Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-09-29
MISS UPTON'S FIRST ASSIGNMENT"
BY JOHN ]. A'BEcKET.

| tress that this is about something
which she is interested in and that
| will not detain her long," said Lefty,
with aggravated dignity.
The maid reluctantly obeyed. or at
least disappeared for short time.
| Then she came back and said, "Mrs.
Harmon begs to be excused"
Lefty was a little crestfallen. She
did not believe the maid had been
near her mistress again. How very
mean in rich woman with plenty of
leisure to refuse even reception to a
girl seeking to earn living!
"Has Mrs. Harmon been abroad
this year?" Lefty asked the maid. In
case this was the Mrs. Harmon there
would be no object in calling on the
other unimportant bearers of that
name.
''No," said the maid, as she closed
the door in Miss Upton's face.
"Then she isn't the one want, -"
said the newspaper woman to herself,
land L have no more desire to see her
than she has to see me-
Trying to keep up her courage by
this reflection, Lefty made her way to
the next house on her list, and there
affecting slightly naughty air as
being likely to impress the servant
and thereby, poss bly,, the mistress
she said, II should like to see Mrs.
Harmon for moment"
The servant looked at her with some
surprise. "Mrs. Harmon is dead this
two years" he said, deliberately.
"Oh, really" replied Lefty, her
naughty air suffering a sudden col
lapse. Perhaps l have made mis-
take. This : isn't-Mrs. Nugent Har-
mon's?" This was the next Mrs. Har-
mon on her list. Lefty was proud of
her fnesse.
''No. This is Mr.. Thomas Har-
mons; but Mrs. Nugent Harmon is
dead, too, replied the man, regarding
her with increased curiosity.
Lefty blushed furiously and felt
wild desire to laugh. This would cer-
tainly not have enhanced her standing
III the servants eyes. Then, since
this man seemed SO acquainted with
the Harmons, she was tempted to ask
him if he knew which was the Mrs.
foreign nobleman.
But Lefty could not quite bring her.
self to cleaning the news she needed
by friendly, confidential talk with men
servants. SO she only said, nervous
ly, "There must be mistake some
where. Thank you," and hurried
down the steps, feeling as if the mans
lnquisitive eyes were burning into
her back.
All this wasn't very nice. In those
stories" of the Sunday papers there
had been no preliminary failures to
find the person. The reporter had al
ways called at Mr.. Whoever's and had
'been cordially motioned to chair"
and then Mr.. or Mrs. Whoever had
proceeded to tell him all he wanted to
know in the most friendly, considerate
way.
However, to be discouraged would
never do, so Lefty, after little sigh
as she saw two young girls of her own
age roll by in an elegant Victoria, went
to the next Mrs. Harmon, wondering
whether she were dead, too.
But she would have no mistakes
here. She wrote on her card, "Will
Mrs. Harmon please see Miss Upton
of the Daily Investigator for mo-
ment in regard to her daughters en-
gagement?"
All! Here was the reward of indus
try. The servant said, "Mrs. Harmon
will be down in a moment, miss. Will
you please sit down and waltz"
In a few moments Mrs. Harmon
came in. She looked like wealthy
society woman, though younger than
Miss Upton had expected to find her.
She had pair of keen, black eyes, her
face was sharply pointed one, and
her lips were rather thin.
She bowed to the reporter pleasant
ly enough, but did not offer her hand.
What could she do for Miss Upton?
She knew the Daily Investigator very
well. There was slight accent on
the Every"
''There is report, Mrs. Harmon,
that your daughter is to marry for
eigner of title, whom you met during
your travels in Europe this past year,"
said Miss Upton, with her most ingra-
tiating manner. "Won't you tell me
some of the particulars?"
"Do you want to publish what say
in The Investigator" asked Mrs. Har-
mon, quickly.
"Why, of course, I want to print all
that you are willing should appear
about the matter. The public, nat
urally, has great interest in the sub
ject and wants to know about Miss
Harmon's fance?'
Mrs. Harmon's eyes twinkled, and
she drew in her lips little strongly.
She seemed amused.
''She's tickled to death over it and
will tell everything there is, thought
Miss Upton, with an approving refiec-
ton on her own diplomatic tact.
"Well, you must ask me what you