Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1905-12-28
The Trails
That Crossed
BY HOWARD DEvINE
Copyright. 1903. BY Daily story Pub. co..

|. said the Sunday Editor Join three o.
, four Of them; brush up against tn
game; meet the FLIES they have in stool
get some good experiences. Neyel
mind the fake part Of il. don't carr
} to expose the frauds so much as tC
. print some odd adventures and work III
some interesting character sketches
Take your time and get a page, Illus
trated.
| was dead broke and unattached anc
the idea pleased me.
How far shall | go in my explora-
tions?" I asked. rolling cigarette.
THE limit" he replied, laconically
"Clear to the altar. Get married. DO i
up right"
Then we both laughed and he con-
tinued
"Of course you haven't got a sou.
Here's an order for SIS. Come in and
show progress and you can have more
if you need it. But mind, no blowing
money. This is not a news story. DO
It right, bpt don't buy any wires.
took the assignment gratefully and
went out on my quest. will not weary
you with the details Of my experiences
with the cheap, stout women and cheap,
thin men who preside over the matri-
monial agencies, and the still cheaper
! females who are listed at these places
! ! posed as Hiram Adams, architect, with
! limited income and great prospects, in
search Of a wife with some ready money
| that would help me get my start. met
attenuated school teachers, freckled
| stenographers and auburn haired spin
s.ers residing at parental homes. met
stout widows and thin divorces and
| signing orphans of uncertain age.
School teachers seemed to predominant.
! made appointments to call, appoint
ments TO dine-al sorts Of appoint
ments. the expenses Of which the Clar-
ion cheerfully paid as related my story
of progress. Really | accumulated quite
decent story, but in the meantime |
became most heartily sick OF the assign
ment. The women we're all so common
place and their conversation so inane
that II required something of draft on
my reportorial imagination, based on
the experiences Of half dozen years, to
make anything out Of the material.
| was about through and had about
enough material whipped into shape,
and was entirely tired of the game
when | met Elsie Norman, registered at
Baldy's agency as an orphan and an
heiress worth 100000 in her own name.
and looking for a husband through the
agency because of eocentricity.
When | stumbled into the little box
labeled Parlor G was totally unpre-
pared for the vision which confronted
me. Listen. and I will try TO de-
scribe Il.
A petite little person, with a wealth
Of light hair. not golden nor brown, nor
yet tow color but of that peculiar
shade-well you know what it is as
we'll as I; a broad forehead; mis- |
chievous blue-gray eyes: dainty hands |
and feet features not regular nor
beautiful, but interesting and attrae-
tive because Of the intelligence mani |
Tested. She was gowned simply. but |
with exquisite taste, and in that pc
culiar surroundings and in the light |
of my recent experiences, the effect |
was paralyzing
| confess that | stumbled over the |
frayed rug and comported myself al |
together more in keeping with my as
sumed character than | had yet done. |
She smiled reassuringly and apollo |
gized for the rug. The conversation
] do not remember very distinctly. but |
before left a date had been made |
for a little supper the next evening
at coy Italian restaurant in an OBJ |
scure street. known only TO .he elect |
The queer thing about Il was that |
seemed 10 remember afterward that |
she made the suggestion as to place. |
Also she told me that / had been recon.
mended 10 her by Badly as the best |
thing for herl be had in sight.
As went out Badly called me aside
and confided TO me that this girl surely |
was the real thing for me.
She's rich, rich, he said. pounding |
his old walnut desk. "and beautiful |
and clever-beautiful and clever |
say as well Go to a."
But there's Won ting. he continued
looking me in the eye with so piercing |
an expression that quailed. old starer
that ! was: dis tid-hit is not for a |
mere fee. .haf secured It for YOU
II you get n. We must hat an under
standing. ! must haf von-kewauter Of
the fortune All you needs. man Is
enough TO put YOU mp in business. You
are in luck to get such a girl anyway |
Promise me n kewauter. and she ia
yours,
] shook him and ned. That night
slept not, because Of my burning men,
ories Of the fair young heIress. l.
might have been my horrible experi
ences OF the past week. but she Ger
tainly seemed 10 me to be the flares,
lady Of nay dreams-and that is a
whole lot Tor calloused reporter TO
Eay
The following day threatened 10 b.
the longest ] had ever spent F.narlv
In despair. resolved 70 Is 10 the
nnfrr.rsr.I ffaw araa.a-- ---n -