The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-02-17


for Miss Kiueslev's reply.
She made none, and he W Mt on:
The plain unvarnished truth is that
independent stock is way down. The
Banner across the street, is as pop
ular already. The trouble is we run
the paper on too higher plane while
the Banner caters to the low t4>t--~
OF the masses l. is n1thi - huJ
scandal, and al uncIeanness. The.
truth is l have about decided to sell
out. l ON sorrp on your account
however. You have been working
oD starvation salary, and to be
thrown out OF a position would be
hard Perhaps we could strugg e
on few months longer. Luck may
turn.
Not on my account, said Miss
Kingsley, quickly. You have done
enough for me already. You took
me when l was as ignorant as
goose and let me learn the business.
II suppose shall find another
opening after a while.
Perhaps it would be a good thing
for US to go to Cincinnati, said
Harper, after moments reflection
l intend to 60 as soon as | am we'll
out of this, and if 1 fad any thing
tor you will send for you. You
are bound to succeed for you have
the journalistic instinct. | have al
ways seen that.
am glad that you think so. 1t is
strange how you took me up l
got it into my head that | could
write, and l sent my manuscripts
around the country till was dis
gusted. Not more than one in fifteen
was accepted and had about de-
cided to drop writing and do house
work for my living when l happened
to thing OF asking you for work.
You never spoke of yourself be-
fore, said Harper. Why did you
not2 l should have been interested
l know.
| have nothing to tell. l have
been an orphan since l was ten years
old and have knocked about the
world since then. As soon as get
settled the order comes to move
on.
Harper put out his hand and
gave hers friendly shake. Yes,
yes, he said eagerly, we must go to
Cincinnati. feel that | can not
get along without you.
The Independent fell further in
disfavor when its editor took sides
with the reform party on the temper
ance question. The editor of the
rival paper sided with the popular
party and wrote offensive editorials
concerning our esteemed oontempor
ary and his policy. To these Brad
responded in dignihed paragraphs,
and stated a few facts anent the
Banner man. which cut him keenly
because they were strictly true.
He hinted to some of his henchmeu
that if anything should happen to
lay up the editor of the Indepedent
till the campaign was over, it would
be the salvation of their cause.
One evening when Brad returned
late from the office he was conscious
that some one was following him
As he turned to see who his shadow
was he was struck on the head and
knocked down. At the same time
a shot was fired from the opposite
side of the street. 1t was in lonely
part OF the town but crowds soon
gathered among them a woman,
whom the man recognized as the
assistant editor Of the buQe6eNdent.
She seemed to have all the common
sense of the crowd. In moment
she dispatched one messenger for
doctor and another for restoratives,
which she applied tc the injured
man. Virginia Kingsley, sitting on
the curbstone with Brad Harper's
head in her lap, knew for the first
time her feeling toward him. What
she said or did she scarcely knew,
but after Brad had been taken to his
boarding place and she had time to
think it over, she was haunted with
fear that she had said something
expressive of feelings which were
more than platonic,
Miss Kingsley did notnurse Brad.
She was too busy running the
paper. The Mdebenaent suddenly
became popular when people saw
the girl fighting the battle alone.
The woman's column the fashion
notes and the poets corner were
neglected, while Virginia wrestled
with her editorials. She kept up
her side in the battle with the Banner
man; and as she had her views
about the assault upon Brad, and
did not hesitate to express them,
popular favor turned against the
Banner and its head and the sym
pathy of the town was with the
Audebendeut and Its editors. The
reform party gained the day, and
its friends did not hesitate to say
that their success was due to the
hudebenaeut
Brad was badly injured and a
serious illness was the result of the
wound on his head. He pulled
through thanks to his good con.
; stitution and the faithful nursing oI
Mrs. Smart, his landlady.
Viroinia did all the work of the