The Van Buren press., 1903-09-26
The Trails
That Crossed
By HOWARD DEvINE
Copyright. 1905. by Daily s,Or, Pub. Coz

iOur OF them, DTuSn up dSalhS' 49,
game; meet the fllies they have in STOCK
get some good experiences. Never
mind the fake part Of it. | don't care
to expose the frauds so much as 10
print some odd adventures and Worh up
some interesting character sketches
Take your time and get a page, hlns-
trated."
was dead broke and unattached ana
the idea pleased me.
How far shall | go in my eXplora-
uops?" | asked, rolling a cigarette.
THE limit" he replied, laconically'
"Clear TO the altar. Get married. DO II
up right"
Then we both laughed and he con-
tinued:
"Of course you haven't got a sou.
Here's an order for Sl5. Come IN ana
show progress and you can have more
If you need it. But mind, 10 blowing
money. This is not a news story. DO
1t right but don't buy any wires,
took the assignment gratefully and
went out on my quest. ! will not weary
you with the details Of my experiences
with the cheap, stout women and cheap,
thin men who preside over the matrl-
monial agencies, and the still cheaper
females who are listed at these places.
posed as Hiram Adams, architect, Win
a limited income and great prospects, IN
search OF a wife with some ready money
that would help me get my start, | met
attenuated school teachers, freckled
stenographers and auburn haired spin
sters residing at parental homes. met
stout widows and thin divorces and
signing orphans OF uncertain age.
School teachers seemed to predominant
| made appointments to call, appoint
ments to dine-all sorts Of appoint
ments, the expenses OF which the Car
ion cheerfully paid as related my story
OF progress. Really accumulated quite
decent story, but in the meantime
became most heartily sick OF the assign
ment. The women were all so common
place and their conversation so inane
that 1t required something Of draft on
my reportorial imagination, based on
the experiences OF a half dozen years, to
make anything out of the material.
was about through and had about
enough material whipped into shape,
and was entirely tired of the game
when | met Elsie Norman, registered at
Baldy's agency as an orphan and an
heiress worth 100000 in her own name,
and looking for a husband through the
agency because Of eccentricity.
When | stumbled into the little box
labeled Parlor G was totally unpre-
pared for the vision which confronted
me. Listen, and will try to de-
scribe It:
A petite little person, with a wealth
Of light hair. not golden nor brown, nor
yet tow color, but OF that peculiar
shade-well, you know what It is as
well as |; broad forehead; mis-
chievous blue-gray eyes; dainty hands
and feet; features not regular nor
tive because OF the intelligence mani
tested She was gowned simply, but
with exquisite taste, and in that pc
culiar surroundings and in the light
Of my recent experiences, the effect
was paraly2ing.
confess that | stumbled over the
frayed rug and comported myself al
together more in keeping with my as
sumed character than had yet done.
She smiled reassuringly and apollo
giZed for the rug The conversation
| do not remember very distinctly, but
before | left a date had been made
for little supper the next evening
at a co2y Italian restaurant in an OBJ
scure street, known only to the elect.
The queer thing about II wa that
seemed 10 remember afterward that
she made the suggestion as TO place.
Also she told me that had been recon-
mended to her by Badly as the best
thing (for herr he had in sight.
As went out Badly called me aside
and condded to me that this girl surely
was the real thing for me.
She's rich, rich" he said, pounding
his old walnut desk "and beautiful
and cleyer-beautiful and clever, |
say as well Go TO It,"
But there's Won ting" he continued,
looking me in the eye with so piercing
an expression that qualed, old stager
that | was; dds tId-bit is not for n
mere fee. haf secured It for you.
If you get II, We must haf an under
standing | must haf yon-kewauter OF
the fortune, All you needs, man. ia
enough 10 put you up In business You
are In luck 70 got such a girl anyway,
Promise me a kcwauter, and she ia
yours
shook him and fed That night |
slept net, because Of my burning mem
orics OF the fair young heiress. II
might have been my horrible eyperl.
enccs OF tho past week but she Ger.
taInly seemed to me 10 be the faIrest
lady OF my dreams and that ia
Whole Iot TOT a calloused reporter TO
cay
The following day threatened 10 be
the longest | had ever spent Finally,
In despair, resolved to so 10 the
Metropolitan agency and see what was
doing" although all interest In my
assignment had lapsod,
"My doah boy, I've Just what yc
want exclaimed llobson, the man.
agcr, M entered. "parlor II, and get
thcah quick ave been a.holdIn' II
for yc Nll the mornin,"
Half pushed, half walking, wholly
dIsgusted, stumbled IN, and there
right In front OF me, fresh, dainty and
nllurlng az before, sat Elsie Norman.
what does this mean'" demand
ed, stornly, tragcNlly -molodramalIc.