Cleveland County Leader (Lexington, Okla. Terr.), Vol. 8, No. 43, Ed. 1 Saturday, July 22, 1899 Page: 3 of 8
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Oklahoma Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Gateway to Oklahoma History by the Oklahoma Historical Society.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
CHAPTER I.
"A lady to see you, sir. She asked
for your uncle, sir, but I told her he
•was out of tQwn, and then she said
you'd do, sir." /
"It was a great condescension on
her part, Smiles. What might be her
age, do you think, Smiles?"
"Her age, sir?"
"Yes; I really don't feel inclined to
be bothered by seeing anybody. I'm
in beastly temper this morning—ask
the office boy if I'm not. So would any
man be if he was tied to a London of-
fice in August—and such an August
as this! I'm pretty comfortable just
at this minute, without my coat and
waistcoat. If I see the lady, I shall
have to put them on. Query—Is the
lady worth the trouble? That's what I
want to ascertain."
"Well, sir, she's young—very young,
as you might, say, sir."
"And what's she like to look at,
Smiles?" -
"Well, sir, I can't say she's much to
look at. No, I can't go as far as that,"
said Smiles, rather ruefully, scratching
the top of his bald head. "She's rather
—shabby, sir. Not good-looking."
"Well, perhaps she'll improve when
she's old enough to know better. I
suppose I must see her. You show her
In, Smiles, in exactly five minutes
from now—neither more nor less. Do
you hear? The lady's plainness is
forgiven on the score of youth and in-
experience. I'll see her in five min-
utes."
"Yes, sir."
Left to himself, Mr. Martineau
stretched his long legs, and sighed,
with his face turned to the ceiling.
"It's a pretty dear price to pay for a
junior partnership," he said; "to be
in London this hot weather, while the
old gentleman is enjoying himself in
the land o' cakes; but I suppose, after
all, I am a lucky dog, and musn't quar-
rel with my bread and butter." Here
he rose, and stretched an unwilling
arm toward his waistcoat. "Septem-
ber will soon be here," he reflected
more cheerfully, "and then hey for
Clarisdale and Lady Mildred!"
Punctually at the expiration of the
five minutes Smiles opened the door,
s;tau ,"'u ,bo"'yo"' IS PROMPTLY ON TIME
A faint smile of amusement hovered
about his lips as his eyes rested upon
the lady client. \
She was small as well as young—
might be described, in fact, as petite,
She was undeniably shabby. Her hat
might have cost a shilling, and was
trimmed with a plain bow of ribbon.
Her dress was of cheap dark-colored
cotton, and considerably the worse for
wear. Her gloves were cotton, too;
but her collar was as white as snow,
and her skin as fresh and clear as if
she had never been within reach of
London smoke.
As she raised a pair of large, dark
eyes to those of the junior partner a
sudden change swept over his face—
a fleeting expression, such as a man
might wear to whom, in the midst of
comfort and luxury, came a disagreea-
ble reminder of the existence of pover-
ty and want. The next moment he
was offering her a seat and inquiring
politely in what way he could serve
her.
The lady client sat down. Mr. Mar-
tineau's own seat was placed so that
his back was to the light; it suited him
better to observe than to be observed.
His visitor c-ompressed her pretty lips
in a strong effort to be solemn, and
demanded:
"Are you Mr. Martineau?"
"I am—entirely at your service."
"Mr. Leroy is away?"
"In Scotland."
"I am very sorry for that," she said
earnestly.
"So am I, if it gives you inconven-
ience," asserted Mr. Martineau; "but I
am his partner—can't I do something
for you? I will endeavor to compen-
sate for lack of capacity by extra dili-
j gence."
| "You must know," she said after an-
| other short pause, during which she
i seemed to be making up her mind, "it
| is a very difficult task that I have to
j set you. I want you to tell me who
! I am!"
"Ah—really," returned the young
melancholy nod of the head, "really,
you know, I'm afraid I can't rvblige you
there!"
"Did you ever hear of anything so
ridiculous?" she said, laughing. "Have
"Oh, you don't understand at all!
she exclaimed with conviction. "The
affair is by no means so simple as all
that. I wonder"—she put her head on
one side and looked wistfully at him—
"I wonder if I might tell you all
about It?"
