The San Francisco call., 1896-10-18
Wire Press Rates Collect One Thousand Words Rush.

, he had realized what he was doing, and
when he came to he found himself cling
ing to a shying pony with one hand and a
wiggling fox terrier with the other, While
the conductor held the train long enough
for Hester to buy her ticket.
"There, there, be still, pony. Good
doggie," he exclaimed. too confused to re-
member whether it was the borse's bite or
the dogs kick that there was the most
danger from. Sprint gave such yelp as
| his mistress crossed the platform that the
Rev. Mr.. Wheeler was startled out OF his
grip. The next thing he knew the dog
was as hopelessly gone as Sundays SER
mon.
| As Hester dropped into her seat there
was scurry of paws down the aisle, and
! Sprint bounced delightedly up against her.
"You wretch" she exclaimed in dis
may. The impropriety of going to the
i city in riding skirt and shirt waist had
not occurred to her, but the addition of a
dirty white fox terrier dog did make it
| seem a little incongruous. what shall l
| do with you? And what will the conduc-
| tor say, you imp? Well, it's fortunate
Punch didn't come too. Now, let me see.
I'll get to the city at half-past one, and
I'll go straight to bookstore. Dear me,
l do look rather absurd. Never mind,
Sally Waters would never stop for looks.
Then l will go up to cousin Kate's and
write the story and one of the boys can
take it down to the Courier office after
dinner. will telegraph home and bor-
row some things to come ="
There was a sudden violent jerk, as
oh nAu had toE hryf ha
feet and tried to snap her head off, and
humping stop, set to frantic whistles.
Sprint and all the men in the car
started out to investigate, and discovered
that small bridge ahead of them was on
fire. 1t was promptly put out, but the
bridge was not safe to cross.
aft will be late in the afternoon before
| anything gets through" the conductor
told Hester. "We'Il run vou right back
to Santa Maria and send a gang down to
fix it.''
aIt,s no use," she said, despondently.
'Fate is against me. What do you sup
pose Sally Waters would do now?
She gave Mr.. Wheeler back his dollar
and redeemed her pony with as brief an
explanation as possible and rode straight
home. Once up in her room, she flung the
mail and herself down on the bed and
cried just as hard as she had been longing
to all the last hour.
i've failed them after promising I'd do
it., she kept saying over and over. s'I
won't get the position and 1 won't rise,
and well all be poor and dowdy and made
over for the rest of our lives Her hand
touched one of the little packages and she
began to undo it without much interest
A very pretty workbag appeared, but
Hester could not feel enthusiastic.
There's something hard inside" she
said half aloud. "How do you open the
thingf Oh, this" She stopped short
with little gasp. Inside the bag lay a
small book with Cousin Kate's love and
best wishes, and across it's cover ran in
golden letters. "In City of the West"
"And it had been under me nearly al
the morning" Hester sobbed
"Oh, you're back" said Corinne from
the doorway nearly half an hour later.
You found it, then. We saved some
lunch for yeu and I'll bring it up. How
do you like the book? Are you going to
sit on it?''
mot any more to-day" was the enig-
matical answer.
The article was telegraphed over that
eyening-"press rates, collect one thou
sand words'-and Sally Waters herself
told her few days later that it was the
best stuff she had turned in yet.
II was certain you were just the person
for the literary work." she said, "but it
took that article of yours to convince the
old man. You got the wire in plenty of
time, didn't you?'
"Oh, yes" said Miss Blanchard of the
Courier. 81 had plenty of time"
JULIET WILBoR ToMPKINs.
Most yellow or orange-colored flowers