St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-10-17

product of the matrimonial agencies.
She was SO evidently up-to-date, SO
well-informed, so wise to everything
going on in the world, SO thoroughly
posted in affairs and so well able to
discuss current topics, that l could not
reconcile her actual self with her posi-
ton as woman Of fortune seeking q
husband through the mountebank
agencies. Why! without cent, she
was prize for prince.
While we sat at the little table In
the coy corner, q party consisting OF
newspaper fellows and an actor or two
came in for a bite. AS I nodded care
lessly to them, and they returned my
! salutation, puzzled expression
crossed Miss Norman's face.
"Who are those people?" she asked,
sharply.
"Oh, Tom Bates, of the Universe:
Jimmie Burns, of the Recorder; Louie
Drake, Of the Clarion, and Harold St
Hubert, the actor" replied.
do you know them" she asked.
Then l recovered my balance and re-
piled:
IL met Bates, casually, the other
night, and he pointed the others out to
me"
Then I changed the subject.
Later on we went to the theater, aud
before leaving her made an engage
ment to take her riding on the follow
ing afternoon.
l lay in my room and smoked that
night until far past dawn, buried In
visions. The evening had strengthened
and vivified every impression Of my first
meeting with the girl. There was no
| question but she was lady in every
sense of the word-and her alert intelli-
gence was not the least of her charms
There was no lodging it. was madly In
love with her. All my doubts based on
| finding her at q matrimonial agency
were cast aside.
"Iwould marry her without question
as to her object in being there" I said.
Then I groaned as thought Of the
barrier OF her wealth and the cheap part
was playing For, of course, must
be honest with her.
Finally I made my resolve. could
not remain in SO equivocal q position. l
would make clean breast of it, and
hope for her friendship at least. More
dare not dream.
| Perhaps years would efface the MEM
ory Of my duplicity, and when I should
have attained high position in my pro-
fession, perhaps-who knows?
The next afternoon. far out on lone
some drive. pulled myself together
and told her the whole wretched bust
ness.
| Il owe you an apology as abject AZ q
man can make, Miss Norman" / started
| in, tragically. Then hurried on: II
am compelled to confess to you that I
am not what have pretended to be.
My name is not Hiram Adams, but
Stewart Vincent. am newspaper re-
porter doing the matrimonial agencies,
getting material for a story for the
Clarion. 1t was good enough fun be-
fore met you, but am heartily
ashamed of myself row, and humbly
beg your pardon. desire your honest
friendship too much to go on with the
deceit longer"
had kept my eyes resolutely on the
horse. now turned to her, and was
surprised to find her face suffused with
bushes and her eyes downcast.
Then she uttered merry little laugh
and looked at me with mischievous
glance that nearly caused me to drop
the reins and gather her in my arms.
cts tit for tat" she said II am on
| the same assignment for the Universe,
| and-and was just thinking how dread
fully cheap was. My name is Eleanor
| Vance l guess it's case of two fools !"
A great Joy leaped through my veins.
mot II we can be friends-no don't
mean that" said-''if we can go on
with this courtship, Miss Vance. My
| Sunday editor told me to FOLLOW this
assignment clear to the altar-in fact,
to get married, II necessary to get q
good story. consider it very necessary.
haven't dollar in the world, but can
always hold good job. Will you help
me follow out my order3?"
| mine were the same" she replied,
softly, land two salaries are twice as
much as one. this in whisper.
Then dropped the reins and the horse
had it's own way for season.
Two such stories never appeared as
those in the next issues of the Sunday
Clarion and the Sunday Universe. Mine
led to permanent job, and the Uni
verse lost Miss Vance shortly, greatly to
| the gain of coy uptown fiat.
And l did not begrudge paying both
| agencies liberal fees.