Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-11-25
THE DRAGON.


served to bring Miss Damon to l. money
less, but determined, was known to nobody.
All that any one knew of her was i'm
parted by brief statement made by the
editor of The Dispatch to the effect that on
certain clustering afternoon in January
she had walked into the Office and asked
for employmont
Hehad declined her services, with thanks
but she came again and again, until one
day she found a vacant desk, sat down at
it, and had been there ever since.
She wrote two or three caustic articles,
struck at one or two local atrocities, and
in little while made an enviable reputa
ton for bitterness and cynicism. Her name
got out :. and after that everything that APP
peared in the paper was unhcsitatingly set
down to her credit
She was not known outside of the Office,
but the impressions that prevailed concern
ing her were not tlattering.
1t was generally agreed that she knew
too much to be young, was too cynical to
he agreeable, and there was IA theory cur
rent among the papers readers that she
had been crossed in love and disappointed
in her literary aspirations
She did her work in the daytime, and
was little more than myth to the men
who spent their nights in journalistic har
ness. They were frequently questioned
about her, and they generally answered all
queries by the broad but meaning state
ment that she did not run with the gang"
Soon after she began her mark in her
new sphere a book Of verses appeared,
written by gentleman of l., George
Lawrence Copies were sent to all the
papers, and one of these fell into the hands
of Miss Damon.
She prefaced her criticism with the re
mark that the verses were not uniformly
bad, bur ranged from bad to very bad; and
then mercilessly impaled the author to the
extent of three-quarters of IA column
Lawrence had never forgiven her He
referred to her ever afterward as the
dragon" and the Imperial dragon" The
criticised versfier experienced some salts.
faction at having thus baptized her with
ind gnation, but he by no means considered
himself avenged, and at the mere mention
of her name his muscles grew rigid and
every artery throbbed with a wild desire
for vengeance.
Being clever with a pencil, he made a
sketch of her which embodied the popular
impression that she was shrewish person
of uncertain are. and it was a source OF
tll'lltSS amusement W ullllStll anu llItluS
Lawrence was good deal depressed but
he did not intend to be snutfed out in this
summary fashion, however, and though
for "A time he attempted nothing in n liter
airy way. he was casting about for fresl
motive, resolved at no distant date to make
another effort
The dragon" had recommended prose
/ he would try prose.
} In I he. M GI1p m baH an
Lawrence was to spend several mont h'
with some friends in California. When h'
returned he would 60 to work in earnest
Lawrence, on his way to California, haC
stopped to spend a day at Manitou. III
had reached the springs the evening before
and was finishing his breakfast this brigh
morning in the great sahara of a dining
room when the waiter came in to announc
the carriage he had ordered for the day.
For the last half hour the gallery il
front of the hotel had been thronged witt
tourists, ready to begin the days sight
seeing, ana the double line of vehicle
drawn up outside were being loaded wit
all possible dispatch
As Lawrence emerged from the dinin
room the last wagon drove up to the door
and lady was on the point of getting il
when the driver said:
Beg your pardon, ma am, but this cal
riage is for the gentleman.
But ordered a carriage for this morr
ing"
"Your order was too late, They wer
all engaged. This was the last one in til
stables. ! can give you one toi borrow"
II shall not be here tomorrow"
MAYBE the gentlemans going To sta
over a day or two and would just aS 500
drive tomorrow" suggested the driver
BY this time Lawrence had come up.
IF you can give me horse and saddle
will answer my purpose just as we'll" /
said.
IL haven't got a horse"
LAS ] leave tomorrow on the earl
train" said Lawrence, Il cannot CONVEX
iently postpone my drive. But we al
probably going in the same direction, an
| should be delighted to accommodate SO
with a seat in the vehicle"
There was nothing else to be done. 81
accepted with thanks
Lawrence handed her into the carrias
and thought, rs their eyes met, that i
was not an unpromising companion. /
was a gregarious animal. He hated Il
ing alone especially in "A crowd, and
chance acquaintance was not TO be q
spised.
He handed her his card She looked
the name raised her brows slight
dropped the card into her handbag al
then looking. squarely at him, said:
My name il Vincent"
1t was Il delightful drive, and Meth
regretted the circumstances that hroug
them together. They dincd at the san
!, table and finished up the sights in Il
N, afternoon
He met her at the door as she was a5o
- TO enter the ballroom in the evening.
She wore a dress of black lace, with
sleeveless corsage that displayed "A pair
superb arms and smooth, white nee
He thought, as he stood there looking pa
her into the ballroom, that no carvil
could be more classic than her profile.
The ballroom was full of promenade