The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-02-04

l suppose she has little time to think
of the old days when we published
our own little paper set the type
ourselves, and felt we were strong
rivals of the two professional dailies.
Dear old days!''
Scowling at the boy who yelled
Copy" he set to work, his eyes
only glancing over the sheets before
him. A poor excuse this week, "
he unused. Good thing I'm on
salary"
After it was all finished he picked
up magazine containing Florence's
last story. It was only short
sketch, but 7He Waves critic read it
slowly, lovingly.
cit is too beautiful to criticise-I
cannot. It isn't as if she needed the
notice, and if l write at all I will say
too much. Stay" he continued,
still talking to himself. II nlHwrite
it up, but only to relieve the pent-up
emotion of my foolish heart once
written I will destroy it, and she will
never know"
He wrote brilliant article that
teemed with intellectual thought, in
tense feeling, and perfect understand
ing. From literary point Of view,
it was perfect. Never before had he
written so we'll, and never had Flor
ence's work been so thoroughly and
sympathetically reviewed. 1t was
hardly finished when he felt the
presence of a second party. Looking
up quickly his eyes met the calm gaze
of Ethel Marston.
"I am sorry to disturb you," she
said, pleasantly, ''but can you tell me
where 1 will find the Managing
Editor?"
Morgan Wood rose quickly. "You
may sit here and will calf him." he
answered, realizing that the big edi-
torial room, with its dozens of repor-
ters, was no place for the refined
young woman before him to~pass
through.
Unconsciously Ethel's eyes rested
on the loose, closely written pages
before her. Seeing her friend shame,
she felt privileged to read the article.
"Why, he was the man I wanted
to see. 1 did not suppose could do
so without asking the editor. How
did l happen to come here first ?
What shall 1 do; I wish I had not
come at all. / wonder if ! can't go
before he returns. He was so kind,
and was going to complain because
why, wouldn't it have been ridicu-
1ous %
But the criticism before her ! Was
it possible he had made up his mind
not to ignore Florence's stories any
longer? Like a flash the truth came
to her.
eff I am wrong and this is written
for publication, he can write it over, :"
she thought, land if it is as l sup
pose, then my trip will not have been
in vain. -
Feeling like thief, Ethel stole out
of the Office. down the stairs, and out
on the street unnoticed. Her heart
was happier than it had been for
many months.
'tI wouldn' t care if I was arrested" !"
she said, bursting into Florence's
den; II deserve to be-see what /
have robbed man of-a big hand
some man, too. I'd fall in love with
him, if he didn't already love you,
fortunate girl p
Florence read the article over and
over. Yes; it was his own precious
handwriting, there could be no mis-
take, and
Ethel, Ethel" she cried, jump
ing to her feet. "He never intended
me to see it, it wasn't written for The
Waye; look, dear, it's dedicated to
the memory of the sweetest little girl
on earth that is what he used to
call me-oh, Ethel p
x X X x X
Mr.. Travers understood it all when
Ethel explained to him.
"She always loved him, you know" :"
she said. He was her first love"
Somehow he did not mind so much,
after all he did not realize then that
it was because of Ethel's kind words.
He made the acquaintance of Morgan
and they became friends instantly.
"a fine girl, noble !" Morgan said
one day when Mr.. Morgan and he
were discussing Florence's stories and
Ethel's illustrations. Mr.. Travers
answered Eyes, Florence is noble
girl"
"Oh, yes indeed but was speak
ing of Ethel then"
A quick sense of jealousy swept
over Mr.. Travers. 1t was all that
was needed to prove to him what he
had not before fully realized.
cit was Ethel 1 have loved all this
time r' he exclaimed.
Fortunately, Morgan was reading
note from Florence and did not heat
him.