FAME!

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 11818, 16 November 1901, Page 3 (Supplement)

FAME!

She knelt at hi 3 feet, and repeated the words slowly and distinctly syllable by syllable : have written the novel of tbe day, I am a famous woman.' He did not even look at her. There was a fly on the wall near, and he watched it intently. She clasped her slender white hands together neivously, she drew near, nearer, till tor breath fanned bis face and half choked with emotion, she again repeated :C I am a famous woman, I have written a book ; a book, do you understand ?' He deigned but a passing glance, anappreciative, uncomprehending, then, closing his eyes yawned repeatedly without" even an outward semblance of interest. Still' in her eagerness shecould not, dUa w<>u!(i not take a repulse. 'Look, here it is,' she cried, and held it np to him. Iv vaiu ; with one tuncti he f-nnt ii flyiag from her haud. 'A i !' she sighed, stooping crrtsnirtllca to ' r«cov-r the volume, 'wikl tie e'vi-r appreciate me?' And she put tier pretty mouth close to his ear, inurQiuuag u«r triumph Into it. He laughed Io her face — even her patience began to diminish. She, the petted, niuch-auihired faanionable litterateur, to megt with such usage on tbe sacreJ threshold of her own home ! What would scores of men have givea to kneel to her — to tonch tne hand he j rejected so lightly ? Dignity reasserted itself ; she stood erect before bim, and r shaking her dainty forefinger in a .vanning manner within an inch of his nosP 9 reiteiated in thrilling tones, 'Nevertheless, lam a famous woman/ Had aha at length touched some slumbering chord iv t'.iat illiterate sonl? His looks became animated— a smile over spread his features. He extended both hands, and havinggrasped her outstretched forefinger, raised it to his open mouth and began to snek it. He was her baby, and he wantel his bottle! ' • _J

Doubtless the smallest iottar in the world was that posted about, two years ago by a clerk to bis dau^ufcar, when, contrary to the emphatic ruie of stickiag the stamp on the letter, the letter had to be attached to the stamp. The envelope was smaller than the statup, and the note-paper mea?ured 2in bj l^in, while nearly 800 words on botte sides of the paper were legibly writteu.