Smyrna times., 1893-03-29

Foor Graham LOngstreet how he
had always hated scenes and tears
Strange that this time they only ap-
| pealed to him, and the temptation to
comfort her in some way was greater
than ever. Conventionality, however,
| only allowed him to take the small,
white hand and say
Don't cry, my poor little girl, will
help you if you will let me. 1 will
come every evening and we can write
the story together"
"This was a brilliant idea for a hard
working editor, and one not always
easy to carry out. Margaret, like the
child she was, promptly dried her eyes
at his kind offer, and smiles chased
away the tears.
"HOw good you are p she said.
Mamma will be so glad for me to have
some one to help me for she feared it
did not read quite as it should. When
will you Gomez"
Mr. LOngstreet was only too pleased,
and promised to come at once, and
said the next evening he would be at
her service. He felt, as he babe her
goodbye, that he was leaving the
lOveliest, most attractive girl in the
world. Yes, he would surely do all in
his power to assist one so fascinating.
All day long ne could think of nothing
else her curly brown hair, her pale,
but healthy skin, with the constant
rose flush coming and going on her
cheeks, her pathetic gray eyes, her
straight little nose and expressive
mouth, seemed to him the very essence
OF girlish lOveliness. He hardly knew
when she was most fascinating-whe
she smiled and showed her small.
even, white teeth, and dimples on
cheek and chin, or when the tears gave
her dark eyes the saddest expression.
How he wished that he was an artist
instead of an editor. What a portrait
he would paint of her 1t would
make them both famous.
In every particular she answered to
his ideal of beauty. Her slim, graceful
figure, rounded by youth, her hands,
her feet, her height, were all in his eyes
perfect.
To Tom Brown, however, he decided
he would be non -cOmmittal He would
simply say that he was going to give
Miss Leighton hints as to rewriting
her story. Poor Tom So he was to
be left out in the cold, although it was
his practical advice that had suggested
the visit.
To Mr.. LOngstreet's surprise, on
looking over the manuscript on re-
turning to the Office, he found that it
was far better than he had at first
thought. Even words that had seemed
to be spelled in an original way then,
now owed their wrong appearance to
careless writing. Letters were left out,
and that, of course, was only an over
sight. The wit displayed was really
good, and he foolishly reioiced over
the impro 6able lovers, for that at least
proved inexperience He did not ask
himself why he should care whether
Miss Leighton knew of what she was
writing or not, nor did he accuse him
self of love at first sight No, he only
acknowledged that with little altera-
ton in this literary production, he
need not disappoint Stuart.
To help this young authoress on in
the path of fame now became the chief
object of Mr.. Longstreet, and to it
were all his spare evenings devoted.
But the story did not make as rapid
progress as one might suppose. There
was always so much to talk about
and so many changes to be made.
Another aunt was introduced to keep
the other old lady company. The
lovers were sidetracked for the present
and the pert little sister made more
/ prominent. Graham LOngstreet quite
warmed up to his task; he had no idea
that story writing could be made SO
/ attractive. 1t was true that Margaret
| Leighton grew lovelier every day: the
wild rose color stayed longer on her
delicate cheeks; her smile made the
| pretty mouth more expressive than
ever and the sad, pathetic look in her
gray eyes had change to a more Joyous
one. Nothing could be more pictur-
esque than the clinging black gown,
opening slightly at the throat, with
soft old lace. How lovely and white
her round arms were, partially hidden
! by this same lace.
Mrs. Leighton, a gentle, delicate
woman, was only too glad to have some
one help her daughter in the hard role
she had undertaken. When she felt
strong enough she would come in and
sit with them and suggest ideas for
their novel, for the story, with its
many additions and changes, was rap
idly growing in length. Margaret still
begged, however, that it should finally
be published "as she had written it"
Often Mrs. Leighton did not feel we'll
or able to go downstairs, and at those
times their work was rather neglected.
there were so many other things to
discuss. LOngstreet was of a commun.
iCatiVe nature, but had before no con-
fidant except his mother and sister far
away in New Hampshire village, and
Tom Brown, whom he now cheerfully
overlooked.
To him he pretended that it was a
press OF business engagements that
made him invisible in the evenings.
Margaret too, was sadly destitute of
friends for one so young and interest
ing, but they had only lived a short
time in the place, and had been too
poor there to make many acuuain-
tances. She also had a great deal to
tell Graham. Poor child. her history
was indeed sad one, and it deserved
all the sympathy that Mr.. Longstreet
so warmly be estowed upon it.
For 81 years her life had been one
long joy. Every wish had been graft.
fed and she was surrounded with all
that love and wealth could give. In
one year she had lost everything: he r
father died and her mothers health
was shattered by the succession of blows
that fell upon them. All that remained
of handsome fortune was a small
house and scarcely S400 on which to
live; hence Margaret was obliged to do
something to exc out their support.
Painting few trifles and doing o little
embroidery hardly paid for her time.
so she decided to try story writing
with the above result.
June had come, and the parks and
squares were all ablaze with summer
flowers. Every afternoon Graham
Longstreet hurried away from his
Office to walk with Margaret, to discuss
as they said, the situations of her