Page:Elizabeth Jordan--Tales of the city room.djvu/58

 As he read it over before sealing the envelope the closing phrase struck him as beautifully felicitous.

"She 'll see that her being engaged don't make no difference in my feelings," he told himself. Then he pondered for a long time. Finally, as the outcome of his reflections, he betook himself to Mr. Kelly's office, with the inward sentiments of a youthful martyr approaching the stake.

The editor glanced up wearily from the jokes he was reading at the odd little figure which had halted at his desk.

"Who is it?" he asked, extending his hand to receive the card he supposed the boy had brought.

"It's just me," said Chesterfield, elegantly. "I—I—want to speak to you a minute."

"More jokes?" laughed the young man. He liked Chesterfield, as all the editors did. He noticed that the boy looked pale and frightened, and he spoke to him more pleasantly than ever.

"Anything wrong at home?" he asked.

"N—no, sir," said Chesterfield. "It's—it's about that joke I heard you and Mr.