The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-07-20

rehearsal proceeded rapidly with sug-
gestions from the author and composer
When the rehearsal was over Ethel
Allen came shyly up to Clarence Holt,
| and said:
NOW, Mr.. Newspaperman, 1 am at
your mercy"
las this is about meal time and you
must be hungry" he replied. 81 sug-
gest that walk along with you to your
home, if you have no objection, as you
know it is part of my errand to see you
chorus girls at home"
The pair walked block in awkward
silence, for Clarence Holt was rather a
bashful fellow, and the situation was
a novel one. Ethel Allen was the first
to break the ice.
"Have you been a journalist long?'
| The young man laughed outright at
the question.
81 make my start as reporter to-
day."
The young lady laughed, too.
Before another block was gone Eth
ell Allen was telling something of her
self and her family, speaking mostly
of her parents
Papa was very well off once and in
a prosperous business. BY a bit of
sharp practice, which 1 cannot under
stand, partner of his in transaction
managed to make the money and
leave papa in the lurch, broken man,
| just at the time that he thought of
retiring.
"As the saying goes, there was a
| great come down for the Allen fami-
ly, and father had to go clerking and
begin life all over again. In all his
distress he managed to educate me.
am fond of music, blessed with a voice,
and here | am, q member of the chorus
of Cupid"
"Why, indeed, this is a romance in
real life" said the reporter.
1T may be a romance to you, but it
is a realty to me-" said the girl, with
a tinge of sadness in her voice.
| The Allen family had already dined,
and the chorus girls father enter
tained the reporter in the parlor with
precise account of the financial ruin
and the direct cause that led to it.
Clarence Holt made copious notes, and
informed the defrauded merchant.
I've got the whole transaction
with the name of the villain that
wronged you?"
THAT would be libelous, you know,
and would involve your paper in liti-
CATION"
"Oh, yes" exclaimed the new re-
porter. Il see that would never do;
the story is strong enough without the
name"
Clarence Holt had been invited to
dine, but had declined. 1t was not his
dining hour, but he wanted to see Miss
Allen 'for few more questions.
When the girl of the chorus ap-
peared he forget all about the ques-
tions, but he said, instead, how pleased
he had been to meet her father, who
had suffered such wrongs at the
hands of an unprincipled scoundrel."
There was fire in his eye as he added:
But I'll sh ow him up in way that
will make him vince"
There was an unusual demand for the
Sensation the next morning, such an
extra call that the man in the count
ing-room at last had his curiosity SO
much aroused that he asked:
What makes the Sensation go SO
this morning."
why, amt you on to ftp" said
purchaser. You'll hear from it soon
enough. just read this article: "A
Chorus Girls Romance Just skip the
first Part of it and get down to the
digging up of skeleton, an exposure
of how old man Allen, the girls IA
Their, was done out of his fortune. The
whole town has got it, and there'll be
the deuce to pay in your Office. You
hear me?"
When the bus mess manager came in
he was frothing at the mouth like a
mad dog and the language that he
used was dreadful
''Send the city editor to me-" he
screamed, the moment he arrives"
Angry voices were heard in the man.
ayers private room, but the senior
Holt was doing the most of the swear
ing.
When the city editor arrived he was
summoned, and he responded promptly
and appeared before the council.
Holt, senior, was the spokesman.
Thrustiny forth the paper, he de-
manded:
"Who wrote this article?"
"Your son." was the answer, "the
best first attempt l ever saw; you
should be proud of it and him."
The rich Mr.. Holt, the man with
money to burn. sunk into his chair and
gasped for breath; after awhile he
managed to stammer:
"That-is-all."
A prolonged hush fell over the as
sembly; it was an awkward spell of
silence. With an effort the rich Mr..
Holt spoke as if in apology:
1T was a business transaction, that
was all got the best of the bargain,
nothing more. If I robbed Allen,
where is the law to punish me?"
Everyone present knew how skill
fully he had kept within legal bounds
and cut of the reach of the law.
As he stumbled ont he turned and
whispered, horasely:
For Gods sake, gentlemen, not
word of this to nv son."
Clarence Holt had been told that the
article was a success, and thereafter
ba aSSinp-