Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-07-06

pleasant, a sugar-coated pill turned IN
side out.
"You get your percentage all the
samee," he urged. "And. Lord, what a
sale! They're working overtime and
Sundays and have had four strikes
already. Don't you think you had
better como down TO the parlor floor
and take the princes suit it would
seem more proper, sir"
Alas what was the use of talking to
one whose heaven was my hell. / made
one final attempt.
"But why" / pleaded. ooh, why
should this unfortunate matter attract
such public comment? Surely there
have been thousands of such advertise.
ments?
"Ahaln he explained. "That's just
where the shrewdness lies. The After
picture is a good-looker, and you are
just like it, sir. Now, go through the
daily press far and near and If you can
find one such Illustration who can't
double discount your Before in ugli-
ness, and play with his left hand, too,
why I'll eat my hat and cry for more.
Oh, no; you are the exception, and the
exception takes the everlasting biscuit
in this country, sir"
A very miserable exception | was as
lurked In my lonely room. ! could not
paint, | dared not stir abroad. At last,
one evening, nerved by desperation l
watched around the Meldon mansion
and luckily caught the kindly old mother
Fastening from neighboring visit. She
had been favorable to me from the first,
and, though now cold and reluctant,
she soon yielded to the fervor OF my
explanation. 1t was no wonder, she
maintained, that her daughter had felt
offended. A frank, true-hearted girl,
there was nothing double-faced about
her, and she Stunned people who were.
Yes, she truly believed that Anna had
returned my regard, but how could she
trust one who might not be what he
| seemed.
Perhaps the effect of this medicine
might wear away--she had often heard
| Of such cases--and then her girl would
be welded to a stranger, and very ILL
favored one at that Suppose there were
children-it was better to be plain
spoken-whlch father would they re.
semble, the Before" or the Artery" Oh,
no; marriage was lottery at best, but
the line should be drawn at downright
| gambling.
Aagain and again reiterated that it
was all fraud and ii mistake; that there
had been no "Before;" that | had always
been an after" She smiled incredu-
lousy. "But we've seen it in all the
papers" she persisted.
"Why not write to my mother" i'm
plored, land ask her whether was ever
a monstrosity."
"Oh, mothers must think their chill
dren perfect out OF self-respect."
The upshot of our discussion was her
demand for unprecedented proof of my
identy before our friendly intercourse
could be renewed or my hopes of love
entertained.
"If these accountsIare FALSE" she con
clueed, cit is easy to prove them so
Some one must have sat for that BE.
fore picture"
The very thingl 4 would find my
false and hideous prototype and dral
him to my exoneration. At the risk oil
being mobbed by enthusiasm | has,
tened to the '.Agatheine" factory. VIVA
hive Of industry! Hundreds of vans
thousands of porters, scores of bank
messengers Evidently each day
brought worlds business and left /
worlds recompense.
My face was my passport wa
ushered into the private office where sa
, the pompous man, q tropical island in &
sea of post-oftice orders. He scowled a
he recognized me.
, "No you don't" he shouted" A bar
, gains bargain, and you don't catcl
: another silver"
/ explaiued that l laid no claim OF
| his prosperity, that merely wanted Il
/ settle my own identity, so that thos
, who were willing to be near and dear h
I me would feel safe in being so.
i "That's easy and reasonable" he ex
. claimed, with a sigh Of relief eth
} Before is my partner. Confidentially
{ he is the inventor of 'Agatheine, Blu
he's modest man and hadn't the fac
e to push the business, so he took me i
? with him James, just ask Mr.. Squlditc
r to step this way.n
e hadn't the facet" l gasped. "
should say not"
t Mr. Squiditch came, pleasant mar
8 for whom one instantly felt warm re
4 gard, though his regard sent chill
r Certainly, he would do anything /
o oblige an old customer Besides, h
e added with a touch of commercial cat
a ton, 1t was better that our mutual il
), dividualities should be fully establishes
J. since If one should ever get into troub
d and disappear, the other might be a
l. rested.
h In closed carriage after dark "
l drove to the Meldon mansion, and fat
l. to face my Anna realized that the OIL
who loved har was the ono sha loved