The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1909-02-04

| many times that you believe in a fair
field and no favor in literature, and
that a woman has no right to expect
consideration, as a woman, when she
becomes a writer"
The peacock fan was flung on the
table. and white faced young fury
confronted Harvey, who had risen in
CONSERVATION. Was his bright, sun
ny natured Helen going mad?
II consider every word of that crit
icism unmanly--and-yes
| ly. BY what right do you mock at
that womans love, and hold her
most sacred feelings up to ridicule? :?
A man who would do such thing
would prove nothing but brutal
husband-and tbere-there is your
ring, Mr.. Stuartl"
The diamonds flashed unheeded on
the table, and Helen paused for
breath.
A dark flush had mounted to Har-
vey's forehead at the utterance of the
word "cowardly;" but he had great
self-restraint, and believing that
Helen could not be herself. he said,
quietly:
"I don't think that you realize
what you are saying, Helen. Why
should you resent, as an insult, per-
fectly just criticism? To convince
you of the absurdity OF what you are
saying, 1 shall lend you the poems
reviewed, and then you will see that
have not said word too much, but
that they were written by some little
fool who wanted to see herself in
print"
o cruel Fates! Why could not
some kind power have stricken Har-
vey Stuart with dumbness, before he
made such an offer? The utter irony
of the situation struck Helen, and
she laughed bitterly. Harvey was
SO convinced that she must be i'll
that, at the sound of her bysterical
merriment, he tried to draw her to
him.
my child, you are nervous and
feverish. l had better leave, and
then you must go upstairs and try to
sleep. Shall I send you those ridicu-
lous 'Reveries?' They might have a
soporific effect"
Helen flung off the hand he had
placed on her arm, and exclaimed,
in voice hoarse with desperation:
Don't say one more insulting
word. Can't you understand that 1
wrote that book, and that you are, or
were, the object of my affection who
is to be pitied?"
In a flash Harvey recollected sew
eral expressions that were certainly
Helen's, and a realization of the cru
city Of all he had said made him
sink feebly back into his chair Then,
with the poor tact which distin-
guishes man, he rushed upon de-
struction.
my poor girl! Why didn't you
tell me about It? I did not dream
that you ever wrote such stuff"
Helen quivered, but only said:
BE good enough to accept that
ring and leave me. am tired
"Helen, surely you will not let such
trifle part us. My dear, 1 do not
love you because I thought you could
write poetry. My criticism was most
unfortunate, but you are acting very
unreasonably in treating me like
this. But I see that you are tired,
so I shall leave you. Perhaps in the
morning you will be prepared to do
me Justice"
"My only wish is that I may never
see your face again"
The next moment Helen found
herself alone, but the diamond ring
lay sparkling on the table. She took
it up disdainfully and went upstairs.
Mr.. Stuart took a long walk and
thought over the situation. He was
singularly just man and could re-
alize the exquisite modification that
a girl like Helen would feel, and even
the unpleasant adjectives she had
flung at him were forgiven. OF
course, it was utterly impossible for
such a thing to part them, but he
would give Helen two or three days
to think over the trouble, and then
such a sensible person would see that
all the pain had been most innocently
inflicted. So thought the wise Mr..
Stuart, forgetting that Solomon him
self could not find out the alphabet
of woman's nature. When Harvey
reached his rooms he took down the
"Reveries" and surveyed the cover
for moment.
Its just like her-dainty perfec-
tion." He read several of the poems
again and then turned to the only
one he had praised-"My Hero" The
first eight lines were truly poetic,
and now he could read between them
His eyes grew misty and he NUT
tered, "The poor child. What a
brute she must think mel" AS he
laid down the book he caught sight
of parcel on the table. He tore off
the wrapper and the Stiletto peered
maliciously at him. With an excla-
nation unfit for publication in the
books of the Elsie" series he flung
the ill-starred magazine into the fire
and watched the leaves as they shriy-
eled to ashes. Even 10 the last page
the eyes of leering elf seemed to
be cleaning at him from the bars
Two days after Helen received
manly, earnest letter from Mr.. Stu
art begging her to consider how ut
terly innocent he had been in his Of
fense, and how truly sorry he was
for any distress that she had suf-
fered. In fact. the letter was al
most too reasonable, too judicial in