The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-05-04

miseries Of its heroine that she almost
forgot her own troubles. That night
1t was finished and on the following
day she copied it and sent 1t to the
editor Of The Wellsbridge Sentinel,
Miss Pettibone, whose literary fame
as yet had not extended beyond the
pent-up Utica which contracted her
powers as an authoress, had her
stories published in that paper, and as
Milly wanted to put her story before
the same readers, she would patronize
it, for this once, but she felt that in
future it was simply justice to her
newly-discoyered ability that she
should seek wider and more culti-
waited audience.
1t did not occur to Milly until too
late to correct the oversight that she
had omitted her name when copying
her story. But somehow she felt peo-
pie would recognize her through the
story. She felt that she had so writ
ten her personality into It that by
Millicent Spencer" was not really nee
essary to reveal it's authorship.
The story appeared in the next num-
Der Of The Sentinel. Milly read it
over with thrills of delight tlngling
| through her veins. 1t seemed to read
better in print than in manuscript.
She even wept over it little.
The next Sunday evening John
called. She felt sure that her story
had done the work laid out for it
when she saw him coming. She even
felt inclined to be a trifle sorry for
poor Miss Pettibone, whose literary
reputation had been SO suddenly
eclipsed.
She expected John to say something
about the story. but he did not She
was quite disappointed at this, but
when he asked her to walk in the
garden with him she almost forgot
her literary triumph in the pleasure it
afforded her to be alone with him
under such sentimental conditions and
influences.
Half an hour later her triumph over
Miss Pettibone was complete. John
had asked her to marry him, and she
had accepted.
1t was midnight before John went
away. Not word had he said about
her story. She could not let him go
without being sure that he recognized
her in Though of this she really
had no doubt-therefore as he lin
gered at the gate at parting time she
said
you read that story in The senti-
mel, JohH?"
"Yes, l did" answered John. "And
it makes me mad now to think of it.
| always gave Miss Pettibone credit
for fairly good sense, but when read
that gushy, slushy thing | made up
my mind that I'd given her credit for
more than she deserved. l never
want to read any more stories of hers
! suppose the Sentinel editor was glad
to get it to help fill up the paper, but
If he keeps on publishing such stories
as that he'll lose most of his sub
scribers. know I'd stop my paper"
Poor Milly listened to this criticism
of her first literary effort with curl
GUS mixture of feelings. She was
disappointed, for she had hoped he
would like the story-indeed, she
could not see how he could help do
ing so-and she was inclined to be
angry at his harsh criticism of it, for
she couldn't bring herself to believe
all at once that it was either "slushy"
or "gushy." But, running through her
feelings of resentment and disappoint-
ment was one of self congratulation.
Though her story had not influenced J
John as she had planned to have it,
1t had, after all, answered perfectly |
the purpose for which it was written.
"Oh, but wasn't it lucky that my |
name didn't go With it?" she thought |
as she sat in her room alone after
John had gone. IF he only knew that
l wrote i'll But he never shall-never,
never! Miss Pettibone may deny its
but no one would ever
think of laying 1t to me, so I'm safe.
But it's rather hard on poor Miss Pet
tibone. It's damaged her reputation
as an authoress, and it's been the
means of her losing a possible lover,
and she isn't one bit to blame for it.
It's an instance of what they call the
Irony of fate, / think" added Milly
with little laugh. but ler cheeks tin
sled even yet as she thought of Johns
criticism Of her literary effort. "Slushy
-gushy" kept rhyming in her ears.
They tell us that a woman cannot
Keep a secret. But this is not true.
rhe utter falsity of the assertion is
proved by the fact that Milly, though
'he has been Mrs. John Mead for the
asst five years, has never told to any
living being except me what she
lnows about the authorship OF the
tory by which, in all probability, she
,ained husband. For she isn't sure
tut he might apply for divorce If
lie were to find out his mistake, even
It this late date: therefore, she
Ioesn't dare to tell what she knows.
-Eben Il. Rexford.
German Chamber Of Commerce.
The df1ffee of a Cprrna, chau,hor - |