Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-06-12
THE Wears DAUGHTER.
It'd BITS.

Cyril Hardinge entered his West
End chambers about l a. m. in a
very self.satisfed frame of mind.
Previous to that evening, Fortune
had treated him in none too gener-
Gus fashion, but now the tickle
goddess, seemingly repentant, had
made amends by placing fame and
fortune well within his grasp.
His three-act up-to-date society
play had been received by London
audience in style never anticipat.
ed by the author, and when, in re-
spouse to the repeated calls of the
enthusiastic theatre.goers, he step
ped before the curtain and bowed
his acknowledgements, he felt that
the hour of triumph lad arrived.
All recollections of his previous
failures faded from his memory, and
his life seemed to date only from
that moment. Being possessed of a
moderate income, he had never felt
the pinch of being hard up, and had
met his numerous reverses with COM
mendable fortitude. But now all
the world was at his feet; his name
was made, his future productions
would be eagerly sought after, and,
consequently the glow OF pride
which con fused his whole frame was
pardonable. After the play he lad
received the congratulations of
number of men whose names were
foremost in the literary world men
not actuated by any feeling of petty
jealousy, but men who resolutely en-
couraged any promising aspirant to
immortal fame.
On entering his room he turned
up the lights, and not feeling any
inclinations to retire, he casually
took down the tobacco jar from the
mantelpiece and proceeded to load
an old brier. Throwing himself in
to an easy-chair, he lit his pipe, and
with extended limbs, puffed clouds
of pale blue smoke toward the cell
ing.
He was young fellow Of about
80, and not affecting the mannerism
of others Of his cult, wore a dark
beard trimmed in the style immor-
talized by the genius of Van Dyke,
fact which made him look consid-
erably older than he really was.
A mass of thick, black hair accent
uated the pallor of his clearly cut
face-a face, cold, reserved and dig
nifed, and one which revealed to the
close observer much of it's posses.
sor's life story.
1t showed that it's owner had
seen times OF trouble, times when
the very heart seemed to be knock
ed out of a nan-times when his
only companion was gloomy despair;
but the shape of the mouth revealed
the man who by sheer force of char
acter had risen superior to the trials
which fate had imposed upon him.
As he sat there, consoled by the
soothing charms of the Goddess
Nicotina, his thoughts were of de-
cidedly pleasant nature. He had
achieved success-achieved it when
young.
And yet, a look of intense and
passionate longing occasionally crept
across his face. Did past memories
trouble him, or did he vainly en-
deavor to look into the dim future?
He sat and smoked for some time,
and then his eye rested on the table
by his side, on which lay an envel-
ope addressed to him.
He took it up in listless fashion
and lazily scrutinized it. He saw
that it had been written by female
hand, and had not been through the
post, and he therefore concluded
that it had been left by a caller. He
broke it open and read the following
epistle:
"DEAR SIR-Please pardon the
liberty take in writing to you. |
have just witnessed the great success
of your play. You have now made
your name and will be much sought
after. Win you grant me the pleas
ure of interviewing you? / am en-
deavoring to set my foot upon the
first rung of the literary ladder, but
so far have not met with success. l
am not connected with any paper,
but feel confident that the report of
an interview with you would be ac-
cepted. l shall call tomorrow in or
der to learn of your decision.
Yours very truly,
ANNE RALEIGH"
Hardinge read this communica-
ton with much interest, but never
looked at the signature. He put the
letter on one side, pressed down the
tobacco in his pipe, aud between the
whiffs muttered
Poor girl, no success-well, sure
iy in the hour Of my triumph, | can
do some one good turn-call to-
morrow-umph, persevering, too
well, we'll, hate to be bored-and
by a woman, too-however, think
I'll see her-I wonder who she is,''
and be took up the letter again.