Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-03-30

didn't think much Of the one who was
here tonight. He wasn't so free
spoken as them London gents, with
their shiny ats and long frock-coats-
no, nor so free with his money-at
any rate he didn't look as if he was.
Yes, Miss Jones liked the London gen.
tlemen, especially when they attribut-
ed to her mistress q host Of clever
things which she never said.
ASK him to come in," said Miss
Fairfax. Good evening"" she MUIR
INJURED pleasantly, as Danvers entered;
twill you sit down? And now what
can do for your"
Poor Danvers was quite dazzled by
his wife's wondrous beauty. She was
certainly a very pretty girl when he
married her, but he never imagined
for moment that she would develop
into the lovely woman he now beheld.
She was in excellent health. Her eyes
were bright and sparkling, and she
looked a very queen as she moved to
and fro in her costly white satin dress,
while diamonds shone out from be-
tween the coils Of her dark hair and
burnt fiercely on her breast.
Danvers pulled himself together
with great effort, and put the usual
round Of questions to her. She an
swered them with astonishing readi-
ness, and told him the tale Of her
career with striking accuracy. Then,
seeing that her visitor did not appear
to be quite at his ease, the singer
began to talk about the songs she
loved-talked in low, sweet voice
which rose and fell in glorious cad
ences, that fell upon the ear like the
purling Of q stream. At any other
time DanveFs would have hailed such
speech with glee, for it was emil
nently printable and interesting; but
now he only wrote mechanically, for
his thoughts were not in his work
only his pencil-point.
During the latter part Of the inter-
view Jones had been assisting her
young mistress in putting on her
things" Jones, as has been said.
was quite used to interviewers, and
she shifted impatiently several times
during Miss Fairfax's discourse, for
her mistress was more communicative
than usual-far more communicative
indeed than she was to the London
gentlemen, who, in consequence, had
to draw upon their imaginations in
order to fill up their columns. 1t was
quite immaterial to Miss Fairfax how
the interviewers who came to see her
were dressed. Her business manager
"a most discreet gentleman had direct
ed her to grant interviews whenever
she could, and SO, in giving the repre-
sentative of the Dendens Gazette all
this information, she was only trans
acting part Of her days work.
1t was not likely that Miss Fairfax
bestowed two thoughts on the appear
ance Of this very quiet member Of the
reporting tribe, who seldom lifted his
eyes from his note-book-it was not
likely that she noticed, as Jones did,
that his coat was very old, and trife
thin for the season; that his collars
and cuffs, though quite clean, pos
sessed frayed edges; that his boots
wanted repairing, and that he would
have been the better for a new hat
Not that you could find much fault
with Danvers' clothes at first glance
it was only when you came to look
into them that you saw some serious
defects. After much consideration,
Miss Jones came to the conclusion that
the reporter" had been good-looking.
She put him down as five-and- thirty
now, and married, with perhaps half
a dozen children and a Seeding wife.
This was because her quick eyes fer
reted out the gray hairs, and the lines
along the forehead and certain weary
shadows On his face. OF course, Miss
Zones had no idea that the interview
ers" life was wearying one indeed,
for many a time and oft he had to
stand for hours ankle deep in the mud
that Is present at every stock sale;
had to rush about over half the county
at all times and in all weathers; had
to do two and sometimes three mems
work; had to tout for advertisements;
soft-soap good Dendene citizens who
agreed with his papers Opinions"
had to chronicle host Of silly title
tattle, and cover reams Of paper with
the common names Of nobodies.
So it was no wonder that Danvers
had turned little, bit gray, and did
not look peculiarly cheerful. And 1t
did not improve his looks to go home
after handing In his "copy'-and lie
awake all night thinking Of his beauti-
full wife, In the heyday Of her career
belauded wherever she went, rich, and
without a ripple in the calm sea OF
her existence to trouble her, while
he