Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-12-13
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
q certain clustering afternoon in January
she had walked into the office and asked
for employment.
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-
tion for bitterness and cynicism. Her name
got out, and after that everything that ap
peared in the paper was unhesitatingly set
down to her credit.
She was not known outside of the Office,
but the impressions that prevailed concern
ing her were not fattering.
II was generally agreed that she knew
too much to be young, was too cynical 70
be agreeable, and there was 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 a myth to the men
who spent their nights in journalistic har-
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 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, but ranged from bad to very bad; and
then mercilessly impaled the author TO the
extent Of three-quarteTs of a column
Lawrence had never forgiven her. He
referred TO her ever afterward as "the
dragon" and the imperial dragon" The
criticised versifier experienced some salts
faction at having thus baptized her with
Indignation, 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 q
sketch of her which embodied the popular
impression that she was a shrewish person
of uncertain age, and 1t was a source OF
endless amusement 70 himself and friends.
Lawrence was a good deal depressed, but
he did not intend to be snuffed out in this
summary fashion, however, and though
for a time he attempted nothing in a liter
airy way, he was casting about for fresh
motive resolved at no distant date to make
another effort.
THE dragon" had recommended prose;
he would try prose.
In the meantime summer had come, and
Lawrence was to spend several months
with some friends in California. When he
81 b. to fr,a net
Lawrence, on his way to California, had
stopped to spend day at Manitou. HI
had reached the springs the evening before
and was finishing his breakfast this bright
morning in the great sahara of dining
room when the waiter came in to announcs
the carriage he had ordered for the day.
For the last half hour the gallery il
front of the hotel had been thronged with
tourists, ready to begin the days sight
seeing, and the double line Of vehicles
drawn up outside were being loaded will
all possible dispatch.
AS Lawrence emerged from the dining
room the last wagon drove up to the door
and lady was on the point Of getting in
when the driver said
BEG your pardon, ma'am, but this car
rage is for the gentleman"
But ordered carriage for this morn
ing"
"Your order was too late They wer
all engaged. This was the last one in tn
stables | can give you one tomorrow"
II shall not be here tomorrow"
Maybe the gentleman's going 10 sta.
over a day or two and would just as sool
drive tomorrow" suggested the driver.
By this time Lawrence had come up
'If YOU can give me a horse and saddle !
will answer my purpose just as well" b
said.
II haven't got horse"
"As | leave tomorrow on the earl!
train" said Lawrence, II cannot conven
iently postpone my drive. But we ar
probably going in the same direction, an
i should be delighted to accommodate yo
with seat in the vehicle"
There was nothing else to be done. Sb
accepted with thanks.
Lawrence handed her into the carriag
and thought, as their eyes met that sh
was not an unpromising companion. Ii
was a gregarious animal He hated b.
ing alone, especially in crowd, and
chance acquaintance was not to be d'
spised.
He handed her his card. She looked a
the name. raised her brows slightly
dropped the card into her handbag, an
then looking squarely at him, said;
my name is Vincent"
II was a delightful drive, and neithe
regretted the circumstances that brough
them together They dined at the sam
table and finished up the sights IN tn
afternoon.
He met her at the door as she was a5ou
y TO enter the ballroom in the evening.
She wore a dress Of black lace with
sleeveless corsage that displayed pair {