The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1896-06-27
NO ONE KNEW HIM.

81 am very sorry. George, but this
was really what she said. 4"
These were the words Of Florence
Larkin TO her brother George had in
trusted her with that difficult commits
sion--to find out why Gertrude was of
and on with him-why she was some
times so cordial and sweet and some
times so distant. And poor Florence had
to explain to George that Gertrude had
virtually said that he was too common
place. She could not marry a man that
nobody knew and nobody talked about.
He was good, he was successful. he was
kind. he was everything that Miss Edge
worth would require in one of her
novels, but he did not attract peoples
attention. Nobody ever heard Of George
Larkin.
After Florence had explained this In
the minutest way possible twice. George
seemed to understand what she was talk
ing about.
Does she want to see my name in
the newspapers?"
II should not say that. - said Flor.
ence.
docs she want me to ride down
Broadway in plate armor and nail on
the doors of Trinity notice that she is
the prettiest girl in the world?'
She did not say 80. said Florence.
docs she want to see me more?'
II should think you would do better
il you went there less, said Florence.
''If all she wants is to have me talked
about. she shall have her way I" And
George Larkin flounced out Of the room.
Ten days after. as Gertrude Clark
came down, rather late. to her breakfast,
the servant brought in pile of letters
ON the salver. Gertrude's little sister
counted them there were 23. "What in
the world has heppened?" said she.
The little sister cut them open. and
Gertrude read:
DEAR MISS CLARK-I think you know Mr..
George Larkin. will you have the kindness to
| put his address ON tho note inclosedf
DEAR Miss CLAnK-Do you know your friend
Mr.. Larlsin well enough to ask him to come
round 20 our reception? IL Is very informal,
but we shall be 90 pleased to see him.
DEAR Miss CLARK am 40 annoyed that ]
forget Mr.. Larldn's first name. Iwant 10 send
for his addressS
Twenty three notes that contained
such references to George
Yet for these ten days past George
had not sent her-no. not carnation.
He did send her note to excuse him
self from driving with her in the park
He was not even at her aunts regular
family party, where he had begged her
to have him invited. George had Who'll
ly dropped out Of her life, and Gertrude
had begun TO wish that he had not drop
ped out.
The reader shall know what had hap
pened. The reader shall know how n
nice girl may be suddenly walked up to
find that her lover is not the unimpor-
tant person which in his humility he
had made her believe The reader shall
know how one young man got himself
named from enc end Of continent to
the other.
All this happened in n very large city
OF 1000, 900 people. which is the capt.
tai OF very large country, which coun-
try is next to the republic of Altruria.
This country was governed partly by
the principles of the nation Of Altruria.
partly by the principles of the devil
and partly by sort of happy go lucky
system which had worked very we'll for
100 years. In the course of the happy
go lucky arrangements il found itself
in sorape for the sort of ready money
that IL wanted 10 had some ready
money, which the people did not much
like, and 1t wanted some ready money
made of beaten gold. And so the chief
magistrate of this happy go lucky
country had issued his proposals for
what was called popular loan.
Nobody knew very well how the pop
ular loan was to be taken up, but every
body was quite sure that his next door
neighbor had better subscribe to it. Poo
ple went so far as to say how much Mr..
Jones ought to subscribe and how much
the Widow Smith ought to subscribe.
But. up till the moment when Gertrude
sent that unkind MESSAGE to George by
Florence, nobody knew very we'll how the
thing was going to turn out. 1t might
be that the popular loan would all be
taken mp by a set Of sharpers. or it might
be that it would not be taken at all. 1t
might be that IL would be very unpopu.
lar loan. And everybody was very curl
ous to see.
There was once an occasion when all
the nations Of the world agreed that ev-
cry person in the world should scream
as loud as he could at particular in
slant of time When the instant came,
there was a horrible stiffness over the
mundane creation. For everybody, in
stead Of screaming himself. had listened
TO hear somebody else scream, and no
ono screamed but dumb man in China
and deaf woman in the Sandwich Is
lands
Ii was something like this about the
popular loan. But at last the great day
came when. at Washington, they opened
the bids.
Now, the credit of this nation was
pretty good and pretty bad. In very
bright, gilt edged times it could borrow
money at less than 3 per cent. In those
times when there was trouble about the
sort Of money that it would give and
take, it generally bad TO pay 81 ON $104