The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1903-03-18
AS THROUGH A
GLASS
By Lillian c. PAScHAL
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
"Will you look at that ?"
Copyright. 1909. by the
- - ..

swivel chair and held an open letter
toward katherine Howard, Editor
Woman's Page" known In private life
as Jack Higgins.
lie took his feet down from his desk
and his cigarette from his mouth,
which small inciyillties lose their Inn
pollteness In the good chumship OF
newspaperdom. even If he had not
been her cousin and privileged. and
read aloud:
New York, Oct. 7.
Dear Miss Howard-Wiil you please nd
wise me through your valuable column
which | read daily with much pleasure
how l can possibly obtain an Introduction
to IA most attractive young lady In the
office across the street from mine? l am
sure she is good and bright and lovabis
from her looks. which l study surrepti-
tiously from my window every day. But
seeing through glass darkly Is most UNI
satisfactory she Is SO tantalizingly near
and yet 50 far. l am Il young Jeweler of
twenty -seven-father left me n good bust
ness-a Yale graduate OF good family and
honorable Intentions but how can 1 let
her know all this? She Is not the firtinx
kind. and | might wait years before find
ing a mutual friend to introduce us.
Yours anxiously, PERClVAI. Il. c.
"Uh-huh." grunted Miss Howard"
pulling new life into the dimming light
Of his Turkish like seads OF others
we get. isn't itr
But do you see the address of that
importing firm"
Lesson & CLIFFORD. DIAMOND I'M
PoRTERs.
J. b, Lesson. p. II. clifford
Fifth floor. Center Building, N. Y.
Looks familiar" Jack rumlnated,
gazing thoughtfully out into the smoky
side street. His glance fell upon Il
white lettered sign on the window op.
posite He chuckled. by Joye. see
1t all, cousin. lie Is your conquest
across the way. who probably labors
under the impression that you are
Miss Howard are my laurels
stolen from me. He Is standing In the
window over there now, waiting most
likely, TO see how you take his deep
laid plot"
who? Conquest! | have no.. be-
gan Miss Davidson innocently, but
she flushed pinkiy all over her pretty
face and stopped short under Jacks
amused scrutiny.
Now, 10, dear, don't try to fool
your Uncle Jack. It's my private
opinion that every woman's heart Is a
Marconi receiving apparatus that reg
listers faithfully every answer to her
own charms"
Jack" This time the tone was In
dlgnant. you couldn't think I'd fiirt
with u stranger"
"Never, my child. You misread my
metaphor. Well. I'll let you answer
the letter. Tell him Faint heart ne'er
won.' etc." he added teasingly, taking
up his blue pencil to begin the makeup
for the next issue of the woman's
page.
Il shall certainly give him some
good advice" she returned. with a toss
Of her shapely head.
Accordingly the next days issue OF
the Evening Arrow published the let
ter of "Perciyal Il. c." Mt the head Of
the "Cupid's Column" Below 1t was
the chilling editorial reply:
"Would refer you to II wiser author
ity. the national proverbs first. APP
brings together those destined for each
other Don't NEEDLE with destiny"
Which journalistic wet blanket, how
ever, seemed not to have the Intended
cooling effect upon Its recipient. for ho
opened his window every afternoon
thereafter Just the same and whistled
loudly to u newsboy below to bring
up two Arrows"
Having In due time received them.
he sat down on the broad window sill
and ostentatlously perused the entire
wonan's page. Across the way the
assistant editor thereof dimpled and
twInkled over her desk and her muci.
lage brush. though her head was stu
dlously turned away from the street.
Miss Davidson prlded herself on her
rigid sense of justice, but sometimes 1t
was sorely tested Ii was her duty
to open and rcad all letters and the
manuscripts for the daily prize story
into three piles good, possible and im'
possible. The first We're published, the
second turned over for another read
ing and final decision to the editor,
Miss Howard" The last were re-
turned to the writers.
She came upon one which she un-
hesltatlngly pronounced good and was
about to place 1t on the first pile when
the name and address OF the author
caught her eye.
She recognized them as belonging to
woman who was second reader
on q we'll known magazine and who
had only the week before rejected Il
story which Miss Davidson had sub.
mltted for publication. Her cheeks
burned anew as she recalled the curt
sentence scra wled across the usual
printed declined with thanks" slip
which rouses oil the evil passions IN
the literary temperament;
Dear Madam--You can surely do better
stories than this. Send US q really hrst
slider II. ALICE {. SMITH. Reader,
She took q rejection slip from
pigeonhole In her desk. Chance had
put revenge into her own hands.
She dipped her pen into the violet
Ink and poised 1t above the slip. Then
she paused. This was the Sumter
shot OF the war between "cattiness."
which she detested, and justice. An
other moment of hesitation, then Vic
tory perched on the banner Of the
blind goddess.
She laid down the dried pen and
tossed the casus belli over to the desk
Of the editor, saying briefly:
Better run that one tomorrow"
"All right. Whatever you say goes"
May / see Miss HowardY asked a
deep voice ut the door OF their clut-
tered den two days later. Jack Hig-
gins looked up from his sheaf OF
proofs and recognized .'Percival II. c.
Il am Miss Howard" he said coolly.
What can I do for your
"Oh-I--I thought staminered the
visitor; then recovered himself. catch