The record-union., 1897-05-17

| Sometimes people work at trade be-
cause they like it,
IF it were a trade liked, everything
would be different. l aspired to litera-
ture once, but could not even make dry
bread by it. Ever since l have been
hanging on to the skirts Of Journalism
and sometimes there is a great deal OF
mud on them. If you only knew how
! people treat me now and again when
! go to interview themt You may thank
your stars and your genius for having
placed you above all that at any rate. y
| Are they often as brutal as l VASE
he asked gently. II am awfully sorry;
won't you forgive me2''
Don't mind about it," she said husk-
| lily. 81 know very we'll what l must
have seemed like to vou-an impudent,
brazen little wretch. 1 am horribly ner-
vous by nature, and l put all that side
on just to cover UP the fright, and i'm
press people with the idea that I in
| tend to get any information / want, no
matter how reticent they try to be.
Often they tell me more than they intend
| as you did just now-merely to get rid
of me, because they think 1 am writing
down a whole lot that they don't want
| said about them. l should stand bad
chance if they only knew that 1 am quite
as anxious to get away from them as
| they are to get away from me-"
IF this interview is any object to
you,' he said, in an awkward. shame
faced way, Il will tell you all you want
| to know. lam not quite such a churl
as I pretended to be. Only-well, I am
proud as we'll as poor, and l suppose
there is no need to make the details of
my poverty public?" He glanced first
at the meager furnishing of the room,
and then at his threadbare clothes.
OH" 1t was actually a little cry of
pain. do you think so badly of me as
| that still? l will go now. wish had
| not come"
| She turned her white face as she rose,
and caught at her chair to steady her
self
| For heavens sake, don't faint" cried
Jeremy desperately. He made a stride
| toward her, and without a word of apol-
ogy he caught her by the arm and
pushed her back into the chair. What
did you do it for?" he asked with great
show of Indignation. What is the mat
| ter with you?"
II couldn't help it," she said. ''If had
gone on walking l should have been all
right, but the short rest finished me.
am very tired, and''- she gave a little
gasp, and her eyelids fiuttered.
| Jeremy dived into a wall-cupboard.
and came forth with a brandy bottle
There was very little in it, but enough
for the purpose. He stood over her in a
threatening manner until she consented
to drink teaspoonful He tried to in
sist on a second.
Il cannot really" she said. IT dare
not 1t would go to my head at once,
| because-because"-
Jeremy Grigson knelt down beside her
and took her hand.
rs it because you have had no lunch
| eon?" he asked.
Yes" she said; and her color began
to return. DO you know how it feels?'
He nodded with sympathetic gravity
Been there dozens of tines he said
and he did not let go her hand, neithe,
! did she withdraw it. Possibly you
have walked the whole way from The
| Chatterer's' office to this house,"
Il had no choice. This represents my
whole fortune until such time as 1 an
paid for the interview"
She pulled ffalf- pence out of hel
pocket and showed it to him lying or
the worn palm of her little gray glove
Quite involuntarily he lifted to his
| lips the hand he was holding Their