Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-08-04

columns Of the Sinner" she asked,
with q very evident effort. IL believe
! l could write as good stories as some
of those that you publish and pay
for"
Mr.. Rubens was sorely puzzled
what to say. How could he tell this
prettytecreature sitting there before
him, in the halo OF her youth and
beauty and high social position, that
she could no more hope to succeed as
q sketch writer than q man could ex-
pect to build a house or construct 8
steam-engine without an hour of
practice or experience? Had she been
q shabby, specialized old lady, or q
middle aged fema' e, with cottong gloves,
and high cheek bones, it would have
been easy enough. AS it was, her
blue eyes, shining wistfully into his,
seemed to paralyze the very nerves
OF his tongue.
al have got little story here, I"
went on Blanche, producing O. neatly
folded packet, (Which have worked
very hard upon, and-it you would
kindly look at it, and give me your
unprecedented opinion"
Certainly" said Karl, recovering
his self-possession, and bowling as he
took the packet.
| "There are some verses, too," said
Blanche, reddening, "and a little es-
say or two, written as spicily as pos
| sible. Shall come tomorrow and
get your opinion?"
"By no MEANS" said Mr.. Rubens,
politely. II will not trouble you to
come down to this questionable
locality. Ifyou will allow me to call
| and see you--"
~ shall be so much obliged" said
Miss Ainslie eagerly, and Karl knew
that she meant it.
Blanche Ainslie went away, leaving
an intangible little scent of altar OF
roses behind her-.and the sun dipped
down behind the chimney tops, and
the sanctum became dark and gloomy
| all at once.
"How pretty she isl" Karl Rubens
thought; "but pshaw! the idea OF her
writing for the papers! Poor child
how little idea she has of the life that
lies before her. However, l will take
the papers to ,Di, and see what she
says about 'em."
Miss Diana Rubens was a strong
minded young lady, OF q certain age,
who read Carlyle, translated Hebrew,
kept house for her brother, and did
nearly as much OF the "heavy work"
OF the Weekly Sinner as did the editor
himself.
"Fiddlesticks!" said Miss Diana, as
her brother, over his evening cup of
tea tossed the manuscripts toward
her, and related his story. "Little
Blanche Ainslie could no more write
for the paper than my canary bird!
Bat every woman thinks she's a.
born authoress, and nothing but per-
sonal experience will grind the idea
olt OF them!"
Then Miss Diana read the neatly
written pages one by one.
Scented with ROSE" she said,
S ,ornfull3, "stuff and nonsense"
"Well?" said Karl, at last, looking
up from his own writing, as Miss Di-
ana laid the packet down with q loud
"Hem!' which signiiied the completion
o: her task
"Fiddlesticks" was the brief yet sig
nificant reply.
Karl rubbed his nose with the end
OF his pen-stick, evidently little dis
ap pointed.
"You think they won't do?" said
he.
"Oi course they WON'T" said Miss
Di. ''Dishwater and adjectives-
t ash and sentiment-what are the
girls thinking of nowadays? If she
had sent me few good table recipes
now, Or way OF cleaning marble, or
taking out mildew; but an impossible
love story, with the hero on stills
and the heroine mere milk and water.
Pshaw"
"Poor child" said Karl compass
sionately-but he never once thought
OF an appeal from his sisters deci-
sion. can she was SO sure of sue
cess"
"rhey always are!" said Miss Di.
Karl Rubens was O little provoked
az his strong-minde sister, but he re-
memb cred, as a palliating circum-
stance. that Miss Diana had never
seen Blanche Ainslie.
The editor did not sleep very
soundly that night. He could not help
thinking of the beautiful girl so sud
d-nly reduced from luxury and
wealth to utter poverty, and when at
last he fell asleep, it was to dream of
b ue eyes, and chestnut hair braided
with shifting lights OF gold.
Karl had always admired the
brokers' niece from |, respectable dis
lance. Now it seemed as if e were
fairer and more attractive than ever.
In fact our editor, although he was
not July aware of it himself, was how
er ng dangerously near the magic
or ,und of love.
He called at Mrs. Ainslie's the next
evening with the condemned manu-
scripts IN his pocket, and do believe
had he not stood in righteous fear OF
mis- strong-minded sister Diana, he
would have told Miss Ainslie that her