Bradford County telegraph. (Starke, Fla.) 1888-current, 1895-10-11

1Of irvine Irvine paid him SI5JJ
down for all the rights OF his book.
How he walked home from the Office
he never knew. and he wondered why
he had not cabbed it. He remern-
bered changing his check at the bank,
buying q quarter cigar, which he en-
ioyed With great gusto, aud visiting
his tailor's, where he purchased
ready-made suit aud was measured for
various others. OF course, he would
have to change his lodgings now. He
could not entertain interviewers In his
present garnet.
Arrived home, he desired to wipe off
his debts with the landlady at once,
showering carelessly upon the table in
her best parlor a handful OF gold,
which took all the breath from the old
lady's body. She was in no hurry,
however. There was avisitor upstairs
waiting for him.
ga MANI" gssped Brandon, with a
sinking heart, as his mind few to in
reviewers. But it was a lady, as he
quickly discovered, and that lady,
Minnie. His heart beat rapidly, his
breath came quickly, his eyes cleaned
brightly, and he was about to catch
her in his arms when he remembered
that she belonged to another, and the
memory crushed him.
He attempted to speak, but a sud-
den attack of aphasis stilled his
tongue, and he sank into a chair and
covered his face with his hands, while
the lump that had risen in his throat
almost choked him.
"Aren't you we'll, Brandon?" Min
ME inquired, alarmed at his appear
ance. She placed her small hand low
ingly upon his burning forehead, but
he WINGED at the touch rs though it
was something that hurt him. care
you i'll, dear?" and she sank on her
knees and strove to pull his hands
from his face.
alt was only joke, darling, only
joke, she cried, piteously, her eyes
wet with tears. 81 am not going to
marry Olcott."
Brandon sat upright suddenly, his
| lhC6 very WnlGe.
''You are not?" as he caught her
wrists in frantic grasp.
"No, mol Forgive me, dearest. l
thought if l told you that, you would
fancy was happy, and SO be able to
work. You said So.
Brandon sighed deeply, bent and
kissed her.
81 might have killed myself, he re-
marked presently.
"You had too much pride" She
was smiling now.
"But why have you come here
again?"
"YOu never wrote to me, Brandon,
and thought /"
"You feared 1 should do what you
knew 1 would not. That's like a
womanl" and he laughed lightly.
'tBut it's all over now, Minnie. L
have completed my book and sold it
to the Irvines for $500. The an
nouncement of your engagement
kicked my pride SO hard that had to
do something desperate"
| MIHHIO was u . pICuAlA hOtACoo.
"What?" craning forward, with one
band on her lovers shoulder; SI30J
You darling" and she kissed him
eagerly.
Eyes, and there's more to follow.
They are certain 1t will be a success,
and they claim the refusal of all my
other works. God bless you, Minnie.
But for yOu-you've got to share this
with mep'
He threw the gold and notes upon
the table, but the girl shrank back.
ono, no, Brandon, your brains
earned it; it is all yours. Yesi We
will share it, and all that is to come.
No refusal; you proposed it..
They were married within q m onth,
but "a Fin-de Steele FooP was not a
success. Indeed, it was an utter fail
ure; and one paper remarked that
Messrs. Irvine Sc Irvine had better
close up if that was the best rubbish
they could secure.
How Minnie laughed at the great
unknown scribe who penued these
linesi Like Brandon, he never knew
that Minnie Horton was the real pub
Usher of the volume; that she paid
Brandon the $1,000, and that she pub
J lished all his following illusions.
Brandon works merrily on; writes
four hours each day, and sells each
book as soon as 1t is finished. Strange
to relate, many of his works are out o.
; print. Though paid for, they have
never been published. Occasionally he
, determines to trot around to Irvine's
{ and inquire what they mean by such
: scandslous conduct; but when this I'll
seizes him, Minnie always has some
. thing for him to do, and he always
does it.-Boston Traveller.