Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1904-02-27

Il
light, while William Todd patientl
whitfield near by. Plattville had ofte
i discussed the editors habit of silence
and possibly the reason Mr. Harkles
was such a quiet man was that Their
was nobody for him to talk to: but hi
hearers did not agree, for the popula
ton of Carlow county was a thing O
| pride. being greater than that of sew
eral bordering counties
| A bent figure came slowly down tn
street. and William Todd hailed
cheerfully. Evening. Mr. Fisbee.'
"A good evening. Mr.. Todd" an
swered the old man. pausing. "Ah. Mr.
HARMLESS, i was looking for you" H,
had not seemed to be looking for any
thing beyond the boundaries of his owr
dreams. but he approached Harkless
tugging nervously at some papers il
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? hope the Her
aid may have the honor of printing it. "
| This was a form they used
| Il shall be the recipient of honor
| SIR" returned Fisbee Your kind offer
will speed my work; but fear. Mr..
HAIRLESS. | very much fear. that your
kindness alone prompts it. for. deeply
as desire it, | cannot truthfully say
that my essays appear to increase our
circulation" He made an odd. trou-
bled gesture as he went on: They do
not seem to read them here. although
Mr.. Martin assures me that he care
fully reperuses my article on Chaldean
decoration whenever he rearranges his
exhibition windows" He plodded on a
few PAGES, then turned irresolutely.
"What is it. FisbeeY asked Harkless
Fisbee stood for a moment as though
about to speak; then he smiled family.
shook his head and went his way.
Harkless waved his hand to him in
farewell and. drawing pencil and
pad from his pocket. proceeded to in
jure his eyes in the waning twilight by
the editorial perusal of the items his
staff had just left in his hands. He
glanced over them meditatiyely. max
ing alterations here and there.
The last one Fisbee had written as
follows: tG
Miss Sherwood of Rouen, whom Miss
Briscoe knew at the Misses Jennings fin
ishing school in New York is a guest Of
Judge Briscoe's household
Fisbee's items were written in ink.
There was a blank space beneath the
last. At the bottom of the page some
thing had been scrubbed in pencil.
Harkiess vainIy tried to decipher it;
but the twilight had fallen too deep
and the writing was too faint. so he
struck match and held it close to the
paper. Tile action betokened only
languid interest But when he caught
sight of the first of the four subscrib
ed lines he sat up straight in his chair,
with a sharp ejaculation. At the bot
tom of Fisbee's page was written in
a dainty feminine hand of type he
had not seen for years:
''To talk of many things
OF shoes and ships and sealing wax
And cabbages and kings
He put the paper in his pocket and
set off rapidly down the village street.
At his departure William Todd looked
up quickly. Then he got upon his feet,
with a yawn. and quietly followed the
editor In the dusk a tattered little
figure rose up from the weeds across
the way and stole noiseessly after
William He was in bis shirt sleeves.
his waistcoat unbuttoned and loose. On
the nearest corner Mr. Todd encounter
ed fellow townsman who had been
pacing up and down in front of cot
tage grooming to a protestive baby held
to stare after Harkless.
where's he bound fer. WiIliamY'
inquired the man with the baby.
"Briscoes'." answered William. pur-
suing his way.
II reckoned be would be-" observed
the other. turning to his wife. who sat
on the doorstep. II reckoned so when
l see that lady at the lecture last i
night .. $
The woman rose to her feet. ''Hi.
Bill Todd" she said What We got !!
On. to the back of yer vest?" William
paused. put his hand behind him and
encountered paper pinned to the dam |
Cling strap Of his wastcoat. The WON
an ran to him and unpinned the paper.
1t bore writing. They took it to where
The yellow Iamplight shene out through
the open docr aud read: !;
der Sir-FoLer harkls al 70 pies an"
yaRd him yoR best ven gems is ciosteR
lartkis not Got > das to live W.. come in !:
wife Ef, =
"What ye think. WilIiam?" asked |.
he man with the baby anxiousty but
he woman gave the youth a sharp
push with her hand. '"rhey never dast !
% do it, she cried; &'.neser 3irr the
worid.T~ You hurry, Bill Todd. Don't
cave him out of your sight one sec.
md
fro BE ,ONTtNUED.l
SSfTNI. .to hrs