Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-01-22
ROMANCEOF A BEAT

II was Harding. fine specimen Of
the hardworking. versatile and travel
cd newspaper man who cared little for
society or for anything but his profes-
sion. who told this story to group OF
reporters the other night:
Five years ago / was working on
New York newspaper One afternoon
lust as set ont from the Office to do
my routine assignment the managing
editor sent for me he held n yellow
cablegram in his hand. and rs entered
his room he glanced up from ii and said
Harding. | am going to send you
to Honduras You leave in two hours
He explained that new uprising
was imminent-an uprising that prom
ised to be bloodicfone than any ever
before experienced by that country OF
constant revolutions i need give you
no instruction.. he said. You know
what news IL Go there and send il TO
as We want the situation just as you
find IL,
! We got into Truxillo after doubling
! Cape Hond 1ras about the same hour III
the afternoon that we had left New
York several days before
Il strolled out that afternoon in or
der to get some idea OF the situation and
to meet English speaking people 10 save
myself from feeling hopeless isolation.
Il suppose ! watched the crowd for
an hour and had just started to return
to my hotel when woman's figure
came toward me along the street Some
thing IN the fine figure and graceful
carriage made me think that ! had seen
her before. and | waited. recognized
her a. she came near me.
lis this Miss Villiers Of New
York | asked in surprise. extending
nv hand She turned and held out her
hand frankly 1t is. she said. and
this is Stuart Harding Iromember You
very well What on earth are you do
ing here
81 have just arrived, l said to her.
But what could have brought you
here: Brought me here| she laughed
N surprise. Why. this is my home
II did not know her very well III
New York, but she impressed me as
having great depth. She showed pref
crence for my society, but when she
turned those deep unfathomable eyes
upon me 1t always gave me shiity,
| uneasy feeling She went III elegant
style. with good people and appeared TO
have plenty Of money
And now | had met Miss Villiers
again. and she was even more beautiful!
than before My pleasure nc meeting an
old acquaintance IN this foreign city
was reflected III her own happy face
1 never see q New Yorker here, she
! told me rs we walked along together
'She was "a charming companion. and
! found that had walked by her side
until we had almost left the city behind
US and stood in front Of stately IN
closure. with q residence sitting Tar
back half hidden behind the luxurian'
| foliage We had become confidential,
and her face was flushed with rich
glow
Miss villiers, said, wouldn't u
be advisable for you to GO back to New
| York awhiley have trustworthy IN
formation that a terrible revolution is
imminent Your life would be in dan
| ger here
''She glanced up at me. startled. oh,
| | think these rumors must be unbound
ed. she said hastily The revolutions
are so cruel la case there Is one you
will help the government, of courseY
'She had placed her gloved hand on
nv arm III her agitation and was bend
ing eagerly forward
mo, | answered, for an instinct
told me that was saying just what she
desired me to cay No, ! will not The
government is TOO cruel. arr with the
revolutionists-the people.
"'Oh, can trrs: you. know. she
said half passionately, continued Hard.
ing. - knew it from the first hour
met you in New York. know !: now
| am SO glad you are hers. Perhaps ycn
may help us Perhaps you r:ay advise
father
Yes, there is - bs revolution,
and bloody one, fear Father is the
leader He has sore grievances. for he
has been thrown out Of power by re
volt. and then he is the champion OF a
principle. Just as soon rs the plans ma
| ture the ipsurrection will come
..She laid the whole plan Of the up
rising before me She trusted me I'm
plicitly, even to giving me the names OF
the leaders and the date when the out
break was expected to come.
LAS listened to her the conviction
grew in my mind that her father was
about to stir up cruel and causeless
rebellion. No higher motives than those
OF revenge and power to be gained i'm
pelled him onward And yet she believ-
ed in the righteousness and justice OF
has cause with all her heart
II went to my room and wrote out
tac story gave every detail. mention,
"a every name | could remember and
made it as picturesque as possible. Miss
villi,es figured in IL in Very romantic
way. gave what she had told me as near
word for word as could recall 1t and
described her as the beautiful girl
whom many New Workers would re-
member, no. as the daughter OF revo-
lutionist, but as charming woman
just ont Of school.
1.-THE next morning filed it. with
private message to the managing editor
that il was to be used only on the eve
of the outbreak.
| THE day after I sent my story call
ed on her She was expecting me. Her
dress, her manner. betrayed 1t, and the
greeting received was even more cor
dial than that Of our first meeting.
"She bS,ame more and more conf
Dental each time called, and it was
plain to me that she was beginning to
! regard me as an ally.
at was the morning Of the fourth
day after my arrival at Honduras that
found my fellow correspondents grouped
together gravely discussing some ques'
ton, seriousness marked on every face.
There's Harding now, exclaimed
Newton, who represented two papesA