"Smiles was a fool when he said she
was nothing to look at," Inwardly com-
mented Mr. Martineau. "I never saw
such a pretty mouth in my life! - ioud
he added: "I shall be only too grateful
if you will so far honor me."
"It will take some time," she said,
doubtfully; "and suppose, after all, I
have troubled you for nothing?"
"How could that be?"
"Well," she answered, blushing and
laughing, "It is best to be quite frank.
I'll tell you what I mean. 1 have been
saving up money for a long time for
this purpose, and supposing, when I
have done my story, you find that to
do what I want you to do will cost
more money than I have to spend, will
you tell me so, please? I know so lit-
tle about the law, and so forth."
"Certainly I will tell you; but If you
merely want a will searched for, I can
assure you "
"I keep on telling you that you don't
understand!" she cried, impatiently.
"Let me tell you all about it."
"I am all attention; but, before you
commence, would it greatly inconven-
ience you to tell me who you at present
Imagine yourself to be, or, if you have
no ideas upon the subject, under what
title do you choose at present to be
known?"
"Yes," she rejoined, "1 will tell you
what I am called—Marguerite Lll-
bourne; but whether that is my real
name or not I cannot tell you. I do
not think It is?"
"Why not?" he asked, with a sudden
start.
"I will tell you—I am just going to
begin."
"Thanks. All I have to suggest is
that you begin at the beginning, and
that you don't attempt to tell me more
than one thing at a time. I know you
will excuse me, but even ladies are
mortal, and have their besetting sins,
among which is usually the total in-
ability to tell a story. Try to prove
yourself an exception to the rule."
The lady client was offended. She
took up her umbrella and rose.
"I am a novice in the art of narra-
tion," she said, with a haughtiness
which he did not expect from her, "and
I might irritate your high strung
nerves. I had better wish you good-
morning, and will only trouble you
to tell me when you expect Mr. Leroy
home."
Col on al Imposition at Omaha Ready for
Visitors on Opening Day.
THOUSANDS VISIT GIUAT SHOW
A Grand Street ragcant Marches
Through Streets of City and Into the
Exposition Grounds—A Great and En-
thusiastic Gathering o." Independence
Day.
of remarkable set-pieces have been
prepared which will illustrate some of
the principal events of the late war.
Horse races by electric light, and
ghost dances by half-civilized Indians,
and scores of other attractions will be
seen, leaving little or nothing to ba
desired in this line.
The widespread interest which the
Indian congress aroused st the expo-
sition of 1898 has induced he manage-
ment of the Greater America enter-
prise to give this feature a prominent
place in the list of attractions. Ar-
rangements have been made to secure
a large encampment of Indians from
all the various tribes of the great
west, and assurances have been ro-
THE LADY CLIENT WAS OFFENDED. SHE TOOK UP HER UMBRELLA
AND ROSE.
and ushered in the lady client. She
wag received by a young man of stern,
business-like aspect, irreproachably at-
tired, who bowed with gravity and po-
liteness, while his rather cold gray
eyes inspected the little figure before
him with a swift scrutiny. His eyes
■were deeply set beneath overhanging
brows, which gave rather a repellant
look to the fact—a look that would
convince a keen observer that he was
a man who kept his own secrets. His
fair mustache was not long, but thick;
his hair was also' fair, and he was
ullghtly bald above the forehead. His
complexion was fair and clear, his
nose straight and well-formed; ljls
air was that of a thorough man of the
■world, with every now and then a
(suggestion of boredom. He had no
outward characteristic that would jus-
tify one in putting him down as an
attractive man, yet the impression
miade by Mr. Martineau at first sight
■was nearly always favorable; he con-
■veyed tho id*u of being a cultivated
man, an.'* was almost invariably an
pgreeaU.) companion.
you ever thought how remarkably
queer you would feel if you didn't
know who you were?"
"I'm afraid I've never thought of
such a thing," he admitted, almost
with reluctance. "It seems rather like
a nightmare, doesn't it?"
