The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-11-11

for three years. and I'm down co.
last dollar, with two months it.
due"
81 have applied the opposite of you
theory" said the editor "in sole t,i
the fiction for the Minerva Maga2ilr
| The circulation has gone up from 30
900 to-
-Four hundred thousand" said Dave.
'whereas it should have been boosted
to n million"
You said something to me Just now
about demonstrating your pet theory"
81 will. If you'll give me about half
an hour of your time I'll prove to you
that l am right. I'll prove 1t by Lou
| lse."
"Your wifer' exclaimed westbrook.
"How?"
"Well. not exactly by her. but with
her." said Dave. "Now, you know
how devoted and loving Louise has al
ways been. She thinks I'm the only
genuine preparation on the market
that bears the old doctors signature
She's been fonder and more faithful
than ever since I've been cast for the
| neglected genius part.
Indeed, she is a charming and ad-
mirable life companion" agreed the
editor. 'T remember what inseparabe
| friends she and Mrs. Westbrook once
were. We are both lucky chaps.
Shack. to have such wives. You must
bring Mrs. Dave up some evening
soon, and well have one Of those In
oil ha dtCI, hoN
used to enjoy so much"
Later" said Dave, "when I get
another shirt. And now I'll tell you
my scheme. When | was about to
leave home after breakfast-if you can
call tea and oatmeal observation-disclosures
told me she was going to visit her
aunt In Eighty-ninth street. She said
she would return home at 3 o'clock.
She is always on time to a minute. 1t
is now
Dave glanced toward the editors
watch pocket
Twenty seven minutes to g." said
Westbrook, scanning his timepiece.
"We have just enough time" said
Dave. 1--WE will go to my fat at
| u
to her and leave it on the table where
she will see it as she enters the door.
You and l will be in the dining room
concealed by the portieres. In that
note I'll say that have fed from her
forever with an affinity who under
stands the needs of my artistic soul as
she never did. When she reads 1t we
|
words. Then we will know which
theory is the correct one-yours or
mine
"Oh, neverr' exclaimed the editor.
shaking his head. "That would be in
excusably cruel. l could not consent
to have Mrs. Dawes feelings played
upon in such manner"
Brace up" said the writer 81
guess | think as much of her as you
do. It's for her benefit as well as
mine I've got to get a market for
my stories in some way. 1t won't hurt
Louise. She's healthy and sound"
Editor Westbrook at length yielded.
though but half willingly. And in tho
half of him that consented lurked the
vivisectionist that is in all of us. lie,
him who has not used the scalpel
rise and stand in his place. Pity it's
that there are not enough rabbits and
guinea pigs to go around.
The two experimenters in art left
the square and hurried eastward and
then to the south until they arrived in
the Gramercy neighborhood. Within
it's high iron railings the little park
had put on its smart coat of vernal
green and was admiring itself in its
fountain mirror Outside the ratings
the hollow square of crumbling houses,
shells of bygone gentry, leaned as If
in ghostly gossip over the forgotten
doings of the vanished quality. Sic
transit gloria urbis!
A block or two north Of the park
Dave steered the editor again east
ward, then. after covering a short dis
tance, into lofty but narrow fiat
house burdened with a fioridly over
decorated facade. To the fifth story
they toiled, and Dave, painting, push
ed his latchkey into the door of one of
the front fats.
When the door opened Editor West
brook saw. with feelings of pity. how
meanly and meagerly the rooms We're
furnished.
"Get a chair, if you can find one"
said Dave, while l hunt up pen and
ink. Hello! What's this? Here's a
note from Louise. She must have left
1t there when she went out this morn
ing"
He picked up an envelope that lay
on the center table and tore 1t open.
He began to read the letter that he
drew out of it, and, once having begun
it aloud, he so read 1t through to the
end. These are the words that Editor
Westbrook heard:
Dear Shackleford-By the time you get
this l will be about hundred miles away
and still a-gong. I've got place in the
chorus OF the Occidental Opera company,
and we start on the road today at Il
o'clock. 1 didn't want to starye to death.
and so decided to make my own living.
IL al