Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-01-03
PLATONIC.

Mr.. Harper and Miss Kingsley were
the editors of the Smoky City Independ-
ent, or rather he was the editor and she
was his assistant. She edited the
woman's column, gathered the fashion
news and often wrote the verses FOR the
poets corner, and sometimes when they
were short of compositors she would set
a few stickfuls of type. Her position
was no sinecure by any means. Smoky
City was a progressive town; women
voted at the school meetings, and there
was some talk of nominating lady for
mayor. Of course the woman's column
of The Independent must have much to
say about woman suffrage and the like.
Virginia Kingsley was progressive
woman; she believed in these things.
So she drove her pen nearly through
the bottom of her inkstand and wrote
sharp things, to the admiration of the
female portion of the community.
Miss Kingsley and Mr.. Harper were
the best of friends. They were not in
love with each other. Brad Harper had
never been in love. and as for Miss
Kingsley she was too busy to think Of
such thing. When she thought of
Mr.. Harper, it was as a sensible man
with no nonsense about him." and he
admired her for her pluck and grit.
Sometimes he said that much of the sue
cess of The Independent was due to her
energy.
They were on the most comfortable
terms and called each other Kingsley
and Harper, with total absence of
formality. He called her Kingsley at
first by mistake, for he often forgot that
the busy scribbler at the other desk was
not man. He used to apologize for
it and straightway repeat the offense.
and she said he could not help it and
that she did not mind, since it sounded
so very businesslike. just for the fun
of the thing she often dropped the mis-
ter from his name.
Miss Kingsley did not object to to-
bacco smoke, which was a fortunate
thing, since they had but one Office be-
tween them, and Mr.. Harper could not
write unless he had a cigar in his
mouth. He often felt some compunc-
tions of conscience when the room be-
came particularly blue with smoke,
and once he said: my dear Kingsley,
wish you would take up some horrible
habit and avenge yourself. Couldn't
you chew gum, for instance?"
Don't mind me, =" Miss Kingsley re-
piled good naturedly. 'If I objected, I
would let you know very soon. I ad
wise you to light your cigar and get at
work at your editorials; the foreman
will call for copy before you have any,"
Matters did not always run on
smoothly. A rival newspaper was start
ed across the street, and subscriptions
began to drop off. Things looked dark
er and darker, so that at Che close of a
day in December Brad Harper went
over to Miss Kingsley's desk, and seat
ing himself on the edge asked, well,
what do you think of it?'
''What do I think of what?" asked
Miss Kingsley, tucking her pencil be-
hind her little ear. She was pretty, de-
spite the fact that she wore her hair
cropped short.
"Of The Independent and things in
general. To tell the truth, Kingsley, I
don't see the use in trying to run the
concern much longer. There have been
precious few subscriptions renewed,
and it is almost the first day of Janu-
ary. The outlook is dubious, to say
the least. !"
He pulled his mustache and waited
for Miss Klngsley's reply.
She made none, and he went on:
1.-THE plain unvarnished truth is that
Independent stock is way down. The
Banner, across the street, is twice as
popular already. The trouble is we
run the paper on too high a plane,
while The Banner caters to the low taste
of the masses. 1t is nothing but scan
dal and all uncleanness. The truth is,
have about decided to sell out. am
sorry on your account, however. You
have been working on starvation sal
ary, and now to be thrown out of a po-
sition would be hard. Perhaps we
would better struggle on a few months
longer. Luck may turn"
mot on my account" said Miss
Kingsley quickly. You have done
enough for me already. You took me
when l was as ignorant as a goose and
let me learn the business. | suppose I
shall find another opening after
while.''
Perhaps it would be good thing
for us to go to Chicago said Harper,
after moments s reflection. II intend
to 90 as soon as I am well out of this,
and if 1 find anything for you will
send for you. You are bound to sue
ceed, for you have rnal-
istic instinct. I hay, 49,. laat."
81 am glad that you s--a.- 80. It is
strange how you took mo up. got it
into my head that I could write and
sent my manuscripts around the coun-
try till I W as disgusted. Not more than
one in Is was accepted, and I had about
decided to drop writing and do house
work for a living when l happened to
think Of asking you for work. -
"You never spoke Of yourself before"
said Harper why did you not? I
should have been interested, know
81 had nothing to tell have been
an orphan since I was 10 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 ii...I ana gave
hers friendly shake. Yes, yes, =
he said eagerly. we must go 20 Chi
cago. | feel that | cannot get along
without you.