St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-02-21
of the slush In the streets and the

of the slush in the streets and the
drilling rain.
Tramping moodily along, he passed
a shabby, genteel house just as cab
stopped, slender woman got out,
good-natured youth jumping off tho
top seat, helping her. ...
They exchanged few words and
she went up the steps, paused and
turned, and nodding brightly, went
in.
There was something strangely IA
miliar in the grace of her movement
as she half turned. The afternoon
was dark, her hat shaded her face,
and her furs were drawn up to pro-
tect her from the cold wind and rain.
But Forrester's heart stood still.
How like Betty!
He wheeled and rang at the door.
"a young lady who writes on the
newspapers. The Evening Chronicle.
A very respectable young woman.
Was the gentleman related to her?'
Mrs. Beezley asked Young Gordon
Forester, with disappearing suspi-
cion, and accepting his apology for
inquiring on the plea that he was
hunting for a relative who looked
like the young lady, with an incredu-
| lous snort.
Upstairs in the room with the DOR
mer windows Betty sat feeling
wretched and forlorn for the tall,
fne-looking, well-dressed young man
who passed just as she came in re-
| called Gordon Forester SO wildly
! that her heart beat and her face
flushed hotly.
"May I come in?" quiried Mary
| Crawford, which she proceeded to
do, handing a bunch of violets to
Betty.
Mary Crawford's one beauty was
| her melodious voice, which rang true
and sweet. She was an Unconditional,
clever young woman, and has devel-
oped warm friendship for the
| beautiful, unhappy and forlcrn
young woman, the society editor OF
the Evening Chronicle.
"Aren't you sick of all this stuff ?"
she asked Betty, pushing aside pa
| per Betty had brought with her,
while helping with the tea things.
"What an outrage to publish such
stuff as the account of that young
man and his wife. 1t may do any
amount of harm. OF course there's
not a word of truth in it. Did you
see it?'
"Why do you think it is not true?'
Betty asked family, while busy with
the spirit lamp.
Mary laughed.
"When you are as old a newspaper
woman as am you won't have to ask
that. You'll know intuitively. There's
so much sensation abroad. It's like
anonymous letters. Newspaper peo-
| pie have too much sense to attach
any Importance to anonymous let
tiers. 1t takes a green outsider to
take thing of that kind seriously"
"Then you would not believe one
word of an anonymous letter."
"Not one. have too much respect
for my intelligence to think such .
thing possible
"But suppose"
"My dear, heated imagination
and jealousy and overhaste are what
the snake in the grass who writes
trash of that kind dote on. Now a
| newspaper reporter knows too much
about real trouble, sorrow and dis.
tress, if he has been sent, as have,
to investigate the lives Of the work
ing people, to believe any of these
silly, sensational stories, much less
/ 1o+%
But Mary did not conclude, because
Betty had thrown her arms around
her neck and was weeping softly.
"a very fne-looking young man
called at the Office after you left,
Mary mentioned little later. IL
saw him, as you had gone, and
answered several questions. He was
much struck with that photo you
gave me. I believe he said he was
coming to see you. He seems to
know some of your people"
There was rapid step ON the
stair; a quick knock, and Gordon
Forester came in.
With a cry he held out his arms.
Mary Crawford turned and poked
the fire and heard nothing of the
murmured words, somewhat smoth.
cred by Betty's close proximity to
Gordon's damp overcoat.
The Evening Chronicle lost the best
society editor that popular sheet had
ever had.
The Sunday papers said:
| "The Gordon-Forresters have re.
turned from their visit to the Pacific
coast. For bridal tour they Sc
lected those grand regions in prefer
ence to Europe. Their handsome
residence on street will be
thrown open, and Mrs. Gordon For
roster will entertain extensively for
the rest of the winter. OF course no
one believed the sensational story
of Mr.. Gordon Forrester's trip to
Europe. Mrs. Gordon Forester re
turns from their western tour more
radiantly beautiful than when az
Betty Stanford she ruled the social
WORLDS. Rhett Roman, in New Or
leans Times-Democrat.
He Knew n Sure Thing.
In the aftermath of convention
stories comes one of {; well-known
politician whose love for making res
olutions and breaking them is well
known. After each laDse into the