Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-04-29
A PERFECT PLOT.
Reason Why He Was No Better
OF After Discovering It.

"You are rather late, Stephen" said
Mrs. Mostyn, as her husband came into
the dining-room one day, just as she had
finished breakfast, ''and | can not stay
with you, as ! have TO go out"
go OUT Why, you said last night
you were going to finish thatchina paint
ing this morning, though ! really don't
know why you should work so hard. We
are not in absolute penury."
mo; but II is pleasant making money
in way ne likes. Besides, there will
he some to give away when we find we
have too much ourselves. And how is
your trade going onp"
"ro tell the truth. not brilliantly. In
fact, am rather hung up for want of
plot"
"A plot?"
Yes 1t is ridiculous. l have a short
story to write this week, and though l
have rather a neat set Of characters and
small incidents ready, il you understand,
d main idea is wanting"
Dear me, that is unfortunatel Why
ion't you go out for walk, or for half
an hour in the underground, or TO the
sity on bus, and fSd one?'
"Mv dear Millicent what nonsense
you talk. AS If were the least likely
to find my ideal plot that way No; |
must try and worry it out myself some
how"
"Well, | must be off. Goodbye,
stephen; take my advice--go and look
r. 1 L.. a. - 10
sure you can find it there"
After his wife had gone Stephen Mos
tyn ate his breakfast and then sat mu-
sing little, after which, springing out
of his chair. he said:
81 never felt less inclined to write in
my life Really. have a good mind to
follow Millicent's ad vice and go out"
In few minutes he was standing on
tho doorstep deciding upon his next
move.
What beastly fogl lccrtainly shan't
lose much under ground, SO here goes
for the Metropolitan railway"
I "Where foraH said the clerk, sharply.
IS stephen stood vaguely in front of the
ticket office.
"Oh, Whitechapel ! should think that
leaves room for discovery, "he thought
to himself.
"What CLASP"
Third better do 1t thoroughly. Now
then, for trial trip between Kensing-
ton and the Mile End Road, to test Mil
licent's theory.
A small boy with a large, heavy par
sci got into the carriage with him, and
spent some moments in vainly trying to
secure his burden more firmly, by
means of knotty bit of string that
,rossod it here and there in purposeless
testoons Mr.. Mostyn lending his help
between them they made rather a neat
thing of it.
Adventure the first: ended | fear,
said stephen to himself 81 really cant
ask him how old he is and where he
lives, and If he thinks it healthy"
'Temple"
Out tumhled the parcel and the boy
and in walked an elderly young woman
with a fringe and an American clotf
handbag. She sat down opposite to Mr.
Mostyn, put both her hands to her heaC
as IL to make certain that it was still il
tNS DlANtA oHFntA bfI bhE anu lthllEtt
that she had not lost her ticket, looked
at the window and sighed.
mot exactly ideal, but scarcel,
roal," thought stephen. DO you fee
the draught from that window" h,
asked.
mo, don't, thank you" with
well.arranged look of spiteful timidity
ard changing her seat to one at tn
other end Of the carriage.
"Is this beginning?" though
stephen Now, | should like to as
her If she thinks my life for thirty-fly
years has been working up to the china
OF meeting her, vailed in golden fog, /,
third class Metropolitan railway car
riage2 / wonder If it's any good goin
on with this incident? Madame -"
"Sir, think this is Blackfriars' Sta
ton" she said, whlskipg her hea
round as She spoke, the end of her nos
| depriYing the glass Of very fine smu
at the same time
at is not my business to tell her tina
. she it, now still more attractive tina
, when she got in thought Stepher
. ''she would probably give me into ca:
r tody II ! Blackfriars? Yes, 1t ii
. DO you get out here?'
Yes" plunging at the door as sh
spoke
An" he said, turning the handle fo
: her, Il don't"
There. entered. before he shut tn
door. small woman, holding in on
arm a tiny bundle Of baby, and push
, ing before her little boy She SO
down, the baby keeping its position /
, the sling formed by its mothers aru
the boy holding close TO her, pulling q
! her shawl. and continually asking he
: In an unintelligihle mutter for som'
i. thing that She had not got or didn
/ mean 70 part with Her bonnet WI
slipping OIL her dull. untidy hair; he
; face was white, with tired, lusterles
, eyes. pink, pinched little nose and di
contontod mouth. Ths poor little apo
ogy for a baby might have hung rouI
her neck by RIBBON, and the 9th
child was small and sickly. A shrunke
! depressing little group.
just as stephen Mostyn was begi
ming 10 weave round in his mind
pathetic, tende. fancy, the small IL
becoming more than usually import
nate, his mother said, with no flicker