r to write something for our paper, that's how I know. Want
to see?"

I do not set up to be a literary critic, but I guess I know my own
wife's style of composition when I encounter it. During the two years
that we were engaged she lived in Detroit and I in Indiana, and I missed
her letters so much after we were married that to this day she is in the
habit of letting me read those she writes to other people. I was not
going to give her away to that newspaper man, though, for the name "Mary
Gemmell" stared me in the face from the end of each article; but I
remonstrated with Belle when I reached home.

"How could I help it, Dave? There was the girl teasing me to write
something for her because this fellow had asked her to do it. She said I
could scribble down something just as easy as not, and then she could
copy it for him. Copy it! She took hours to do it, and I considered she
deserved all the praise she got for the articles."

"I wouldn't do it again, if I were you. It sets the girl sailing under
false colors."

"Poor Mary! Her one little accomplishment has been of no use to her
since that professional elocutionist came to the hotel, and I hated to
see her cast altogether into the shade, especially while Dolly Martin
was here."

Still there came another production from the pen of Miss Mary Gemmell.

"Really, Belle," said I, "this is carrying the joke too far."

"Don't you worry about it. Some of the old cats at the hotel began to
suspect that Mary hadn't written those things, and accused me to my face
of doing it myself, so I had to write an account of the picnic up the
little lake, because they all know I wasn't there at all!"

"Let this be the last, then."

"It shall, I assure you, for I am much displeased with Mary. Since Mrs.
Martin and Dolly left, she's been going it just as hard as ever with
Lincoln Todd. If you walk up to the Knight Templar's Building I'll
warrant you'll find them there promenading this very minute."

"No, I won't, because I passed them just a little while ago as I came
through the woods, sitting on a secluded bench, his arm round her waist
and her head on his shoulder."

"Didn't they see you?"

"I dare say, but I never let on I saw them. What's the use? I can't be
expected to leave the _Echo_ to my subs, and come down here to play
special policeman to Mary Mason. I should have thought Todd was more of
a gentleman."

"So should I, but I've spoken to him, quarreled with him indeed