The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1918-05-16
HOW He MET HER
lCopyright, 1917. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate.)
BY ]. n. lie ROY.

Joseph was a very conscientious
young man. AS a boy he had been
known at baseball TO dispute the de-
cision of an umpire in his favor. Even
the ordinary social lines were repel-
liant to him.
With such character there was only
one thing that the young man could
ultimately become.
Shortly after he became a reviewer
Of fiction for the Sun 1t happened that
he met Florence. Florence was jolly
Southern girl, and had at comparative
~ early age been left an orphan. 1t
was shortly after Florence had become
a governess that she and Joseph met.
Her face was wholesome and practical
rather than beautiful. For some weeks
he never told her his love. Then one
afternoon he took her to hear an ora
toriO. 1t may have been the effect Of
the music or of the tea anc toas, at the
Eastman cafe afterward, or of the long
ride to Baltimore over the Washington
pike.
The fact remains that when they
climbed into the touring car he called
her Miss Bordeaux, and when they
parted at the end of the journey he
called her Florence. One night there
was an air of mystery about her.
shortly" she said, ''you will see me
in new light, Joseph"
81 would not have you different,
said Joseph.
EAST side OF Mount Vernon bridge,
about six tomorrow" said Florence.
fright" said Joseph.
The next morning there was brought
to his room a large parcel of novels
from the Sun. He groaned, because
| they meant work, and even the reading
Of novels is not pleasant If you are
| paid for 1t.
He tore his mind away from romance
in real life and settled down to ro-
nance as it Is written, and the very
first volume that he picked up was en-
titled my Love Of Bygone Days." by
Florence Bordeaux. This, then, was
the new light In which Florence was
to appear. She had written a novel
and he was to review 1t.
He wondered If the editor of the Sun
would stand an entire column about
an unknown genius. Joseph almost
regretted that he had discovered three
unknown geniuses the week before; II
was likely to spoil the market.
He noticed the name of the publish
ers with regret. Florence would have
done better to have consulted him
Then he read the book, and buried hi:
face in his hands, for that novel by
Florence Bordeaux was about the mos
putrid thing in fiction that had polluted
his chambers for the last IS months
1t was wrong everywhere; 1t wa:
wrong all through. There is no worse
thing on earth than a bad historical
novel, and this was a very bad his
torical novel.
Here, then, was conflict between low
and duty. Duty was scratched anC
love walked In. By the evening he hat
written a column hailing Florence Bor
deaux as the greatest genius that thu
century had yet seen. But his hear
was broken. For once he had not beer
conscientious. He could not live witt
that stain upon his soul. So he de
termined to meet Florence on Noun
Vernon bridge, take one long, last fare
well, then send off the review and the
leave town and his growing reputation
as a literary critic forever.
Florence was a little late for he
appointment and looked very please
with herself.
"Well," he said, "why did you no
confide in me? Why did you not tel
me you had written a book? Possibl
my practiced judgment might"
"What on earth are you talkin
about? I have not written any bool
I shouldn't be so silly"
"Then some one else with your nam
has"
HAS she? What cheek" She sti
laughed at Joseph, somewhat inquil
ingly. He had an uneasy sense tina
she was expecting him to say some
thing and that he was not saying it.
SWELL" he said, "what did you meal
then, by saying you were going to al
pear in a new light?"
eff you happen to be blind" sh
answered rather snappishly, Il can
give you new eyesp
'Don't be cross, dear. Let's sect
the same jacket you always wear, an
the same skirt"
"Oh, don't bother. I've got my ha
/. done differently, and I've got a ne
hat. I don't want to talk about 1t.
you take no interest in my appearanc
there's no more to be said"
The rest of his interview with Flo
ence was far more pleasant. But j
seph's column review Of the novel |
her namesake was reduced to two lin,
on the subject Of literary rubbish.
And he was still conscientious.