-mmmmmmmmmmm
"Have Duryea & Nevis changed
their minds and sent me the first
prize?" he inquired, with a laugh
somewhat bitter.
"I hate Duryea & Nevis," burst
forth his irrepressible little friend.
' "Hoity-toity!" voiced Roscoe, "you
couldn't hate anybody."
"I do them!" vociferated Shirley
spicily. "I've left them, and I'm glad.
I wouldn't go back and work for
them for $100 a week."
"Why?"
"Because they wronged you. Mr.
Woods decided on your novel as win
ning the first prize. Mr. Duryea has
a relative who tries to write. He in
sisted on giving him the prize. Mr.
Woods simply resigned. He said he
wouldn't stay with a firm that used
such tactics. He has a better position
with Doans & Co., took your man
uscript with him, showed it to Mr.
Doane, and you'll get a letter in the
morning offering you $2,000 for the
novel and asking you to write two
more a year. There! I oughtn't to
have given away business secrets,
but I just couldn't help coming and
telling you."
Roscoe had to drop to a chair, too,
at this bewildering shock. It chanced
to be near that in which Shirley was
seated. There were real tears in his
eyes now. He groped for her hand.
She surrendered it willingly.
"Shirley," he Uttered brokenly, "it
doesn't seem true $2,000, a start in
life; oh, my dear! my dear! share it
with me."
"You mean?"
"As the real first prize of all my
wife."
TODAY IN ILLINOIS HISTORY
Feb. 21, 1824. Meeting of the citi
zens of Randolph county favorable
to a convention was held at the
courthouse in the town of Kaskaskia,
on Saturday, Feb. 21. Capt. Stace.
McDonough was appointed chairman
and James Morrison, secretary. Sid
ney Breese, Esq., explained the ob
ject of the meeting and made some
pertinent remarks on the important
question before the people. On mo
tion, a committee of five persons was
appointed by the chairman to draft
an address to the people of Illinois,
expressive of the sense of this meet
ing with regard to the question of a
convention.
WILL LEAD WOMEN IN BIG
VOTE PLEA
fe- '"infill '
More than 1,000 women seeking
the vote are preparing to mobilize
at Washington, under the leadership
of Miss Morey of Boston, to demon
strate the greatest plea for suffrage
ever staged at the capitaL The
women will come from all over the
country, beginning March 1, and will
represent all ranks of life.
o o
Delicately flavored tea is packed
and compressed by the bare feet of
Chinese damsels.