"That's exactly what it is like," she
said; "only a nightmare which lasts
for years is exceptionally trying. I
feel as If I should like to wake up
now! I thought that Mr. Leroy, might
be able_ to wake me." There was a
touch of rueful melancholy in the last
words.
"If you won't consider my curiosity
Impertinent," said Mr. Martineau, with
infinite solemnity, "may I ask in what
manner you thought he would set
about It?"
"He made my father's will," ex-
plained the lady client, "and I thought
he might In consequence be able to
tell me my father's name,"
"I admit the extreme probability of
your theory," returned the young man;
"but—forgive my obtusenesa—If you
are sure of your father's Identity,
CHAPTER II.
The young man was delighted with
this little ebullition. Ho was now ab-
solutely resolved not to part with her
until he was obliged.
"I am an unlucky fellow to be mis-
understood," he replied. "I meant to
convey to you a delicate hint that the
longer you talked the more I should
be pleased, but you turned my mean-
ing upside down. Do forgive me and
sit down again! I shall be quite dis-
appointed if you go," he went on, as
she hesitated. "You surely won't
make it such a serious matter? I was
half in joke, and thought you appreci-
ated the humor of the situation."
"I was very silly to take offense,"
said the lady client with decision.
"Now I will sit down and tell you all
about it; but really I thought you felt
me an infliction. It is very warm, you
know."
"It is; but this old office keeps pret-
ty cool. It is dark and low."
He rose and lowered the Venetian
blind, then resumed his §eat with an
attitude of deep attention,
"Now, Miss Liibourne."
"Ah, I wish I were certain that it
is 'Miss!' she lamented. "That is one
of the things that I don't know!"
He raised eyes to hers with another
strange, furtive look.
"Oh," he said, "you do not even
know whether you are married or sin-
gle?"
"Not tho least in the world!" she
said, shaking her head and laughing.
"The plot thickens," said Mr. Mar-
tineau. "Please proceed to explain."
"The first place that I can remem-
ber," said Marguerite Liibourne, "is a
French convent. It was very happy
there. The nuns made much of nle;
the sun used always to shine—at least,
I cannot remember any wet days but
one. They called me always Bebe or
La Petite—I never knew any other
name. «
"They taught me to read and write,
but I do not remember once writing my
natae. No letters ever reached me;
childlike, I expected none. I knew of
no world beyond tho convent gates.
There were no children there except
me. I never wondered, how ^ came
there-"-lt was home—It had always
been so. I believe they told me that I
was an orphan, but for me the word
Uad no meaning—I had no desire for a
father and mother, because, in my ex-
perience, there were no such things.
(To bo continued.)
The more a man gets the more he
wants, and the more he wants the
more ho doesn't get.
The first Greater America Colonial
Exposition was duly inaugurated on
the morning of July 1, when a grand
street pageant marched through the
streets of Omaha and out to the beau-
tiful grounds, where the formal exer-
cises were held. Large crowds of vis-
itors aro daily testifying to the suc-
cess achieved and are paying deserved
compliments to the magnificent results
achieved. The buildings are rapidly
filling with a splendid collection of ex-
hibits and a large force of men aro
working day and night to put ex-
hibits in place. The ground decora-
tions are far mo're beautiful than those
of last year and nothing is lacking to
please, instruct and entertain those
who visit the great Exposition.
The agricultural feature of the
Greater America Exposition is re-
ceiving much more than the usual at-
tention accorded this department at
expositions. Instead of the bronze
medal and silver cup the exposition
management has decided to pay cash
premiums to all counties that make a
creditable showing of farm products.
In order that the spirit of this enter-
prise be of recognized value to exhib-
itors there has been set aside $20,000
to be divided into twenty-five prizes,
to be awarded to the twenty-five coun-
ties scoring the highest in quality of
collective exhibits. These prizes are
graduated from four hundred to one
thousand dollars each. In addition to
the above there Is an additional pro-
vision for all other counties making
displays, which is, that no county shall
receive less than two hundred dollars
cash award if Us display is of recog-
nized merit.
