The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-18

prove that "Society's Verdict" belonge"
to the most mischievous class of liter
ature. He concluded by showing that
novel reading was only a mild form
of suicide. 1t was the silly season, and
the editorial mind appeared to have
run amuck, for the following morning
a Leader" was published, in which
one of the Paragraphs spirited young
men wrote seventeen different instan-
ces of young people having been led
by sensational rOmances into acts Of
folly, and warned parents against the
so-called society fiction" Next morn
ing letter signed Fair Play" APP
peared, in which the writer laid him
self out to prove that "A Sturdy Bri-
ton" was an unspeakable idiot. FROM
that moment the fun became fast and
furious and the horrors of fiction" be-
came the topic of the day and was dis
cussed wherever two or three lovely
people gathered together. Talbot was
furious. He was unpardonably rude
to interviewers, and was not even de-
Gently grateful when they describe
him as a handsome and rising young
barrister."
was quite annoyed with him. "Will
nothing satisfy yOu?" | asked. Here
are number of young fellows telling
lies about YOU gratuitously your
photograph is i'm the Daily Graphic
and vet you growL Pul yourself to-
gether man, and tackle your briefs.
Many man with less luck than this
abs reached the woolsack and slept
there for years"
Suddenly the case took a new turn.
/ NJ 70
in the "agony" column Of the stan
dard. the first of which ran: Talbot
Of course insisted on reply and adver-
tised: "Know Of nothing to forgive.
Come back, dearest. r." Two days
later, one ran: "I am broken hearted
and long to see you. Your own Dolly"
! And Talbot advertised an afreCtionate
! and equally insane reply.
Then this message appeared: "I
! have been very wicked and eXtraVa-
! CANT Am ashamed to tell my debts
| Dolly" Here was the money question
| cropping up again. l asked Talbot
| what ii meant.
Nothing" he said, with a good hu-
mored smile. 1T appears she owes u
millinor's bill. 1t certainly is rather
a warm one but nothing to worry
! about. If that's the cause Of the
! trouble I'll set her dear little mind at
| rest" He wrote out an advertisement
| for the Standard and looked happier
| than he had done for weeks, though
! I felt confident that there was more
| in it than a milliner's bill.
! In the meantime an enterprising
! journalist had been watching the
agony column. and, putting two and
two together in his mind, guessed 1t
| aid published a long and speculative
account Of it, reproducing all the ad-
vertisemcnts and giving his readers
I to understand all the trouble had aris-
en- about a miliner's bill.
One morning went around to Tai
bots place tC breakfast, and was
startled To hear voices in the dining
! room. l pushed the door open and
walked i'm. There was Talbot seated at
| breakfast with a look of radiant BASH
| funess on his face and opposite him
his wife, Lady Dolly. she received me
as calmly and naturally ms If nOthin :
! had happened and asked me to join
them. which ! did in silent wonder.
when did you arriye?" I managed
to say at last, with tclerable compos-
ure.
quite late last night" she said
with a charming smile, "And, do you
know, was dead tired 1t was such a
nasty, long journey"
l tried TO make an intelligent remark
| but failed.