The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-10-28
! DOVE ROCK DAY.
BY John Walker Harrington.
Copyright. 1871

THE GIRL had never been to Lake
George before, and it was hardly
her fault that she irretrievably injured
her social standing before she had been
at Horizon Ferry two hours. Grace
Wright was an actress who had en-
tered the theatrical profession as a
chorus girl. She had now reached the
rank of an ingenue in one of the popu-
lar theaters.
Everybody at Horizon Ferry goes to
the landing to inquire for mail and to
see what manner of people are going
up the lake. The morning and evening
steamer arrivals are the two incidents
of the day, and John Treadwell was
Is curious as the rest of the little colony
which dwelt on the point of land which
!juts out into the upper lake. He was
holding faring, red parasol over the
head of his richest aunt, when he saw
Grace Wright fastening over the gang
plank. Before he could beat a retreat
the girl had nodded to him, and he was
compelled to acknowledge her saluta-
ton with perfunctory dip of his hat.
The next moment the girl had given
her baggage to porter, thereby pro-
claiming her intention of becoming
guest of Horizon Ferry's one hotel.
II did not know" said Miss Jemimah
Pettingill, sister of John Treadwell's
mother, recently deceased. that you
had any acquaintance among the hotel
people,"
''Well," replied the young man, nerv-
ously twisting his mustache, "a fellow
who is a reporter on New York news
paper, as I am, is bound to meet few
persons who are not eligible to the
hamlet set at Horizon Ferry"
Il trust, nephew" said Miss Pettin-
gill, "that you will remember that it
Is decidedly improper to mingle your
business and social acquaintance.
She is rather handsome, too Has her
mother with her. Evidently makes
some pretense to responsibility"
"Aunt Jemimah,'' said the young
man, 1.-THE young woman is member
Of Mr.. Payson's company. She is
girl of sterling character. She has been
on the stage almost from childhood"
From that day John Treadwell had
no peaceAof mind at Lake George. He
was at Horizon landing principally be-
cause his aunt had told him to come,
and incidentally because the family of
his fiancee, Agnes Shelton, had cot
tage there. He thought rather guiltily
of the evenings when he had called on
Grace Wright, and of the talks they
dad had upon literature and the uplift-
ing of the stage from it's present sor-
rowful plight. They had read the same
books, and had spent many an after
noon at the picture galleries: That was
in the days when he was struggling for
bare existence upon a paper whose
principal stock in trade consisted of
niggardlyr, pay to it's reporters. He
was glad in those days when the week
ly payday arrived, and brought with it
the blessed assurance that he might
have breast of veal, with green peas,
for at least one dinner of the week. 3.
Then somebody, discovered that he
could write, and he found himself upon
q paper where his weekly space bills
ran above; the three figure mark, and
he was hailed by that proudest of Park
Row titles, "a good man." Then he
fell into the good graces of his Aunt
Jemimah.. That meant receptions and
afternoon teas, and an introduction
intosone of the Smart sets of New
York. That is how he met Agnes Shell
ton. She thought that his life was 80
interesting and $50 fascinating;" and
he. who had almost forgotten the days
when he was a drudge and a pack
horse, never told her anything to the
contrary. She. had money enough for
two. He saw his opportunity and
availed himself of it. They were en-
gagged. m'<,. IT,. ....ss 5s,,rss,.
Grace Wright saw him once or twice
after. his rise in fortune. It was very
easy5for him to tell her that he could
and no time to call upon her, for men
who are under the beck and call of a
city editor have little time when they
may call their own. She saw him for
the first time IL montha Ct the landing
ct Horizon Ferry: - - a
5Fs5 sf4. ~ - " 81 * II ~