The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1903-10-02

want, exclaimed f1ODSOn, the man
ager, as / entered. "Parlor B, and get
theah quick. ave been a-holdin' it
for ye ali the mornin'."
Half pushed, half walking, wholly
disgusted, l stumbled in, and there,
right in front of me, fresh, dainty and
alluring as before, sat Elsie Norman.
What does this mean?" | demand
ed, sternly. Observation-Disclosures
ally, l will now admit. "You make
date with me and then go galivant-
ing around these cheap agencies.
What does it mean?"
s'And as to you, sir?" she asked, de-
murely. in reply.
II am trying to pass the time" I
replied. sternly.
And l." she replied, smiling.
AS we emerged from the building,
called a cab and handed her in. Be-
fore I let it go, l said:
Come. now, no more agency busi-
ness until after the supper - if you
please"
Agreed" she replied, merry smile
lighting her face-and | thought I saw
a hint of downcast eyes and a hint
of responsive comradarie which we'll
nigh sent me into a fit of vertigo.
That supper was a red-letter Occa-
sion. l had never been much OF Ia
dies man, but had met many women
of all degrees, and never had | met
one with the charm of this mystifying
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 we'll able to
discuss current topics, that | could not
reconcile her actual self with her posi-
ton as woman of fortune seeking
husband through the mountebank
agencies. Why! without a cent, she
was a prize for a prince.
While we sat at the little table In
the cozy corner, a party consisting OF
newspaper fellows and an actor or two
came in for a bite. AS l nodded care
lessly to them, and +hcv returned my
salutation, a puzzled expression
crossed Miss Norman's face.
"Who are those people?" she asked.
sharply.
ooh, Tom Bates. of the Universe;
Jimmie Burns, of the Recorder; Louie
Drake. of the Clarion, and Harold st.
Hubert, the actor l replied.
do you know them?" she asked.
Then I 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, and
before leaving her | made an engage
ment to take her riding on the follow
ing afternoon.
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 matrimonial agency
were cast aside.
'Twould marry her without question
as to her object in being there" said.
Then I groaned as l thought of the
barrier of her wealth and the cheap part
| was playing. For of course, | must
be honest with her.
Finally l made my resolve. | could
not remain in so equivocal position.
would make a clean breast of it, and
hope for her friendship at least. More
l dare not dream.
Perhaps years would efface the men,
ory of my duplicity, and when should
have attained high position in my pro-
fession, perhaps-who knows?
The next afternoon, far out on lone
some drive. I pulled myself together
and told her the whole wretched bust-
ness
81 owe you an apology as abject as a
man can make, Miss Norman" started
in, tragically. Then 1 hurried on: II
am compelled to confess to you that l
am not what I have pretended to be.
NV name is not Hiram Adams, but
Stewart Vincent I am newspaper re-
porter doing the matrimonial agencies,
getting material for story for the
Clarion 1t was good enough fun be-
fore | met you, but I am heartily
ashamed OF myself now, and l hunt ly
beg ycur pardon. I desire your honest
friendship too much to go on with the
deceit longer"
had kept my eyes resolutely on the
| horse I now turned to her, and was
surprised to find her face suffused with
bushes and her eyes downcast.
| Then she uttered a merry little laugh