Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1904-04-06
Hiss Fairfax's Husband
>@o~~

will 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 a 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 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 fercely on her breast.
Danvers pulled himself together
with a 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 a low, sweet voice
which rose and fell in glorious cad
ences, that fell upon the ear like the
purling Of stream. At any other
time Danvers 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 I'LL up their columns. 1t was
quite immaterial to Miss Fairfax how
the interviewers who came to see her
were dressed. Her business manager
IA most discreet gentleman) had direct
ed her to grant interviews whenever
she could. and so, in giving the repre-
sentative of the Dendene 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 considera ton,
Miss Jones came to the conclusion that
the reporter" had been good-looking.
She put him down as fve-and-thirty
now. and married. with perhaps half
a dozen children and a scolding 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
Jones had no idea that the Interview
er's" 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 1t was no wonder that Danvers
had turned a little bit gray, and did
not look peculiarly cheerful And It
did not improve his looks to 20 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 q ripple In the calm sea of
her existence to trouble her, while
he
But he was glad she did not recog.
nize him.
1t was about half-past eight on the
following morning. Danvers was max.
Ing a miserable attempt to eat some
breakfast, when no less a person than
Jones was suddenly shown into his
room by his landlady. who never put
herself out Of the way to announce a
visitor.
"Oh," began Miss Jones, miss Fair
fax would be glad If you could see her
some time this morning. She wants
something altered in the interview,
and hopes you can publish the correc-
ton next Wednesday"
The Dendene Gazette, we should
have mentioned. was q bi-weekly.
Every WELL" said Danvers, II will
wait upon Miss Fairfax Immediately"
Grown Hotel" said Jones, laconical-
ly, and went.
The quality Of the breakfast had
lowered the interview another twenty
i've per cent in her estimation.
There was a big IRE in the Grown
Hotels" best sitting-room when Dan
vers was shown into 1t. The table
was also laid for breakfast Danvera