Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-27

Herald was seated under the wooden
awning, with his chair tilted back
against post, gazing dreamily at the
murky red afterglow i'm the west.
what's the use of tryin' to bother
him with itf' old Tom asked himself.
He'd only laugh" He noted that
young William Todd, the drug. book
and wall paper clerk. sat near the ed
:tor, whiting absently. Martin chuc-
kled. Williams turn tonight" he
murmured. well, the boys III take
care Of him." He locked the doors of
the Emporium. tried them and dropped
the keys in his pocket.
AS he crossed the square TO the drug
store. where his cronies awaited him.
he turned again to look ut the figure OF
the musing journalist "He ought TO GO
OUT there" he said and shook his head
sadly. II don't reckon plattville's any
too spry for that young man. Five
years he's ben here. Well, it's n good
thing for us. but guess 1t amt exact
~ high life for him." He kicked n stick
out OF his way impatiently. "Now,
where'd that imp run top he grum-
bled
The imp was lying under the court
house steps. When the sound OF Mar
tins footsteps had passed away she
crept cautiously from her hiding place
and stole through the ungroomed grass
to the fence opposite the hotel. Here
she stretched herself fiat in the weeds
and took from the tangled masses of
her hair, where it was tied with q
string, rolled up, crumpled slip of
greasy paper. With this in her fingers
she lay peering under the fence, her
fierce eyes fixed unwinkingly on the
editor of the Herald.
The street ran fiat and gray in the
slowly gathering dusk straight to the
western horizon, where the sunset EN-.
bers were strewn in long, glowing, dark
red streaks- The maple trees were
clean cut silhouettes against the pale
rose and pearl tints OF the sky above,
and tenderness seemed to simmer In
the air. The editor often vowed to him.
self he would watch no more sunsets
In Piattville. He thought they were
making him morbid. Could he have
shared them it wocld have been diff
ferent
His long, melancholy face grew lon
ger and more melancholy in the twi-
light, while William Todd patiently
whitfield near by. Plattville had often
discussed the EDITORS habit Of silence,
and possibly the reason Mr.. Harkless
was such quiet man was that there
was nobody for him to talk to; but his
hearers did not agree, for the popula-
ton Of Carlow county was a thing of
pride, being greater than that Of sew
eral bordering counties
A bent figure came slowly down the
street, and William Todd hailed II
cheerfully. Evening, MIR. Fisbee"
"A good evening, Mr.. Todd" an
swered the old man. pausing. "Ah, Mr.
Harkless, was looking for you" He
had not seemed to be looking for any
thing beyond the boundaries of his own
dreams, but he approached Harllless,
tugging nervously at some papers in
his pocket. II have completed my notes
for our Saturday edition. 1t was quite
easy, sir. There is much doing"
THANK you, Mr.. Fisbee," said Hark.
less as he took the manuscript. "Have
you finished your paper on the earlier
Christian symbolism? 1 hope the Her
aid may have the honor of printing it."
This was form they used.
Il shall be the recipient OF honor,
sir" returned Fisbee. Your kind offer
viii speed ms work; but | fear, Mr..
larklcSS. ~ much fear, that your
'rGn"SS aioh' prompts il, for. deeply
- -ir" cannot truthfully say