Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-06-15
THE EDITOR-MAN.
He Was Not So Bad as Fredrica
Had Imagined.

A woman, whose years could not h ave
Numbered more than twenty-five, and
little girl sat in library of a small
house in Boston one morning late in
spring.
A low fire burned In the CRATE, al
Though the day was not cold The
child, whose deep violet eyes and cloud
OF curly, golden hair made a sweet
picture, sat on a rug before the fire,
and leaned against her mothers chair.
Her head rested in her mothers lap,
and every now and then the latter
stopped to press kiss upon the golden
curls.
The little one was speaking; she was
very small and could not have been
more than five years old, but she spoke
very plainly.
when you sell all those beautiful
with fond upward glance, "what a
Jolly time we'll havel The story about
the knight and the lady was too SPLEEN
did, At first was afraid she wouldn't
love" here the shrill whistle of the
postman caused the child to spring up
hastily from the rug, and run to tho
door
It was only few steps from the
front door to the library, but the child
was unaccountably long in returning
'Fredrica," called her mother, with
an infection as near Impotence in her
voice as she ever used toward her
cherished child, bring me the mail"
"Yes, mamma. I'm coming" But it
was with slow footsteps that the little
maid advanced and reluctantly laid a
large, heavy envelope in her mothers
Ioutstretched hand.
Mrs LeCharltop's lips quivered as
she broke the seal and took out the
contents of the envelope. 1t was a
Ms of some length, and the printed
declined with thanks" huttered out
and fell in the CRATE as she opened it.
She averted her face from Fredrica's
anxious gaze and the child knew she
was crying. She sprang into her lap
and put her arms around her neck
Dearest, sweetest. don't cry. know
it is lovely, even if that editor don't
He Is bad, cruel man, and will tell
him sol You shan't ever write any more
for him, even If he gets down on his
knees and begs for it."
Then the violet eyes overlooked,
and Fredrica's sobs came fast and
faster, and the mother forgot her own
pain in soothing the child.
When she was comforted and calm
again 1t was time for Mrs. LeCharlton
to go out; SO, calling Mrs. Johnson,
the one help of the little household, to
see after the child, she kissed her many
times and hurried away, promising to
return early.
Agnes LeCharlton was a fashion re-
porter for one of the large daily pa
pers in the city.
She had aspirations and talents fan
above this work, but that was her main
dependence; she could not afford tc
give up the position that brought the
necessaries of life while she devoted
herself to moro congenial literary
work, which might not find a ready
sale.
Death had divorced her from TIT
man whom she had welded when bu
eighteen years old. He had proven un
worthy her love, and had killed th'
last remnant of It ere he died, tire,
wears before our story begins. Will
what was left OF her patrimony, ant
what her position on the paper brought
she supported herself and Fredrica
The deep, intense love her little daugh
ter bore her was the light Of her life.
Fredrica was old for her years Sh'
was her mothers companion, excep
when the latter was at her work. Pn'
Sympathized with her in everything
The stories and sketches Agnes man
nyed to write ''betVveen vyhiles's vvere (
source of delight to the child; the story
returned that morning, one that really
betrayed talent, was her favorite. Nc
wonder the little heart swelled with
indignation at the man who had re
jected I'll
As she thought about il after hel
mother was gone, Fredrica came to 9
sudden, 10. determination. Running
20 closet, he took down her hat
Going to the door and opening tsoftly,
lest Mrs. johnson should hear and stor
her, she STEPPED out and closed the
door very quie;ly. She ran quickly
down the steps and disappeared around
the nearest corner.
Almost miraculously the child was
saved from accident and pursued her
sway along the busy streets, until a
large sign on building opposite her
attracted her attention. THAT looks
like the place mamma told me-" she
said to herself, stopping a moment on
the edge OF the pavement 20 spell the
name on the sign. 1t was laborious
work, but when finished she clapned