The importance of a large and full
display of agricultural products is rec-
ognized by every one at all famiiiar
S dL
t
i
ADMINISTRATION ARCH.
ceived that the Indians themselves are
greatly interested and that many noted
chiefs and warriors will be here. Tha
great war chief Red Cloud and his fam-
ily will attend, and a brass band of
Indian boys, the finest musical organ-
ization in the southwest, is now here
and will furnish music for the braves-
Village life and customs will be faith-
fully shown, and the war dances and
religious ceremonies of tho several
tribes will be enacted. This congress
of red men will be an interesting and'
V?' 1
v1 \
EAST END GRAND COURT.
with American conditions, and the
Greater America Exposition manage-
ment is determined to bring this show
up to the demands of public opinion
in every respect.
All counties in the United States are
invited and solicited to make a dis-
play, no charge being made for space
in the agricultural building, and
every assistance possible being oc-
corded exhibitors in getting their ex-
hioits In place.
The amusement features surpass
those of last year, both in point of
numbers and in the qualily of the at-
tractions. The Midway is, as usual,
fantastic, unreal, and bizarre, and yet,
withal, instructive and entertaining.
The principal features of tho Trcins-
Mississippi are seen, but there aro nu-
merous new attractions of more than
ordinary interest. Among the latter
will be a Filipino village, with a num-
ber of native men, women and child-
ren, in their native costumes, and
showing the habits, ceremonies, and
instructive feature, and its like will
probably not be seen for many years
to come, if ever again. It will afford
an opportunity for ethnological st<idy,
not to be lightly passed by.
One of the crowning features of the
exposition will be the electrical Il-
lumination. Tfie display of last year
was conceded to be the most effective
ever arranged, and that has been vast-
ly improved upon. The exposition will
be grand and beautiful by day, but
when darkness spreads its sable wings
then will a fairy city spring into txls-
tence, each outline defined, each tow-
er and minaret clear cut and brilliant
with myriad flashing stars of chang-
ing, shimmering lights. Last year 30,-
000 electric lights were used in tha
illumination of the court of honor;
this summer 45,000 lights will flash
and gleam from cornice and from arch,
from balustrade to lofty spire, from
pillared colonnade to gilded dome
reared high in air.
The splendid electrical fountain at
A ;Jf,
1
rrf -
COLONIAL EXIIIB ITS BUILDINC
every day life of the people. Their
huts will lie exact reproductions of
those found about Manila and the na-
tive animals, tropical plants, and agri-
cultural Implements, will here bo
found. There are also Ci:l:an villages,
Hawaiian villages, and natives of Por-
to Rico, with dancing girls and all that
goes to show the daily life and habits
of these people. There Is a reproduc-
tion of tho famous Morro Castle at
Havana, scenic theaters, streets of all
nations, and all the various attractions
which go to make up that great amuse-
ment resort known as the Midway.
Other amusement features aro mag-
nificent displays- of fireworks, which
are to excel the exhibition of last year
and which will be one of the most
beautiful, unique and novel attiae-
tlons of the exposition. I he heavens
will bo lighted up with these dazz'ing
displays of colored fire, and a series
the western end of the lagoon will lie
a veritable rainbow of changing lights,
now clearest white like showers of dia-
monds, now shell rose to softest green
and then from sprays and showers of
crimson to all the colors of the ruin-
bow mingled, shifting, changing, a
dream of fleeting beauty. Around the
• 'Oilrt, gardens of tropical plants will
bloom by day and blossom In yet more
brilliant hues by night. Over 8,000
lights, clustered and colored to reore-
■ent the full-blown flowers, win light
the foliage and give the effect of fairy
gardens the like of which has never
been equaled or approached. Con-
cealed lights will throw into bold relief
each group and figure of statuary up-
on the buildings.
Upon the Midway there will no sys-
tem or plan of lighting, but each con-
cession will rival Its neighbor in th«
brilliance of the electrical display.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Lydick, J. D. Cleveland County Leader (Lexington, Okla. Terr.), Vol. 8, No. 43, Ed. 1 Saturday, July 22, 1899, newspaper, July 22, 1899; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc108979/m1/3/: accessed April 23, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.