Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-07-12

Earl of North sent Edith his card at Nice and
asked permission to call. She granted this and
the Earl, dull and colorless, annoyed her by the
persistency of his attentions. He was proud of
birth and dilated long, if not eloquently upon the
glories of his now slightly impoverished "house 3"
Ediths first feeling of resentment that a
man could think her so shallow to be willing to
barter herself and her material possessions for a
title then her sense of humor became active and
she decided to encourage the Earl. This was
easily done, particularly as Mrs. Rawston entered
enthusiastically into the plot. Purely commercial
international marriages, were abhorrent to Mrs
Rawston, and she welcomed this opportunity to
glorify what she called the "sef-respec of democ-
racy"
One evening, about month later, Edith and
the Earl were walking through a beautiful gar
den of flowers, whose bright colors were sub
dued by the nights shadows and whose fragrance
the more exquisite because the eye was not
dominant. Edith forgot both her companion and
herself. Her spirit partook of the divine beauty
of things and the gravel walks were as the invis
ibe floors of the palace of content.
Suddenly there a harsh sound like dis
cordant note in a magnificent violin solo, and
Edith knew that the Earl was speaking She
listened to the familiar talk about the past glory
of his house until she could restrain herself no
longer. Never mind Earl you needn't continue,
1 know the rest-know it by heart. Please excuse
me now; I'm going indoors"
Mrs Rawston the look of disgust on Edths
face when the latter entered one of the rooms of
their suite a few moments later, and she laughed
with unaccustomed heartness as Edith described
the circumstances of her abrupt departure from
the Earl. Edith's sense of humor not strong
just at this moment, and instead of enjoying a
mental glance backward at the Earl's embarrass
ment when she left, she sighed and said "Oh if
might only meet mana real, genuine man. who
is inspired either by love, or by worthy ambition,
by duty! I'm sure I'd adore the very sight of
such a man."
few days later, just as they were preparing to
leave Nice for another resort, Edith received
letter from Elizabeth The first three pages were
full of social commonplaces and Edith was begin
ming to be disappointed The fourth page seemed
a continuation of this gossip. Edith glanced lown
the page and saw the name David Angus at the
bottom She held the letter away from herself for
a brief period She concentrated her mind and
read on: David Angus-but no, Edith you're
not interested in hint Yes l will write about
him, for he has matured Il can't resist the dig
my nature is malicious.) He's done great thing,
dear He discovered a tremendous conspiracy on
the part of a clique of rich men to get possession
of our streets for and tunnels, and when he
declared to a meeting at which the members of
this clique present that he would expose
the plan, they offered him enormous sum of
money if he would travel abroad for year or so
and be silent. One of the men, whom he had
known before, said You take your family
along with you and besides, We'll pay for your
sisters art education. Just think what That
meansl' And when David said No, they
threatened to ruin him, and when he laughed at
this they asked him what his game was Q'm using
technical language-Pve heard Dad repeat the
story so often know it by heart) he replied that
he had no game-he merely planned to spoil
theirs Then they threatened him with violence
and he laughed at them. Now the whole story is
public, although one knows how it came out.
The papers full of it, the plot is frustrated, and
David is popular hero. There one thing he
said that even the papers didn't get hold of, and
which he would be very much provoked If he knew
that was repeating, for he denies it absolutely.
When the man with whom he was acquainted
offered to pay for Florence's education abroad, he