The National tribune., 1894-08-09

How good you are,n she said. "Mam
will be so glad for me to have some one t
| help me, for she feared that it did not reat
quite as it should. When will you come !?
Mr.. Longstreet felt as he bade her good
by that he was leaving the loyliest, mos
attractive girl in the world. Yes, he woul'
simply do all in his power to assist one 81
| fascinating.
All day long he could think of nothin,
else; her curly brown hair, her pale bu
healthy skin, with the constant rose-fusl
coming and going on her cheeks; her large
| pathetic gray eyes, her straight little nos'
and expressive mouth, seemed to him tn,
very essence of girlish lovliness.
How he wished that be was an artist in
stead of an editor! What q portrait h,
would paint of her! 1t would make then
both famous.
TO Tom Brown, however. he decided hi
would be noneommittal. He would sim
ply say that he was going to give Mis-:
Leighton hints as to rewriting her story.
To Mr.. Longstreets surprise, on looking
over the manuscript on his return TO the
Office, he found that it was far better thar
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 oversight. The wit displayed
was really good, and he foolshly reioiced in
the improbable lovers, for that at least
proved inexperience.
To help this young authoress on in the
paths of fame now became the chief object
Of Mr.. Lopgstreet, and to it were all his
spare evenings devoted
pr1ff he cfo Il II l.
ress as one might have supposed. There
was always so much to talk over and so
many changes to be made Another aunt
was introduced to keep the first old lady
company.
The lovers were shunted for the present
and the pert little sister made more promi-
nent. Graham Longstreet quite warmed
up to his task. He had no idea that story
writing could be so attractive
1t was true that Margaret Leighton grew
lovlier every day the wild-rose color stayed
longer on her delicate cheeks, her smile
made her pretty mouth more expressive
than ever; the sad, pathetic look in her
gray eyes had changed TO more joyous one
Margaret begged that it should finally be
published " as she hal written itD
Longstreet was of communicative ma
ture, but had before no confidant except his
mother and sister far away in Hampshire
village, and Tom Brown, whom he now
cheerfully overlooked.
To him he pretended that it was press
OF business engagements which made him in
visible in the evenings. Margaret, too, was
sadly destitute Of friends for one so young
and interesting, but they had only lived
short time in the place and had been too
poor there to make acquaintance.
She also had a great deal to tell Graham.
For 81 years her life in Bristol 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; her
father died and her mothers health was
shattered by the succession of blows that
tell upon them.
All that remained of handsome fortune
was small house in Manchester and
scarcely anything year ON which to live,
hence Margaret was obliged to do something
to exc out their support.
June had come; Manchester was ablaze
with Summer flowers. Every evening Gra-
ham Longstreet hurried away from bis
Office to walk with Margaret, to discuss, as
they said, the situations of the novel
Though they did not gain ground in this
they were indeed going over a
story far older than hers; story so old
and yet so new, that when it comes, as it
does to every human being, it is hard to
realize that long ago it was told far Off In
Eden
Graham and Margaret were at that de-
lightful stage In a love affair when they, or
at least she, did not know they were lovers.
1t was friendship, but the most piquant
and charming kind in the world.
1t is true that Mrs. Leighton saw with
pleasure a protected future for her only
child. She could but be thankful that
her beloved Margaret would have some one
10 take care of her, for ever-increasing
had made her feel sure that ere
ong she must join her dear husband in the
spirit land.
Tom Brown had by this time met the |
air authoress, and though he had never
been allowed to read her story he could well |
imagine why Graham had taken so long
about its reconstruction and he frequently
isked him to report how they were getting |
m with it.
As before limited, great changes were con- |
tantly taking place in this wonderful tale |
The lovers were again prominent and were |
Tery much more modern and improved /
Ii their style and conversation, while the /
I'D aunt and the pert little sister had re- /
ired to their original background.
Many more alterations were yet possible, |
md some months might elapse before it could /
'e given to an eager public. However, a
White dress. and sail on the lake finished |
his story, if not Margaret's.
One evening toward the end of June |
fraham had persuaded Mrs. Leighton to let |
lin take her daughter out rowing.
AS they sat in the boat, the moonlight /
,leaming on the quiet water and making
Margaret, in her simple white gown, more
,eautiful than ever. Graham forgot all
prudence, forgot that he was only rising,
lot risen, editor, and that they were in
'oat that might upset.
He simply took her in his arms and be-
ween the kisses he showered on her fair
ace told her that ever since the first time /
he had sat with him in her little parlor he
lad longed to hold her just as he was doing
ow
Margaret loved him too well and was far
90 happy to object; but she could only |
Whisper something about her story, and :" if
e thought she could do the lovers better
ow," while he answered, rather ambigu-
usly, that it should be published just as
he had written it."-Mereury.