The age-herald., 1901-01-09
.oMAeN0 e0c,nrv
BY ANNIE KENpRIck WALKER.

What do you find to write about on on days'?'' said a sympathetic woman yes- terday, for in that world which you call the world of fashion and beauty there Is frequently an off day. when women,' she added. laughingly, "are neither beautiful nor fashionable or are making brilliant the social world. Then there are the days when the club woman is at peace with herself and the world and there is no particular move ment being agitated and which always de- bends so largely upon the newspaper worker to arouse interest. In other words, when you write apropos of nothing, for as l un- derstand it, there is no off day in news paperdom, and copy must be turned in at the same time every day, what do you do frst?"
 This sympa thetic woman, with newspaper phrases on her lips, had certainly the broad est and most comprehensive views, and as she waited for me to reply, l wondered If the world would ever produce another wo- man who could read anothers thoughts as accurately as she had done.
 The "off days" as she called these quiet ones that come occasionally and which everybody welcomes are the most dreaded ones in newspaperdom, and especially after a group of newspaper workers have had staff meeting" and one scents dozen or two scoops in the air in the industrial world, or a great political story, or fas- chatting one from police headquarters, one becomes bewildered at the thought that the world of fashion and beauty must be at standstill.
 When the climax is reached the world of fashion and beauty is not to be blamed. It has the privilege of the politician and may keep the outside world tn surprise, like the candidate does before he annouaes his candidacy. When a prominent politician is suspicioned, the newspaper reporters are sent upon one 'pipe dream after another until one happy day triumphant young fellow walks in with .itlne story"
 In the world of fashion and beauty it is all quite different. If the charming young matron will not give the dinner dance that every one thought she would give, the mat ter is settled then and there. And if the eligible young bachelor will ist propose to the pretty young woman to whom he IS paying such marked attention, what then?
 To discuss the world of fashion and beau- ty as it is done in the other markets would not be strictly ethical however interesting "today's quotations" might be. So that al- together this world with its fashions and frills its wine, women and song, like the stocks, like all the rest of it. has It's day, when for those who write of its brhhancy, of its pace that never kills, there seems nothing left but to write apropos of noth- ing But if one cannot write every day of flower bedecked interiors and recep- tions dinners dances, and there is no par ticular agitation in progress to set the Thames on fire, 1t is then that one looks aongingqy at the crossing of the streets, with a vague hope of glimpsing something as somebody who can be turned into "copy."
 I found her yesterday. She was in the greatest dilemma. and pretty woman dn dilemma is always interesting, for of course one never knows when her mind is fully made up.
 This fair creature was making inquiries of one of the employees in the government building. There was rather large, square looking package that was causing the trouble
 q really cannot afford to pay that much" the woman was saying, not as If she was financially unable to do so, but rather from some other motive. She was so pretty that everybody who was near her decided that the motive must be abso lutely picturesque.
 "Why not send them by express?"
 But that would be dreadfully expensive positively extravagant" she said em- phatically.
 "Oh, but why not send them c. O. D. .?'
 She broke into little laugh. She was really amused, and immensely gratified be- sides.
 q believe I will" she said, somewhat deliberately. q wonder what he would think? You know that he sent mine through the mails, and I want to return his the same way, but I did not know it would cost so much. These, you know are all his letters to me- and his photographs too The ring has been sent, and" She paused suddenly.
 Tt would be a great joke to return his letters c. O. D., would it not?" she asked. T don't think it would be exactly fair but give them back to me, anyway. I can- not pay. But I should not have told you that they were" She paused again, and presently reached out white, ringless hand and clasped the package.
 Perhaps she decided not to send it, after all.