Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1904-04-20
The Tale of a Tale

-~~.~s~.>.~.s
n T started on the small sofa in the
alcove beside the reading lamp.
and there were only two people
in the room. One of them stood on
the hearth rug. with his back to the
fire. looking down on the other as she
sat lingering the manuscript on her
/ lap.
why do you want to read itr' she
asked.
Because you wrote It," he an
swered. with great simplicity.
She frowned. "You ought to say,
it's because my other stories have been
50 successful. and I get such nice
puffs in the papers,.
Those reasons may suffice for the
rest Of the world, but they don't for
mew
perhaps you expect too muchr she
said, and studied her manuscript
deeply.
DO r. he asked, and studied her
profoundly. The clock licked loudly
and the fire cracked.
"By the way" she remarked. you'll
be the first person to read this story
Of mine, so that shall be impatient
for your verdictr'
"I'll read 1t tonight and report to-
morrow" he assured her, promptly.
docs the first necessitate the Sec
ond" she asked, raising her eyebrows.
"As far as I'm concerned" he an
swered, lowering his, whereupon she
held out her story with a heavenly
smile; but he, being of a grasping dis
position, took first the manuscript and
then the hand that held 1t, and-oh-
well!
The clock licked loudly and the IRE
cracked.
Two hours later he stood in his own
front hall, turning his pockets inside
out by the light Of the midnight oil
then he searched for the front steps
and examined the pavement outside,
and finally patrolled a certain street
to a certain house till certain small
hour of the morning, when he re-
turned to his aboue utterlng unholy
words.
| "What are you looking fort" she de-
manded, on entering the drawing room
the next morning.
Nothing" he answered. rising hasti-
ly from an evident inspection Of the
carpet. His face was pale. and his
searching eye roamed uneasily over
the furniture.
II thought you might have dropped
something's she suggested. casually.
"Oh. no" he responded. defnantly.
So she sat down on the sofa, her face
very grave, but the corner of her
mouth slightly twitching.
"Well. what do you think Of 1t "
she inquired.
,"Ohw he said, with a start. THAT
story Of yours? 1t was great-really
absorbing! can assure you It kept
me awake until 4 o'clock this morn
ing"
And yet It II comparatively short.
You must read very slowly! Do tell
me what you like best about It."
"Oh, WELL" he houndered, II liked 1t
all immensely. but what appealed to
me especially was that-er-scene
where the heroine-sr-gets the best
! Of It"
| And, paying no heed to her blank
looks, he hastened on into the safe
waters Of abstract literary criticism,
saying: I'm those few passages you
show q breadth Of view. a right ap-
probation Of value. q sense Of the
tonal significance which. II 1 may be
permitted to say %. IL quite above
the average"
He felt that he was doing well, but
at this point she brought him back to
earth.
do you think" she asked him. ear
nest and wids-syed, that Gregory
ought to have done itr'
"whor he asked. staggered for the
moment "Whatr And then rscoi.
lectins himself-"Yes." This stoutly.
II think Gregory was perfectly just.
dsd. l don't see how, under the cir
cumstances. he could have done other
wise. ! am quite certain that in his
place should have done Just the
same thingp'
What thingr she asked. a. she
! poked the IRE with her back turned.
Then, n he did not answer immsdi-
ately. she said. gently: II don't think
that you quite understand what scene
referred to. but I'll show you in Z
moment, II you'll Just hand me the
, manuscript"
the manuscript he Queried,
blankly.
He took two turns up and down the
room, then faced her. crimson and
crestfallen.
I'm extremely sorry to tell you,"
he said, hoarsely, that your manu-
script is-(thc arctic blue Of her eyes
fross the truth upon his ips)-is left