The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-05-26
THE INTERVIEWER.
"A lady to see you, sir. "

"a lady to see you, SIR"
Jeremy Grigson used very unparliamen-
tary language, but taking into considera-
ton the fact that his visitor might be
close at hand, in compliment to her sex
his anathemas were uttered In German.
"How oharming" she exclaimed, COM
ing into the room with a little rush. II
have got my first point already. You are
familiar with the modern languages.
And she made note.
MADAM" said Jeremy Grigson, with q
severe bow, ~ have an excellent memory,
but cannot reeollect having made your
acquaintance on any previous occasion"
"You have an excellent memory
Thanks" She made another note. MAY
l sit DOWN. am rather tired"
Certainly, madam" Jeremy placed
chair for her. And you will then per-
haps kindly let me know to what am in
debted for the pleasure Of your company"
"Just let me take down''-She scrubbed
rapidly, murmuring to herself, "Frigid
manner, stately, old world form Of address,
furniture chosen with an eye to comfort
rather than beauty"
Her pencil paused, and she glanced at
him with smile apparently intended to
set him at his case
II am from The Weekly Chatterer, " she
said. "Can you let me have photograph
to go in with tho interview"
"Never had one taken In my life," said
Jeremy. He WIS not handsome man,
yet there was something In his face better
than good looks,
mot even when you were babyP Al
In, do
Not oven then"
reared on
"Green ten, believe. Don't look like
itp"
She wrote down, "Highly nervous, rath-
er dyspeptc," and went on. "Talking of
things that came after your time, how old
are you exactlyp OF course it is only wom-
en- who are guilty of tho weakness of OBJ
jecting to toll their ages.
II shall be 100 If 1.-Two to the end of
this. Allow mo one question, What have
] done that should be interviewed"
She wrote again, murmuring, Modest
and apparently unaware Of his own fame,
and then answered:
Don't you know that the whole town
is talking of your bookS"
II don't know anything about It, he
said sayagcly, "excopt that l sold the
copyright for $50 and that the gao is
| spent"
She had got hold of an immense fact,
| but she dropped her pencil, and her flip
pant, aggressive air with it.
"What shame!" she said. what o
wicked shamol Your publishers will
make hundreds and thousands out of that
book. 1t Is creating u furoro. Such case
should not be possible, and especially when
man really needs the money"
He looked attentively at her for the
first time. He had seen already that she
was young and pretty but he noticed now
that there was worn, pinched look about
her small, very pretty face He had seen
the same look growing on other faces in
Bohemia. 1t had grown upon his own,
and he knew tho meaning of it,
"You understand about needing money!"
he asked her.
II should think do" she answered
sharply. "Do you suppose l should be
hero now If didn't?'
Sometimes people work at trade be-
cause they like it,"
IF it were trade ! liked, everything
would DO different. l aspircd to literature
once, but could not even make dry bread
by it, Ever since l have been hanging on
to tho skirts of journalism, and sometimes
there is great deal Of mud on them. If
you only knew how people treat me now
and again when l go to interview them !
You may thank your stars and your
genius for having placed you above all
that at any rate"
"Are they often as brutal as I wasP" he
asked gently. lam awfully sorry. Won't
you forgive meP'
Don't mind about 1t, she said huskily.
1T know very well what / must have
seemed like to you-an inlpudent brazcn
little wretch am horribly nervous by
nature, and put all that side on Just to
cover up tho fright and impress people
with the idea that intend to get any in
formation want no matter how rcticcnt
they try to he. Often they tell me more
than they intend-as you did just now
merely to get rid of me, because they
think am writing down whole lot that
they don't want said about them. should
stand bad chance II they only knew that
am quite as anxious to get away from
them as they are to get away from me- -
IF this interview ia any object to you, u
he said in an awkward, shamefaced way,
~ will tell you all you want to know.
am not quite such churl as 1 pretended
to be- Only-well, am proud as well as
Door, and / suppose there Is no need to
make the details of my poverty publicS"
! He glanced first at the meager furnishing
/ Of the room and then at his threadbare
clothes.
"Ohp' 1t was actually little cry Of
pain. "Do you think so badly Of me as
that stillP will go now. wish had
not come"
Sho turned very white as she rose and
caught at her chair to steady herself.
For heavens sake, don't faintl" cried
Jeremy desperately. He made stride to
ward her and without word of apology
he caught her by the arm and pushed her
back into the chair. "What did you do II
forY" he asked with great show of indig
nation. "What is the matter with your"
II couldn't help 1t, she said. "lf
had gone on walking, l should have beer
all right, but the short rest finished me.
am very tired, and'- She gave little
gasp and her eyelids fluttered.
Jeremy dived into wall cupboard ant
came forth with a brandy bottle, There
was very little in it, but enough for the
purpose. He stood over her in Threaten
ing attitude until she consented to drinl
teaspoonful He tried to insist on [
second.
II cannot really" she said. II dar'
not. 1t would go to my head at once be
cause-beoause"
Jeremy Grisson knott down beside he
and took her hand
as 1t because you have had no lunch
COM" he asked
Eyes" she said, and her color began x
return.
"Do you know how it feelsp"
He nodded with sympathetic gravity
Been there dozens of times, he said
LTl cII q: