St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-04-09


trepidation. Robson greeted them cor
daily and said: 81 heard you were
here" and that was all the explanation
necessary. He asked, most casually,
about Delafield, and then went into
Mrs. Skemer's apartments and was pre-
scnted to eight very gorgeous persons.
one of whom, Mrs. Skemer told him in
advance, was power in society" Mrs.
Skemer was delighted to meet him.
Robson wondered if she knew his secret
as well as he knew hers.
They went in to dinner, and Robson
surprised himself. He gave himself to
the novel task with all his powers of
told of his delight at being SO fortu-
nate as to meet Mr.. and Mrs. Bloxom
again. He repeated to the whole table
Mrs. Bloxom's frightened whispers to
him, and gave them such an elabora-
ton as to make them appear witty and
scintillating.
Late In the evening he told Mr.. Blox-
ON that he would accept the invitation
to dinner If all thc others would come
again. Mrs. Skemcr joined his appeal.
"The power" gracefully consented, and
the first triumph of the couple from
Delafield was complete.
Robson went home, not SO much hu-
inflated by his experience. He had
dined well and had earned his first $50.
The morning after that he received
note of congratulation from Mr.. Helly
and a summons to come to the office.
He found that little man greatly
pleased.
'WelL sir, Bloxom is tickled to
DEATH" said Mr.. Helly. "He said all the
women were crazy about you. They
want to meet you again."
That's kind OF them," said Robson
not visibly flattered. "Have you some
more work for me?"
"Yes; something particular. A wild.
ow, Mrs. Hawley, just from Cedar Falls
with a barrel of money-living at the
Grand Bellevue apartments. She's been
here few weeks and is trying to get a
start. Devilish handsome woman, with
plenty of style and apparently all right
but people seem little touchy because
they don't know much of her history
She married ain old fellow at Cedar
Falls and he died, and now she has his
money-that's about all we know. We
have a couple of good women pulling
for her, but after your success with
the Bloxom case think you can do bet.
ter than they can. You can 60 to that
dance out there tonight and tell those
people how well she stood in Cedar
Falls, and that she left there because
the society wasn't good enough. or
something like that-understand? ?"
81 will construct past of which she
will be prond." said Robson.
THAT'S business. You want to be
there early, by eight o'clock. and see
her before the thing begins. There is to
be dancing. and then a supper. believe.
Here. I'll give you the address"
Robson was at the Grand Bellevue
apartments at eight o'clock. a maid
admitted him to a pretty parlor. He
sat and philosophical on his occnpa-
ton.
Presently he looked up and saw tall
and beautiful woman in an evening
gown. 1t was Lizzie-the Lizzie who
had kept the flower stand in the rotunda
of the Beacon Hill hotel in Boston.
She saw him and took backward
step. The color leaped to her face.
"Mr. Robson!" she faltered.
as it actually you, Lizzie?"
"Why-yes," she said, gazing at him
as if frightened.
"What are you doing here?"
Il live here. Didn't you know? Tn
Mrs. Hawley. How did you find me: :
Are YOU the" and she stopped EN-.
| barrassed.
"You've guessed 1t, Lizzie. I'm the
The gunner died and left me next tc
nothing. 1 found myself here in Chi
cago, and-well. had to do something
But you! This is the surprise of my life
What does it all mean?"
swell, it means this: You know
three years ago my brother-1 don,
think you knew him; he's in politics
he got me ticket to Cedar Falls. where
| my sister Ella lived. She's married and
out there 1 went out on visit and the
funniest thing happened. Mr.. Hawley
| fell in love with me. / met him at big
picnic, and he didn't give me mo
ment's peace until / married MIN. Rich
Why, Mr. Robson, my lawyers tell mt
I'm worth two hundred thousand. Afte'
he died and waited decent time l jus,
said to myself: I'll get out of this
place. It's too quiet for me. after Bos.
tom OF course couldn't go back te
Boston and make any splurge. Every
fellow in town knew me when 1 was al
the Beacon Hill there. So 1 came te
Chicago, and here am. And you've los'
your money. Mr.. Robson?"
"You might know have, Lizzie, OF
I wouldn't be out here to help you"
"S-h-h-h! Don't! Between you and
me, Mr.. Robson, don't care much fol
society. What ! want is good man
and don't care if he hasn't"
"Well, Lizzie, when you were at tht
Beacon Hill I told you every day that
loved you."
II didn't believe it then"
"Wen. possibly I didn't mean It
either; but it strikes me there is some
thing providential in this meeting
You have the money and want to see
life with good companion. You know
me. Don't you think that. under the
circumstances. we could come TO al
agreement? You know my story, apt
know yours. You nee6 my experience
to guide you, and. to be candid, neee
money
"Mr. Robson. when you used to buy
bunch of violets and talk that way,
knew better. But I believe you're II
earnest now And don't I wish there
wasn't to be any dance! We could go tt
show"
When it came time for the Bloxon
dinner the star attraction was missing
and Mr.. Helly could not produce him
He had married the widow from Cedal
Falls..Chicago Record.
| y
"a Graund Country"
A travelling American made visi
to Greyfriars churcAyard at Edin
burph'. The sexton was . man of Aber