The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-11-17
CHAPTER w,

Tuesday, December 6, 1892, the morn
ing edition of the New York Herald con-
tained 16 pages, which is Is more than
the average mind can benefit by at
tempting to absorb, of any daily news
paper.
In an obscure column, under the head
line Personal" there appeared, among
others, this advertisements: "a young
man wants a wife. Must marry Tues
day. Answer before noon. Malcolm.
Herald. Uptown"
A messenger boy waited to receive the
replies, find the applicants, and direct
them to call in person at the office of
Robert Stanton, legal representative of
this indefinite Malcolm.
1t seemed we'll arranged and promis-
ing, and as Stanton entered his Office
that morning, after an unsatisfactory
night at a hotel, a smile of sad satisfac-
ton lifted his upper lip from the tips
of his excellent teeth.
He touched the bell, and his office boy
not overnight, appeared at the inner
door connecting the private room with
the main office. There was another
door, marked Private" leading from
the inner office directly into the hall.
"Some women may call to see Mr..
Malcolm" he said. Il represent his in
terests. You are to show them in one
at time, in the order of their coming.
When L have done with one l will ring.
Don't let another come in till you hear
the bell. See?"
Not muscle seemed to move in the
blank, stupid face, as the boy muttered:
"Yesser" and closed the door. Then,
however, great grin instantly divided
his face and his eyes opened almost tou
wide for his head to hold them. He
dropped into his chair, and, clutching
the Office copy of the morning Herald,
he quickly hunted up and read again
little two-line advertisement: "a
young man wants wife. Must marry
Tuesday. Answer before noon."
Gee whiZ!" he muttered "a we'd
din in de family. An ter-day's Tues
day, or I'm sinner. Hi! but here's
No. l. Cracky, she's a corker. He
struck it rich, sure 'nough."
Instantly he pulled every atom of
expression out of his face. Approach
ing woman hesitating in the open
door, he said:
Good mornin', 'um. Lookin' fur de
Mr.. Malcolm as adetised in de morn
in Herald, um? Right dis way, um.
He's a-waitin' right in here"
office. The lady timidly entered. He
closed the door again, and with a
broad grin retreated to his chair to
wait for the next and listen for the
bell.
Inside, the two faced each other for
u moment in bewildered silence,
Each naturally looked for something
of wolf at the opposite end of such an
advertisement, and each was naturally
perpleXed at the excellently adjusted
sleeps clothing.
Stanton was the poorest possible
judge of a woman if she was out of the
witness stand, and he was too thor
oughly bewildered to be half so good
Il judge as usual. He saw a face the
like of which it seemed to him that he
had never seen before, with keen, quick
eyes, lips curving scornfully, yet al
most ready to laugh, and something
about it which frightened him.
He was so thoroughly bewildered
that when the woman recovered suffi-
ciently to remark: "This is Mr.. NAL
colin, I believer" Stanton hesitated,
hung his head, and, looking at the floor,
replied:
why, yes-or, rather, no, not ex-
actly."
1t was an excellent reply.
"Oh, indeed! l didn't suppose that
you were exactly Mr.. Malcolm" she
exclaimed. with a pointed twist to Eek
actly." ''But you are the one who
wrote the advertisement, exactly,
aren't you?"
"Why-yes, madam, I did write It,"
he replied, with marked accent on the
write
Her eyes sparkled. Her head was
thrown back. Her lips were surely
laughing, but the curve of scorn was
better defined, too, and made him de-
test himself without in the least real
izing why.
With an excellent imitation of his
"write" she said:
1T doesn't matter. after all. sir. who