Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1914-08-08
A Question
of Value
II Involves the Subject
Love
BY IDA SPEED

most always have "A romance. two wo.
men and one man are apt to produce
a riot. but take two women and two
men. all IN love. ana every one Of EN-
bein' misft. as you might say. and
us like two ring clrcus-you can't
possibly take In all the details
When this here Miss Daphne Don.
Gldson first throws In with the west
IT'S with no notion except to forgit
past unplcasaninesscs which. learn
aftcrward. was caused by her havin'
Pullman tastes and her husband hav-
In day coach pockctbook
Course. IN order to win her he puts
up bigger front than his bank ac-
count calls FOR. and when he can't live
up 10 the premises she pleads nonsup.
port and requests her maiden name
So when We first see her she's got
both the divorce aud snid maiden
name AMI has flew west 10 escape the
gossip aud scandal cnsun from the
same
It took q spccial trip to freight her
trunks out to The ranch. ana She had
clothes that mndc the men set up and
take notice and the womcn's eyes turn
green with envy.
She shore has the heart broke look,
and she ain't been here n week before
! see plain TINT johnny puyal is eoin'
10 be- trst aid TO the injured.
You see. the biggest part Of this
ranch Is owned by man back east
named Sioncr. who was her coniidcn.
tial adviser. and be tells her Just 10
come and make herself NJ home here
TIL such time as she feels like facin'
the world again
Now. Mary Talb"rt whose folks have
charge Of this outfit. is one OF them
quiet. practical girls who only know
one way 10 love that's with secret.
consumin' passion
Secret. that is only to the object OF It.
and conSumin AN her time In thlnkin'
about 1t. The object OF Mary's deyo-
ton was Johnny Duval
That such Is bad enough.
But about three weeks after Miss
Daphne arrives Mr.. Talbert gifts let
ter from this Stoncr Sayin' he can't
come out to look after some matters
as he does once each year. but IS send
I'M substitute who will make n new
contract with Talbert and attend TO all
business for him.
drive In 10 meet this duck. whose
name Is Smithson and | find n tall.
slim fellow dressed like them pictures
In the back OF the magazine where II
says:
III you want 10 feel ut ease in any
society wear etc. and who can ask
more questions than jacklcg lawyer?
When we reach the house Daphne
and Mary are on the east gallery.
make en- acquainted with MIR Smith
son
Daphne is standIn' foolln' with u
chain She always wears around her
neck with some kind OF little hoodus
on the end of ii.
How DO You do she says. noddIn'
her head. Indifferent Then she turns
with rattle Of silk and walks in the
house
"t;lad to meet YOU" says Mary. hold
In ont her hand Have you all had
your dinner"
when We say we haven't she gifts up.
smoothin out her fresh ginGham dress,
and goes In 70 set dinner out.
That was the difference between EN-.
In weeks time Mr. Smithson looks
like he's forgot he was sent here for
any purpose but to make love to Mary.
who is real nice to him to keep from
shown how she hates 20 see Johnny
and Daphne together SO much.
But. listen. that's not the worst
What docs the grass widow do but
begin 10 build n stack At this here
Smithsun. who don't seem to notice II.
he's that took Mp with Mary Talbert
II WAS like >ingin Three Blind
Mice They all fell in with the same
words 10 the slmc time. but only pro.
duccd = jumbo In the end
watch I'm pretty close and observe
more or less human nachcr In all OF
'cln.
From the very nrst know why
Mary IS trca,u' Smithson so nice. but
it takes a long time for me TO CLEAN
that Johnny is playin' the same game
with Daphne because ne don't think
Mary cares Tor him
tsgcred that this Daphne didn't
tax" to western WAYS and folks. aud It
WASH; ~ much Smithsou as them back
east garments of hi~'u that was hold.