Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-10-21
The Written Word

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He deyoured his breakfast quickly,
disdaining the pot Of marnalade which
an obsequious landlady had put on the
table for him.
This to the observant proclaimed his
nationality, and II 1t didn't, the fact
that his hair was parted exactly in the
middle. and that the socks showing
above his shoes were bizarre In charac-
ter, revealed II. Between mouthfuls of
toast he read assiduously from small
volume held in his right hand. The vol
ume WINS bound In red morocco, and Its
pages were in q clear, small, character
istic handwriting. They were, in fact,
the pages Of a young lady's diary. He
had picked 1t up on the hard high road
half an hour before, US he returned
from an heroic early morning tussle
with the exceedingly willy trout. with
which the gurgling stream a couple of
miles away abounded.
He had looked first for a name and
address, but falling to find them, he
began to dip into the entries, hoping to
discover clue
So far he hadn't discovered 1t, but he
had lighted upon other extraordinarily
exciting and absorbing matters, so
much SO that he sat there reading ut
terly oblivlous. in the interest of the
thing, that the pages were never intend
ed for an alien eye. There had been
one entry, for example, made three days
ago with an ,ndelible pencil. It ran as
follows s. III a K
The American has been fishing gain
this morning, knows.te Is American
now Tor certain, because lie said, Gee,
that's bully one to himself when he
landed an extra-sized trout Besides.
he doesn't fish English. Like his face
more and more. He's straight and he's
got q nice laugh; ! willed him to look
at me, butth wouldn't. l wish knew
hiMI will know him somehow, as sure
as my name is Isabelle Norris = 4:
The man at the breakfast table
stopped. Here, at any rate, was clue
IA sufficient clue, too. He must not
read another word; 1t would be clearly
dishonorable. He rang the bell.
..say, Mrs. griskett," he said, when
the landlady appeared, sis there Miss
Isabelle Norris in your neighborhood?'
Mrs. Briskett, who was given to
grandiloquent language. and uncertain
ty In the pronunciation thereof, lunch
ed forth at once.
An individual of that cognomen do
reside in this locality. Are you ac-
uuainted with her, STRIP
mot yet, but I'm going to be-" said
the American briskly.
you'll find that she inhibits Kerry.
villa on the right-hand side beyond
the postoffice, sir"
THANK you, Mrs. Briskett."
He ran upstairs at once and changed
from his flsherman's garb into calling
suit, and with characteristic impulsive-
ness was ringing determinedly ten min
utes later at the neat door over the por-
tails of which the address Mrs. Briskett
bad mentioned was inscribed.
Miss Isabelle Norris at homer
"Yes, sir" The neat maid looked a
trife surprised, but she admitted him
ut once into drawing room as neat as
herself.
There were footballs in the hall, out
side. Mr.. Soames turned red, then
white, then red again. What would she
DO? Suppose she snubbed hIm-sup-
pose? At this point there entered
suddenly very severe angular
lady In a black and white print frock.
who certainly was fifty-flve, IL she
wasn't more. Mr.. Soames' shvoir-falre
forsook him entlrely-he left her to be.
gin.
He had felt that the IsabAlle Norris
Of the diary would be fair and .girlish,
end oh! many other things Resides!
And this this study in tire ANTIQUE
had called his smile swect-.-had said
she would get to know him, lad willed
him to look at her, and had watched his
fishing from some nymph-like retreat
oh, it was absurd, pathetic, laughable,
tragic!
A sudden inspiration few to his aid.
To account for his presence he would
be person who sold things something
which Miss Norris would not be likely
to buy, and when she had CURLY dis
missed him-he was certain she would
CURLY dismiss him-he would get away
as quickly as possible. What should he
selli What what? All! his new style |!
Miss Norris did not look at all like
stylos, but like sharp-pointed. old-fash-
Toned steels. Acting upon this irtui-
ton. he smiled the ingra dating sraile
Of the tout.
you must excuse my liberty in call
ing SO early" he began, .but won
dere6 II you'd any use for an article
like this"
He whipped out the pen, and, with
out giving Miss Norris time to reply,
begaE to run breathlessly through its
salient points, and to explain its supe-
yiority over every other pen on the
market.
She asked innumerable questions ali
Of which. Mr.. Soames, who knew rather
lsss Of stylos than he did of skyrcck.
sts. was much bothered to answer.
Finally ale demanded its prics.