The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-07-20
THE IMPERIAL DRAGON.

/ III LII LII al hIt&AoO-"
The combination Of circumstances that
brought Miss Damon 10 I-lnOneyless, but
determined, was known "a nobody. All that
any one knew Of her WAS impartial by brief
abatement male by the editor of The Dispatch
a. the effest that on IA certain clustering aft
ernoon in January she had walked into the
Office and askri for employment He hal
| sle. lined her services with thanks, hut she
came again AMI again, until oBe day she
found vacant desk, sat down at il, and hal
[tsen there ever sine.
She wrote two or three caustlc articles,
struck at one OF two local atr,siti-s, AMI in =
Ihttle while made an unenviable reputation
jlbr bitterness and cynicism Her name got
out, and after that everything malicious and
pungent that appeared in the paper WAS un-
st down to her credit.
She WAS not known outside Ut the office,
hut the impressions that prevailed concerning
her were not tlattering. II WAS generally
agreed that she knew too much Ia be young,
was too cynical to he agreealle ami there
was theory current among the papers real-
ers that she had been crOsad in love and dis
hplointel in her literary aspirations. She
hld her work In the daytime, AMI WINS little
more than myth to the men who spent their
nights in journalistic harness They were
frequently QUESTIONED about her, AMI they
generally answered. all queries by the broad
but meaning statement that she did not run
With the gang
Soon after she began her marx in her new
phere hook Of verses appeared, written by
gentleman u l., George Lawrence.
Copies were sent a. all the papers, and ono
BIZ these fell inlD the hands of Miss Damon.
Bhe prefaced her criticism with the remark
Dhat tho ve-es were not uniformly had, hut
ranged from bad 10 very lai, AMI then ner
rssly impaled the author TO the extent u
hres-luarten Of column.
Lawrence hal never forgiven her. Hc re-
erred 10 her ever afterwards as THE Dragon"
lnd THE Imperial Dragon" The name
eelned approEsiate, and It was generally
bdOpts,l. Tho criticised venifisr experienced
Dme satisfaction at having thus haptizei her
Nth Indignation, but he by no means collsj-
rcd himself avenged, and at the mere men,
Non Of her name his muscles grew rigid and
tNeJy tiuODtbu WIN u Wut utSlI' tui
vengeance. Being clever with pencil, he
made sketch Of her which embodied tho
popular impression that she was shrcwish
person Of n,A~stain aes, ami il was source
BIZ endless amusement to himself ami friends,
II must h. confessed that Miss Danon's WINS
not tho only adverse criticism, and Lawrence
was good deal depressed hut not wholly sui
1ued He did not intend 81 be snutfed cut in
Mis- summary fashion, however, and though
Tor TIM NJ attempted nothing In a literary
way, he V rs ca3ing about for fresh motive,
resolved at no distant date b make another
Effort. The Dragon" had recommended
prse; he would try proe.
In the meantime summer had come and
Lawrence was 10 spend several months with
nnc friends In California. When h. returned
Ae wouli 20 to work IN earnest.
Il was q glorious day, bright AMI cool,
Enough It was the middle Of July; thu SUI,
wAs just rising Over tho eastern rim Of tho
rupshaped valley; luminous mist, shading
from pink "a purple, was rolling away from
Pixies peak, and the bits VI sky showing he
tween the serraisl ridges Opposite were deeply
blue.
Lawrence, on his way Ia California, had
toppsl n spend . day ut Manitou He had
reached the springs the evening before, and
was finishing his breakfast this bright morn
ng In the great Salair Of dining room,
when the waiter came In n announce the car
riage he had ordered for the day. For the
last half hour the gallery in front Of the hotel
Aa.l been throngpsi with tourists ready TO b..
gin the days delASeeing, and the double lins
Df vehicles ,lsSwH Up outside we're being
)oa.led with n pgibes dispatch. As Law.
renee emerged from ~ dining room the Ina
wagon drove = n u door and > lady wal
Dn the point a getting IN when the driver
baii
Beg your pardon, nam, but this carriage
for the gentleman.
But | ordered a carriage for this morn
Ing"
"Your order wastoo late. They were all Tn
gagel This wns tho last one in the stables
ran give y,a oae tomorrow
Il shall n0t b. here tomorrow"
Maybe the genthman's going to stay ovel
y day or two and would just as soon drive to
morrow" suggested the driver.
BY this time Lawrence had come up
III you can give me horse and saddle
il will answer my purpose just rs well, h.
kaid
Il haven't got horse"
AS leave Tomorrow on the early trnin,
kail Lawrence. II can not conveniently post
kDnc my drive. But We ARE probably going
IN the same direction, and ! should be de
lighted to accommodate you with seat In