Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-09-15
The Trails That Crossed
By HOWARD DIVINE
Copyright, 1908. by Daily Story Pub. Co,

"TO OUT and see if there isn't story
 T in these matrimonial agencies" said the Sunday Editor. Join three or four of them; brush up against the game; meet the Allies 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 to print some odd adventures and work up some interesting character sketches. Take your time and get page, illus trated."
 the idea pleased me.
 sFIow far shall go in my explora- tions?" asked, rolling cigar cite
 sHThe limit" he replied, lacenfcally. ; "Clear to the altar. Get married. Do 1t up right"
 Then we both laughed and he con- tinued:
 .sOf course you haven't got a sou. Here's an order for s15. Come in and show progress and you can have more if you need it. But mind, no blowing money This is not news story. DO it right, but don't buy any wires.
 took the assisnment 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 matr1- monial agencies, and the still cheaper females who are listed at these places posed as Hiram Adams, architect, with a limited income and great prospects, in search of wife with some ready money that would help me get my start met attenuated school teachers, freckled stenographers and auburn haired spin gters residing at parental homes. I met stout widows and thin divOrcees and signing orphans of uncertain age. School teachers seemed to predominate. made appointments to call, appoint ments to dine-all sorts Of appoint ments, the expenses of which the Clar- ion cheerfully paid as related my story of progress. Really accumulated quite decent story, but in the meantime I became most heartily sick of the assign ment The women were all so common place and their conversation so inane that it required something of a draft on my reportorial imagination, based on the experiences of half dozen years, to make anything out of the material.
 I was about through and had about enough material whipped into shape, and was entirely tired of the game when I met Elsie Norman, registered at Baldy's agency as an orphan and an heiress. worth $100,000 in her own name. and looking for husband through the agency because of eccentricity.
 When I 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-weIl, you know what it is as we'll as I; broad forehead; mis- chievous blue-gray eyes; dainty hands and feet; features not regular nor beautiful, but interesting and attrac- tive because of the intelligence mani fested. She was gowned simply, but with exquisite taste, and in that pe- culiar surroundings and in the light of my recent experiences, the effect was paralyzing.
 I confess that I stumbled over the frayed rug and comported myself all together more in keeping with my as- stunned character than I had yet done.
 She smiled reassuringly and apo1o- gized for the rug. The conversation I do not remember very distinctly, but before I left a date had been made for @ little supper the next evening at cozy Italian restaurant in an ob- scure street, known only to the elect The queer thing about 1t was that I seemed to remember afterward that she made the suggestion as to place. Also she told me that had been recom- mended to her by Baldy as the best thing (for her) he had in sight
 As went out Baldy called me aside and conff1ed to me that this girl surely was the real thing for me: |
 She's rich, rich" he said, pounding his old walnut desk, t'and beautiful and c1ever-beautiful and clever, I say as we'll. Go to it-''
 But there's von ting" he continued, looking me in the eye with so piercing an expression that quailed, oId stager that was; "dis tid-bit is not for a mere fee. haf secured it for you. If you get it, ve must haf an under standing. I must haf von-kewauter of the fortune. All you needs, man, is enough to put you up in business. You are in luck to get such girl anyway. Promise me kewauter, and she is yourst"
 I shook him and fled. That night I slept not, because of my burning mem ories of the fair young heiress It