The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-01-19

! IOVell. I'll bet the little cad Swnn
ashore on the wind bag uf his own van
| ity. But II he is dead. by iingc. hr'g
! better stay so. He's safer in the grcu
beyond than he would ba here Nri.
ing poems to my sister what do you
think of that?"
Upon this the man with n fierce tem
/ per strode out of the room fumng.
Bert is furious because Mr. McI.anp
sent me bit OF verse the last day he
was here" said Marie.
! She put into Tenney'S hands rwu
half sheets OF his own best note paper
upon which appeared. in Stephen Mic
Lanes quaint lahored hand. about
forty lines OF verse which fairly stag
gered Tenney, first. by the seemingly
prophetic nature Of the matter and.
secondly. by the extraordinary merit of
! the piece as work OF art.
In form II was a pictorial fragment.
the description Of the loss OF vessel
quite clearly indicated as the Cassan-
drain snowstorm on the open sea.
Are you not awedT' asked Marie.
"Do you not recognize something more
than natural in this? He has predict
ed his own death"
This is very remarkable" said he
ut should certainly be published Un.
doubtedly IT is the very best thing
that McLane ever did. the only thing
really worthy Of him. Do you suppose
he has ever offered ii nnywhere?'
"Oh. no.! she exclaimed. ut was
written for me. He says so in little
note accompanying the poem. 1t was
for me alone"
"A little note" quoth he. and the
janitor had paid cents postage on il.
Tenney perceived very clearly that the
ocean had engufed a formidable rival.
but he must not show his knowledge.
MY idea" said he. would be to
give this to newspaper | am an
advocate of wide circulation. If the
thing is good. let the public have il.
There should be a little introduction
stating the circumstances"
"Oh." she cried, in a futter. with
my name? No. no: have no right to
shine in the light Of his fame"
81 think you will be wise to remain
anonymous for the present" said he.
This will make a great stir. The re-
porters would come running after your
pictures and all that. We will say sim
ply that the poem was inclosed in
letter to friend"
A shade OF disappointment was Wis
ible on her face.
In accordance with this decision the
poem was printed in newspaper. anu
the prophetic element was played up
for all ii was worth. Upon the publ
cation Of the poem Lowell came to Ten
ney's rooms and raved like a mailman
This explosion. however. was mild
compared with another which occurred
two days later. About o'clock in the
morning Lowell came ramping and
roaring into Tenney's apartment and
displayed copy of that same newspa-
per which had printed the poem and
which now announced in bold black
type the name Of the young lady to
whom McLane's miraculous compost
tion bad been addressed. Her portrait f.
reproduced, adorned the
first page. she was indeed very
beautiful girl. and her name was Alicia
Holley.
Ii appeared that she was niece OF
Dave Holley. a wealthy contractor and
powerful politician in Brooklyn. There /
was an interview with Miss Holley. in
which she "buShinEly denied" that
there had been an engagement OF mar
riage between herself and the young
genius now so widely mourned."
Has Marie seen this?" demanded F.
Tenney. "She has? What did she
do?"
she laughed" replied Lowell. chok- +,
ing with wrath. Girls are idiots. she /
doesn't realize what this will be when |
it all comes out. as it certainly will"
Intent on consolation Tenney went to |
see Marie. but she laughed at him also |
and protested that she was sorry only .
for Miss Holey. who seemed to have /
taken McLane very seriously.
81 wish you would go to see her"
said Marie. land tell me what kind OF
q girl she Is"
From a variety Of motives. Tenney
followed this suggestion. In the home
of the Holleys he encountered first the
famous Dave" whom he found to be
a dynamite bomb of a somewhat diff |
ferent type from Bert Lowell. hut |
equally dangerous
"A poet" he cried. in infinite Scorn.
without a cent TO his name!'
However Tenney was permitted to
see Miss Holley. OF whom he had no
great hopes. after his view OF her |
uncle. But who can see an inch be-
yOnd the veil that shroudS the future; !
Tenney beheld Alicia Holley and was
stricken through and through.
Here was writer OF romances /
whose hooks had sold by the hundred
Of thousands. and he had never known
love! He had considered himself pedg
ed in marriage and had never even
guessed why people wish to marry
He could have been engaged to Marie
Lowell for an indefinite period without
serious impatience. hut in the week
which followed his first meeting with
A Iioio unlIav ha nouldn't ha ont OP har