El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-08-14

nished, but lacking in pretty trifles
Giving the boy my card l subsidized
| into an easy chair. AS | did so
| caught sight of myself in a pier glass,
| and was relieved to see that l looked
perfectly self possessed-which / GER
| tainly did not feel
The next minute the curtained door
| swung open, and 1.-The celebrated NIr.
| Rutland entered the room. Unless
was much mistaken a CLEAN of relief
flashed from his steel gray eyes as they
| alghted on me. Possibly, since my
aunt and I bear the same names, he
| had expected to see her, and of two
| evils would rather deal with the less
| er! Producing the current number Of
The Weekly Wag, I explained-rather
| abruptly, I'm afraid-the nature of my
| visit.
While he listened his gaze of polite
attention became a stare of unbounded
| amazement, and, instead Of accepting
the proffered paper. he sprang to his
feet with an exasperated gesture.
This is a most preposterous request.
young lady! 1t is utterly out of the
question that any article from my pen
should appear through the medium of
The Weekly Wag"
The sighting emphasis with which
he named the poor little weekly, and
the whitening glance he cast on it,
made me tingle with rage and mortifi-
cation.
''Then there is nothing more to be
said, except to apologize for having
troubled you with this 'preposterous
request" ! said, rising to my feet.
And making him stiff little bow, I
moved toward the door. He had the
politeness to hasten to open it for me,
and | passed out with all the dignity I
could summon. At the same moment
the hall door was hastily opened, and a
tear blurred vision of a tall, straight
figure in cricketing fiannels made me
redouble my efforts to repress my in
clination to burst out crying.
Removing his cap the young fellow
held the door open for me, and keeping
my smarting eyes bent on the ground I
hastily made my exit. Never in all the
10 years of my life had 1 felt so an
noyed and resentful.
$50 much for my happy thought +"
l reflected briefly. as L descended the
deep stairway into the station. Hav-
ing ascertained that my train was not
due for 10 minutes, 1 fell to pacing the
platform, where the Haunting posters
of many a prosperous compeer of the
luckless little weekly l still grasped
gave a yet keener edge to my disap-
pointment. Turning in my perambu-
laton | was surprised to see the fam
mel clad figure of my tear blurred
vision hurrying toward me.
The old bigwig has repented of his
,l-;,,
while | bowed in response to the young
fellows doff Of cap.
Excuse me, Miss Harvey, but there
has been some unfortunate mistake;
and | have followed you here in the
hope of strengthening Matters he
said, his quick breathing and height
ened color testifying to the hot haste
he had made. Il am the Rolf Rutland
who ScribbleS nonsense; my uncle is q
savant and only writes for the scien-
tific journals"
"A savant! No wonder he was so
annoyed at my request I exclaimed,
blushing painfully. But, really, know
ing you write humor, he might have
guessed l had made some such mis-
take
"Ah, but he did not know it until ten
minutes ago. L have great e1pecta-
tons in that quarter, and have kept
my frivolous talent a dead secret from
him." he replied, with a whimsical
smile.
Then L hope you will have no rea-
son to rue this stupid blunder of NINE"
l said impulsively.
II should certainly have rued it sad |
ly II l had never discovered (which !
is a rank Hibernicism, 1 suppose" |
And a mutual laugh set us both at our !
ease.
And now, Miss Harvey, with regard |
to The Weekly Wag, | shall be most |
pleased to contribute to its columns" |
he said. as eagerly as though he were !
a struggling aSpirant, anxious to see |
his illusions in print.
In the midst of my delighted thanks |
the train dashed in, and all was con- |
fusion When he had handed me into !
q carriage he told me that directly the |
cricket match was over he should run |
into the city and see my father. Then |
the train moved on, and as our eyes |
met in a last glance, 1 saw a look in |
his that made my heart dance as 1t had |
never danced before.
About 5 o'clock there came a tele- |
gram from dad, to the effect that Mr..
Rutland would dine with us at Z. In
q flutter of delight, 1 helped aunt to
Improve our menu and then fastened
to make my dinner toilet.
When. half an hour later, dad and !
Mr.. Rutland entered the dra wing room,
was surprised to see how much older
and distinguished he looked in evening
dress than in his f1annels, and for the
minute / felt quite shy. But his genial