The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-09-05


being anxious to secure her services, !.
paid her fully as much as they were
worth, which is an unwise thing to do.
~ sometimes unavoidable.
JAIL this led me into an animated cor.
dependence with Jane Leslie, and
became deeply interested in her person.
ALLY. We passed from business te
fr;rdly relations, and in short time !
,aattered myself that I was her most
trusted friend. Her letters were in
st:nct with wit and humor. She gave
me glimpses into mind that was truly
masculine in its breadth and depth;
and toward the end she dropped hints
which stirred me to the bottom of my
soul, and being scantily appreciated in
her own home.
Once or twice my conscience pricked
me with the recollection of my sweet
wifss diffident question, Don't you
Shink tina, you would find Jane Leslie a
more congenial companion than you
find me?' and reproached myself fol-
making true her surmise by the pleas
ure which / took in this correspondence
However, as I reminded myself, it was
purely a pleasure of the intellect, and
nv dear one could not be jealous, even
if sh knew. Still, found myself wish.
inc that she could talk to me as Jane
Leslie wrote.
in the spirit of contrariety deter.
mined to meet her; and when next ]
wrote I begged the favor of a personal
| interviw. | was prepared for a refusal
and felt both relieved and triumphant
when she wrote asking if she under.
stood me right--did mean that J
wished to give her an illustrated inter-
view in the Eclipse? If so, she would
have her photo taken specially for me
She might have meant to imply thai
any interview she granted me would
only be or business lines, but jumped
at the excuse, begged her to have the
photo taken Immediately, and to ap-
point day and hour for our meeting.
She named Saturday afternoon, and.
most unfortunately, | had promised 10
take my wife on that day to the matt
nee at the Lyceum. When | went home
l Lroke to her gently that ] had been
Obliged to make another appointment.
l set out that Saturday afternoon
rather hoping that | should find Jans
Leslie specialized bony. unattractlVe
object, and when l had reached the ad-
dress from which she habitually wrote
| I felt sure that no young and lovely
literary woman could abide there.
The door was opened; a neat maid
servant ushered me into an untenanteo
drawing room, asking me if were the
gentleman who came by appointment
and departed to summon the authoress
I had not long to take mental note OF
matters unimportant, for in a very few
minutes the drawing room opened, and
l turned to meet her-whom?
1t was my wife who stood before me.
blrshing little and smiling pleasantly.
'What brings you here?'' I stammer-
ed.
| ~Here?" she said, innocently. Il am
spending the day with an old school
friend. 1 often come here"
= have come to ste MISS Jd4e LIS
lie" said, taking the bull by the horns
with as much GOODNESS as possible.
st know" he said. THAT is why I
am here
HAS Miss Jane Leslie deputed you
to meet me?" I asked coldly.
eff one can be said to depute one
self" she answered, Struggling her
Shoulders. "You have asked me to
give you an interview for the Eclipse,
and l am here to give it to you.'
"I-you? 1 asked Jane Leslie"
"That is the name under which I
write"
"You? You?" I kept repeating with
degree of imbecility that, think no
one has ever before had an opportunity
of observing in me. care you Jane
Leslie?"
She nodded gayly.
All the stiffness went out of me. l
sank, mere bundle of relaxed muscles,
on the nearest chair.
Then illumination came to me in a
flash. My dream was realized. Here
was the noble mind of Jane Leslie in
the beautiful body Of my wife. The
body was mine, but the mind was still
to be won.
And think I deserved success, be.
cause l knelt at her feet and worshiped
her. although she had made me feel a
fool for the first time in my life.-St.
Louis Republic.
Lansing, Iowa, bids fair to become