New-York tribune., 1905-08-28
THE BROKEN IDOL.
Dora Virginia and the author of
FLAMES of Passion
ain in The London Taller.

Barry Pain in The London Taller.
Dora Virginia Brook a good girl
rule and as pretty as she had any need to be-
But she was of a romantic disposition There
fore it was great pity that. being in the book
department of the stores with her dear mamma,
her eye should have lighted upon a little Vellum
bound volume entitled Flames of Passion"
She picked it up, looked at the frOntispece. read
a verse or two and said Il will take this
What for?" said her dear mamma
4 don't know said the girl-which was quite
untrue
She had bought it because she was greatly
interested in the portrait of the author, which
formed the frontispiece He was depicted on
horseback, a singularly handsome type-tal
clean shaven. muscular, with magnificent eyes
Consequently, when Dora Virginia Brook came
TO read those poems she found that they were
very good and lovely.
AS matter of fact. the verses were about
OF the usual badness, as most verses are They
We're full of PASSION, somewhat of the cat the
tiles order, calculated to strain the upper regis
ter OF the thermometer, and they would have
been quite unsuited to Miss Brook if Miss Brook
had realized what they meant. But she did not
which good for her; and women adore
most that which they do not completely under
stand, which was good for the author.
There was little preface which Dora exam
ined with greatest care. 1t suggested a dark
past and other interesting things. and it gave
the authors private address. This a house
with japanese name which am quite unable
TO spell. but that matters less, as even if
could spell it you would be quite unable to pro-
nounce it. The house situated in Croydon,
which seemed TO Dora to be all wrong. On the
other hand, Croydon has the advantage. any
body who lives there will tell you, of being very
handy.
There could be no harm in writing to tell an
author how much one appreciated his work.
Dora mad almost decided the ste3 when the
almost excessive hardness of Croydon made
frantic and successful appeal to her. She
went to Croydon in the afternoon, which was
quite wrong Of her, and deeply regret to add
that she told her mother that she was going
down there to see her old gOVerness. being
fully aware at the time that her old governess
had been called to her eternal rest some three
months previously
1t was really most extraordinary thing.
Nobody at the station had ever heard of Hector
Leroy or OF the house with the Japanese name
The policeman did not know it. postmen
disclaimed all knowledge. Dora began to think
GL that culture IN CROYDON was in a bad way.
ohe lost herSelf IN tangle of back streets;
rows of mean little houses depressed her. In
desperation she stopped a bakers boy. showed
him the name of the house written down. and
asked If he could direct her.
Why. there ii is bitin' yer" he said
1t was indeed, he had intended to imply
the dirty little Sty of a house before which she
was standing The name was painted on the
fanlight and some of the paint had come off
man in frock coat, without collar tie or waist
coat was engaged in the simple act of taking in
the milk. Him Dora approached.
rs Mr.. Hector Leroy at home?' she asked
Great Scott!' said the man. Yes he added.
Won't you walk in?"
They entered a dirty room with Uttered
writing table.
You see" said the elderly man. I'm not
often called by that name. My real names
Peter Bum. You can't stick that a title
page, you know"
Dora sat down abruptly and said family that
she saw.
The same thing with the photo" went on
ar. Bum cheerfully. The I've got I'm the
Sook is a fair knockout. It's really the photo
of a chap who got lynched for horse stealing in
Texas But it struck that he looked lust
the kind of man to write that kind of thing
Not a bad idea it?'
Dora murmured that it was very clever ana
looked at her watch.
It's made the book 60 said the old man
We've done 300 copies actually sold OF course
l don't DO that sort of thing for a living Tn,
employed in some chemical manure works But
you were wanting to about something
I suppose"
Nothing whatever" said Dora with sudden
energy, and If it had been for her life
The Old man looked puzzled. observed to him
self that it was funny game and resumed his
preparations for tea.
Dora had bad accident with her copy of
FLAMES of Passion when she returned. II got
good deal burnt; in fact II was all burnt