The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1916-09-27
The Admirable
MIR. Starkweather
BY EDWARD T. STEWART

In the autumn I was invited to visit
my friend, Mrs. Swinburne, who never
returns to the city till November and
sometimes later. found there Miss
Edith Harley, . young ,lidy friend Of
Mrs. Swinburne Miss H4ley was
very attractive, but she sedmed TO be
absorbed in something. It was not
long before l discovered that it was a
young man. Whenever the family car
came from the railway station she
would rush to the door, then turn
away disappointed.
When she and were together she
was constantly saying: THAT reminds
me of a friend of mine, who is very
clever. He does everything so well.
He was graduated at the head of his
class in college and at the law school
Not that he is a bookworm or grind
or anything like that; he goes in for
athletics He has taken lot Of cham
pion prizes at tennis and golf and IS
considered the best billiard player in
his club" -,l
"An Admirable Crichton," I put in.
"a what?" Js.a.. .. ',...a~ .et
did you never hear of the Scotch
man Of that name who q couple Of
hundred years or 80. ago could out
jump, soutfence, outride any other man
in the world ?"
I felt much irritated ut this fellow
who was standing between me and q
very pretty girl and i suppose my
words and the tone in which they were
spoken indicated a desire to make a
supposititfous case real one. Miss
Harley made, no further remark, and,
looking at her face, / saw faint
smile, which interpreted as indicat-
ing something between pity and con-
tempt for one who even limited that
he might in any respect down this re-
markable friend of hers. b
There was a little room in Mrs.
Swinburne's house off the dining room
containing writing desk and NATE
rails for correspondence. I went in
there one morning to write letter,
and there on the desk was q sheet of
note paper with the following words
on it:
Dear Alonzo-When are you coming
We have no end of things to do when you
arrive which We are keeping till YOU
. The note stopped here. It had evi-!
IDENTIFY been left by mistake. Looking
down into a wastebasket beside the
desk, saw an envelope addressed to
Alonzo l.. Starkweather, no North
Walnut street. This, too, was unfn-
ished, but Miss Harley had told me
the city which her admirable friend
honored by his presence, and l was
thus led to believe that the unfinished
letter had been intended for him. q.
If she is too modest to send for her
paragon, thought, will help her
out. wished to get sight Of one who
was fast :, becoming my rival, for,
though I did not know 1t, was fall
ing in love with Miss Harley. I con-
Guided to send the note to Mr.. Stark.
weather, unfinished as it was. Doubt
less he would understand that he was
pined for, but the piner was too modest
to tell him SO. There were some en-,
velopes in the desk with the Swim
burne address on the corner, and put
the unfinished note in one Of them,
addressed and mailed it. This was
something had no right to do, but
was mad with love and jealousy and
scarcely responsible.
Miss Harley over her friends accom-
plishments, to let of my ire walked
into the village. While there I drop
ped into the postofice for the mail.
was handed the letter had mailed to
Mr. Starkweather, returned with a
carriers mark on 1t, "No such person
there T ~ sSS 49,,
Slowly there came into my stupid
noddle something that was scarcely
credible. Mr.. Starkweather was a
myth. But why had this myth been
conjured up? Was it for my benefit,
and If so why had he been thus in
f1icted upon, me? came to no con-
clusion as to this, but concluded to
conjure up a female myth to match
him. I wrote>a letter to myself and
sent It to town to friend to mail to
me. When received it opened 1t in
Miss Harley's presence, read 1t, put
my hand to my forehead and groaned.
"What's happened?" asked my COM
panion anxiously. sa.a. -.r
"She's very ILL.,"
"Who? Your mother?''
mo" " ...-.-s~ ss.. ~
"Sister?'
mo; a very dear friend"
cast glance out Of the corner Of
my eye at Miss Harley and saw a COM
bination Of emotions.
II must go to her at once" added.
"You have not told me Of this very
dear friend
"You gave me no opportunity. You
were too full of your own dear friend. y
She looked at me inquiringly. then
smiled. NJ ,raH gaa e
"Do you take the next train,
"That depends upon when Mr.. Stark
weather is to arrive" -
"AIr. Starkweather is not coming"
Her smile was broadening.
"In that case would not think Of
going" .....
"Not even to dear friend who is
ill?" a-r
II fear she has passed away. Tue
letter says she was dying when 1t was
v-ritto, - .... ....r-