The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-07-25


himself musingly.
She was evidently a writer of ability,
and he would just write her a little note
of acceptance, with request, also, that
she would become regular contributor
to the paper.
Then he thrust it into an envelope and
laid it beside another undirected wrap
per which contained the little poem with
the fateful words, mot available"
branded upon its first page.
1t was almost dinner time, and editors,
as well as more commonplace mortals,
feel the cravings of appetite. Herman
Seville began to think Of the wants Of
his inner man; then his thoughts went
back to the sentimental note he had writ
ten to the girl he loved, aud gancing at
the first lines, that there should be no
mistake, he placed that also in an en-
velope.
Just then the telephone set up such q
jabbcring that he spran9 up and answered
a message; then he directed those letters
and mailed them on his way to dinner
Aud, as he seated himself at the hotel
table, and tribe impatiently, perhaps,
awaited the filling of the bill of fare, he
had the calm self consciousness of having
done big stroke of business.
Yes, he had really done much more
than he gave himself credit for.
That same evening he called at the
home of Ethel Ninton, the young lady to
whom he had that forenoon penned such
a tender little note.
He was to be her escort to an OPERA
and the anticipation of spending the
evening by her side was very pleasing.
His surprise, therefore, may be imagined
when, instead of his charmer, he found a
note awaiting him. She had decided
not to attend the opera, and the maid
handed him letter. All! that would
doubt 'ess explain Perhaps the dear girl
was ill and with that regretful thought,
the editor consigned the note to breast
pocket in the immediate region of his
heart Then he went back to his
sanctum.
A lady, tall and angular, with her
head and face enveloped in a bright,
green veil, that quite enshroudel her
features, arose from his Office chair as he
entered, with bow which did credit to
her early training Then, in precise and
measured words. she proceeded to ex-
press her qualification at being at last
appreciated. That her little poem must
be success she had been confident, and
she was delighted at his request. Ger
taInly, she would furnish poem week.
ly, on auy sub ect, In any style of verse,
and of any desired length.
at was 50 easy for her to rhyme,' she
said, and she threw back the folds of
vivid green that had concealed her face,
and revealed the thin, lank visage of a
maiden of forty-fvc summers.
She had n sallow complexion, her
piercing black eyes were small and gilt
terng, and about her temples she wore
short, corkscTew curls that bobbed up
and down in her earnestness.
Her gaze was fixed upon the editors
face, and he seemed quite mystifed re
garding her meaning; but when at last
she paused for breath, he gave utteran o
to his thoughts.
"My dear madame" he said, concilia-
tingly, as the elderly aspirant for poetic
fame stepped cXpectantly forward, 81
think there must be a mistake
How, or where the mistake had been
made he was still at loss to determine.
"a mistake" !" exclaimed the woman,
in high-pitched tone. GLOW can it
be! You needn't deny that you wrote
this; your own name is signed to it,;
and she held before him the note which
he had written TO Mill Mckay, the ac-
ceptance of her sketch, the request that
she should become a regular contributor.
Yes, there at the bottom of the page
was his name, but the address on the
envelope was to Mehitabe Smith.
"The dickens What have l done 2"
Herman Seville e,aculated, and he drew
from his breast pocket the note which he
had been so impatient to read; the pre-.
cious note that was to explain why Ethel
! Vinton had refused to attend the ope a
in his company. The wrapper only en-
closed his own note to Ethel, but inside
of it instead of the tender sentiments
which he had written, was Mehitabe
| Smiths poem, the ''not available" and
he passed it to the indignant lady.
"You sec have made a bunder," he
went on, apologetcally. "This, madam,
was designed for you, and sincerely re-
grct that | should have raised any fal c
hopes regarding your poem; but really
we have more articles Of that kind on
hand than we shall be able to use for a
long time"
you may spare your regrets" Miss
Smith exclaimed, Indignantly, as her
l oihHAl ~ hAN NlNs H'AshNu lIG. Mtu are
false, all of them, aud | might have
known that Your word could not be de-
pended upon;' then drawing the green
veil over her sallow visage, she dashed
from the room, and Herman Seville be.
gan to pace the floor.
1t was an unfortunate mistake, but
he would call at Mr. Vinton's in the
morning and Ethel would laugh at the
ludicrousness of the affair.
But he was not through with trouble;
for although he slept that night, his vi
sions were haunted with elderly maidens,
maidens with piercing eyes and huge
bundles OF poems and he arose an hour
earlier than usual and aided his digestion
by morning walk.
That forenoon he called at Mr.. Vim
tons residence, but again Ethel sent ex-
cuses, and he returned to his sauctum
with the uncomfortable feeling that he
had not been guided by heavens first
law in his literary work of the previous
day.
Another surprise awaited him. Seated
at the street window of mis- office was a
lady, young and bright, and piquant in
expression, with large hazel eyes, and
fair thoughtful face; her vivid lips had
bewildering, fascinating curve, though
they seemed a triHe too firmly set, and
in her cheeks was a tint like the lining
of rare seashell.
She aro-a and mot hin, Nth ~, a,,~