The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1903-02-12

with that nonchalance which may be
expected in one who Is introduced by
the editor in chief to the mere editor
II department He scratched
match upon the side of my desk-lt
really is mine, and not the establish
N ment's--and lighted one Of those
Egyptian cigarettes which smell like
an early spring bonfire in Maggie Muir
phys backyard.
"W.lat kind Of stuff do you want?'
he inquired.
I'D take a good valentine story"
said |.
At that my visitor assumed smile
suggesting the early stages Of seasick'
ness.
"Oh, say" said he, in a tone Oh
languid protest, "that sort Of things
played out, don't you think? VINO
cares about valentines? There's no
romance In them any more. In soci-
ETY., If people notice the day at all,
they send flowers, not picture cards"
"Our circulation exceeds 4OO," said
I. I'VE have outgrown society. Give
us something about young men and
women"
The talented author blew a green
Egyptian cloud into the air and slowly
shook his head.
Were going to have lot Of val
entine stuff in the issue of Feb. H."
said |, land most Of it is rafting good,
but, of course, If 1t doesn't appeal to
YOU"
He shook his head very sadly and
muttered.
valentine stories! Good Lord"
why, what's the matter?" | In
quired
Nov look here" said he. Il try to
keep pretty close to life; to write the
thing that is, and not the dream. DO
| make myself clear? Well, such be-
ing the case let me ask you one ques-
ton. In the last ten years have you
known or heard Of any human crea-
ture who has attached any serious i'm
portance to q valentine or had any
really romantic adventure connected
with one?"
Eyes, sir, I have" said |.
He shook his head slowly and sad
". | could have cuffed him for that
insolence, and yet his question, bis
method of getting at the matter, ap'
pealed to me. =
II will spin you little yarn" said
/; "a true yarn, and not a bad one."
Delighted" said he, lying back IN
his chair and closing his eyes.
"This happened to fellow named
Jones'" said l. HE was newspaper
correspondent in the Philippines. He
had been out there six months and
hadn't had letter from a girl"
Particular girl?" queried Brock.
"Any GIRL" replied. "There was a
particular girl; not SO very particular
either, and yet he'd have been mighty
clad il she had remembered him on
the other side of the world Most fel-
lows Of course, would have found a
romance of some kind suited to their
individual tastes and fances out there,
but Jones didn't have the luck He'd
been brought up in little soclable
city where everybody knew everybody
else, and though he no longer had any
close relatives there-very few, In
deed, on earth-there were his ola
friends, including some very nice girls,
whom he had travelled hundred miles
out Of his way to say good-by to just
before leaving his native land. They'd
all promised to write to him"
"Including the girl" said Brock
"Yes," said l, "and the fact is that
"a considerable package Of mall for
him, sent through the publishers
whom he represented, and tardily IL =
warded, had gone to the bottom OF the
Pacific ocean, but he didn't know that.
"In Manila he met young fellow
named George Templeton, from the
same town as himself.
"Templeton was a sergeant OF vol
unteers, and a homesick soldier II ever
there was one. He excited Jones
sympathy, which became acute wn VI =,
Jones LEARNED that there was a girl al
home wEo had stopped writing te
Templeton for an unknown reason
Templeton was not naturally sensl
five. but the experience had made hin
so. He told his secret grudgingly be
cause 1t was forced out Of him, but NJ
+ never revealed the name Of the girl
"In the. latter part Of January Tenn
pleton's company was sent up int
the interior to a little, forsaken villag'
where there was peck Of trouble.
mail steamer came in the day befor'
the detachment marched, but
brought no letter to Templeton. I'M
door fellow revealed this misfortun
to Jones with tears in his eyes. h
seemed to think that this was MS his las
chance. 4,
"A few days later Jones learned q
tirely by accident that letter 70
Templeton had really come on tn
steamer and had been delivered D
mistake to a surgeon Of the same s. SUI
name, :.
Clones had had 1t in his mind to tt
to get through to this place where tn
~. r.lt n n VII