The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-06

THE SCRANTON TR1
slowly, ''it must be; II is the same per-
son. SO she married Brandon, did she?
and is evidently widow now. Irving
ton. l had no idea that she lived so
near" He leaned back in his chair
again and smoked, and gazed at the
ceiling. In fancy he was again a youth
and was standing meath the old oak
tree, near the gurgling brook, saying
farewell to the only woman he ever
loved, and she had Knocked him. He
had left her with a heavy heart, and
though he had made his way in the
world and had much to divert his mind,
he had never forgotten that parting;
he had ever been true to the memory
of the love that was not for him.
The next day but one was Sunday.
The morning dawned cool and bright.
The editor arose and dressing himself
with especial care, placed the manu-
script in his pocket and after partaking
of light breakfast, he proceeded to
the railway station and purchased a
ticket for Irvington, where he arrived
an hour later. He inquired the way to
Elm street and 1t was pointed out to
him; he had little difficulty in finding
the right number. 1t was a modest lit
tie cottage, and a very old-fashioned
street. A little girl was playing in
the dooryard as he stopped at the gate.
Does Mrs. Brandon live here?" he
enquired.
yes, SIR" the girl replied, Mrs.
Brandon Is my mamma"
will you give this card to your
mamma, and tell her the gentleman
would like to see her?"
yes, sir" and she ran to do his bid
ding.
In a moment she appeared at the
door He would have known her any
where. The same face and form, older,
of course, and more matured, but still
the same. She did not recognize him
at once, and her eyes glanced from the
card to his face questioningly.
II have called in reference to your
manuscript" he said calmly, at the
same time drawing it from his pocket.
"Oh"' she exclaimed. my story"
and then she stopped, her face flushed
with excitement. do you think it will
do?" she asked timidly.
1T is a very good story, in fact, it
has appealed to me in a way-er, well;
Mrs. Brandon, is it possible that you do
not know me?" she glanced from his
face to the card and again read the in
scription:
James A. Forbes,
Managing Editor,
The Globe.
The light of recognition broke over
her face, and she held out her hand to
him. He clasped it warmly. She had
never seen his name written that way
before, or dreamed that it could be the
the same Arlie Forbes whom she had
known so well. She invited him into
the little parlor and they We're soon in
the midst of old recollections, talking
Of people they both had known in the
little New England village they had
both called home.
The MS. was forgotten entirely, so
interested We're they. He had only in
tended to stay a little while, but the
time passed so quickly, so pleasantly,
that it was tea time before they We're
aware of the fact. So he remained for
tea. He made friends with the chill
dren. too, the one bright lad of seven,
and the other, the girl, whom he had
seen at first, about five years old
But at last train time came the
last train, which he must take, If he
would be back to the city that night.
He stood on the vine-covered porch
hat in hand, saying good bye" reluct-
antly, when Mrs. Brandon remarked:
MY story, l had forgotten it, do
you think it will do?" there was a
wealth of appeal in her eyes.
"Oh, yes; it will do very well in
deed, l shall edit it, of course" replied
the editor smiling. And it will do very
well, after the editor had rewritten it,
embellishing it a great deal, and add
ing new scene at the close, where
the old lover came back to renew his
suit, True as steel" and ending the
story very happily.
1T was printed in due time, and a
marked copy sent to the author, ac-
companied by a check for quite a tidy
sum from the manager of the Globe
Publishing company.
Mrs. Brandon was very much aston
ished when she saw the story in it's
revised form and as she read the clos
ing chapter soft flush mounted to her
brow and suffused her face and neck,
while her eyes assumed a faraway
expression of a happiness that she had
long dreamed of, a joy that would yet
be hers.
The editor became a regular Sunday
visitor at the cottage on Elm street
from that time on as long as the pleas
ant weather lasted, and during the
merry Christmas week. while the bells
were pealing out the glad tidings of
Peace on earth good will toward
man." Mrs. Brandon became Mrs
James Arlie Forbes and the editor be-
came commuter at once. They have
built up a very pleasant home in Ir-
v:ngton and Mrs. Forbes has never re-
GREETED sending her story to the Globe
The original MS. is tucked away in
corner of the editors desk. He would
not part with it for worlds. And so
ends the Tale of a no longer despised
and rejected manuscript"