
wrote a note in which he acknowledged
the courtesy, and asked leave to cal!
and thank the writer in person. He
had a few copies that had been hand
somely bound, intended as souvenirs
for his friends. He would be most
happy to present one as q token of
his appreciation, etc.
The reply to this friendly overture
Was written upon a card, across the
lett"hand upper corner Of which was
the day OF the week in gilt lettering;
on the opposite corner was q pen-and-
ink-sketch Of St. George in the act OF
vanqulshing the dragon. Below was
written:
Miss Damon will be at home to Mr..
Lawrence this evening at 8 O'Clock.
No. 7O5 West Broadway.
The sketch, despite the limited space
it occupied, was spirited and indicat-
ed 81 knowledge OF her unfattering So
briquet. AS he looked up at his own
sketch upon the wall he was conscious
OF q tieeting impulse to destroy it.
At 8 o'clock that evening Lawrence,
bearing his peace Offering coquettishly
bound in gilt and morocco, stood up
on the steps Of No. 7O5 ringing the bell.
He was ushered into the parlor, and
in few moments he heard a. rustic OF
drapery behind him. When he arose
he encountered a slender figure in a
toilet of black lace.
Miss Vincent" he said exultantly.
II have been looking for you every
where. have written you innumerar
BILE letters, and I have been three
times to that miserable hole OF a town
where you said you lived. Why did
you deceive me?'
"Why did I deceive you?" Well, l
did not think it would add anything
to your pleasure just then to know the
whole truth"
Then horrible presentiment seized
him.
''Then your name-it is not Vim
cent?"
"Ies; Alice Vincent-Damon."
"You knew me, of course?"
eyes
Don't you think you have taken
rather q mean advantage of me?"
NO; l think the truth would have
spoiled very pleasant day"
In the conversation that followed
the purpose of the visit was well-nigh
forgotten, and the "souvenir" PLAYED
a very inconspicuous part in the
evenings diversion.
A week or two later, as Lawrence
was sitting in his room, his friend Har-
risOn came in, took a seat on the op-
posite side OF the table, and, after
looking at his host for some time with
e' 1AOoO AuSuDI1OuS On pIeSSlOn, SttlQ:
''Old man, is this true that l hear
about your"
What do you hear"
."That you have caught the Dragon"
Lawrence laughed.
"What does it all mean?" persisted
Harrison.
Il means that at last I am about to
take my revenge. I intend to marry
her,
Lawrence made this announcement
with dramatic intensity, and Har-
rison, who had risen, dropped Imply
into chair. After a pause he point
ed to the sketch on the wall and re-
| sumed:
Il say, Lawrence, does she look like
that?"
Lawrence reversed the photograph
that was standing on the mantelpiece
with its face to the wall, and, holding
it before Harrison, said:
"She looks like that, and she is the
heroine of my story