The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-28

Say? An editress! All, what a lucky
woman l am. Say? Why. of course
should only be too glad. Why such a post
means riches TO me. l don't care about
writing stories. To tell the truth, l don't
like story-writlng, It is so difficult.
think, and think, and think, and it makes
my headache. After all. one cannot write
very many OF them, and no one but you
seems to pay anything like the value of
the labor they cost. No, l will never write
snort stories now. shall devote all my
working time to the paper"
so the matter was settled Fashion
and Fiction was bought by the New
Universe proprietor and Miss skinner
became editress OF it. She bought herself
handsome clothes and ceased to be thin
and haggard. She went down to the Of
flee in d cab whenever the streets were
in The least muddy, and was very happy
indeed. Certainly other people seemed TO
do all the work, but if Mr.. Wentworth
was satisfied nothing could be wrong.
she was not exalted by success. She
was still simple and gentle, and low
voiced. She developed benevolence. too:
a virtue for which she had previously had
no scope. She bought a big silver kettle,
with spirit lamp and some tea, which
she gave with words Of consolation to all
the tagged young authors and authoress-
es who climbed her stairs, SO that she be-
came beloved even of those whose manu-
scripts she regretfully declined.
Time passed pleasantly for Miss Skin
ner. She became quite an important per-
sonage. The other editors waited in vain
for the wonderful story in the Universe,
and published those they had bought one
after the other. and none of them attract
ed very much attention. This made Miss
Skinner less regretful that she had given
up story writing. A little scandal was
talked about her sudden promotion but
she never heard of it,
She heard, however, a good deal about
Mr. Wentworth, editor OF the New Uni
verse. Other people seemed to find him
rude and hard to please. 1t made her all
the more grateful for mis- strange kindness
towards herself.
She often meditated writing him pref
ty little letter of thanks, saying that she
did not understand the full extent of his
kindness at the time, but she did now.
She very seldom saw him. They inter-
changed a good many messages about
Fashion and Fiction" al first But after
time she learnt how to do the small
amount of work which seemed to be ex-
pected of her and could do it unassisted.
Meanwhile Wentworth was in perpet-
ual state of unrest. He had escaped his
Nemesis for a time, but who could tell
when she might demand fresh sacrifices.
She seemed quiet enough, but that might
only mean that she was waiting her OPP
| portunity. He never got up in the MORN
| ing without wondering IL she would strike
| that day, nor went to bed at night with
out wondering if he should hear news
next morning. His hair began to turn
! grey, and drop off at the temples For
| the first time in his life his liver got out
| of order.
At last, when the torture of suspense
was becoming quite unbearable, the little
| murmur of scandal which had played
/ a L in nif1Rp h
ed his hearing. His first feeling was that
| of relief The murmur showed at least
| that no one had the least suspicion of the
| truth. Then he was amused. 1t was ne
| first time he had taken any real pleasure
in a Joke since the appearance of that
little, thin, shabby figure in his office.
| Then he remembered that she was not
thin or shabby now. Slowly a means of
| absolute security grew from his first feek
| ing of relief There was a way in which
| a woman's evidence could be rendered alb
| solutely null in law.
1t was a desperate remedy. But then
| the danger was desperate. 1t would be
a much more serious thing to have those
lost records brought to light than even
to marry Miss Skinner. The idea grew
on him.
While he was in this mind he happened
to dine at the house of a wealthy lady
who was an intimate friend of his. She
had heard the scandal and alluded to it,
! being one of those women who like a man
the better for injuries done to their own
| sex.
There is something in it," she laugh
ed, somewhat vulgarly. you would not
do so much for a plain little woman like
that without good reason"
Wentworth, who had not thought once
| tattle could reach those ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
! ed ears, after a moments horrid doubt
49,. a.s,fs, I,.o,r
son on the spot.
81 hope 70 make her my wife" he said.
His friend apologized. After all, she was
not very plain. Sometimes when she wore
| pink she looked quite pretty. She was
/ nice refined woman. And if she was not
/ young she was still much younger than
| Wentworth himself.
The idea did not seemsquite so intolera-
| BILE when he had put il into words. Next
day he took Miss Skinner to tea at con-
| fectiOner's, and proposed to her. Little
Miss Skinner had never had an offer Of
marriage before in all her life, OF course.
/ she accepted him. Wentworth gave a
1 great sigh of relief, for he was safe But
he hoped, a little uneasily, that she had
never blackmailed any one but him.
on the afternoon of their wedding day as
/ they were whirled along in the Scotch ex-
press, Mrs. Wentworth nestled up to her
| husband and made little confession.
She said that she was the happiest wo-
man i'm all the world and that she couldn't
/ understand il. That she knew all sorts
Of women we're loved even quite plain ones
| but she had never dreamt of such happi-
/ ness coming to her.
She said that she had taken his kindness
as a matter OF course, at first but when
little experience had shown her how
rare such goodness was. IL had puzzled
her exceedingly. But Of course his having
fallen IN love with her at first sight ex-
| planned everything.
"Ah"-and here the trembling OF the lit
| tie gloyed hand made itself felt through
Wentworths coat sleeve, that was a
lucky story, wasn't Il? Il was more trou-
Bile than any Of the others. / spent days
and days getting up my facts and local
| color from Greets Frontier Studies
"Whatw he exclaimed. whats that?
Greet's Frontier Studies? Then you didn't
mean to--Your story was not founded on
| fact2"
"Oh, no! OF course not. 1 invented II all
with the help of 'Greets Frontier Studies
didn't crib you know. / only found out
what sort Of things might be done by a
/ ,fo.tar and rucprfiDulOtle man. and made