Mr. Walter sat in his office, looking over the morning mail. "I wonder
is this from 'Floy'?" he said, as he examined a compact little package.
"It bears the right post-mark, and the handwriting is a lady's. A
splendid hand it is, too. There's character in that hand; I hope 'tis
'Floy's.'"
Mr. Walter broke the seal, and glancing at a few sentences, turned
to the signature. "Yes, it is 'Floy'! now for a revelation." He then
commenced perusing the letter with the most intense interest. After
reading the first page his eye began to flash, and his lip to quiver.
"Poor girl--poor girl--heartless creatures--too bad--too bad," and other
exclamations rather too warm for publication; finishing the letter and
refolding it, he paced the room with a short, quick step, indicative of
deep interest, and determined purpose. "It is too bad," he exclaimed;
"shameful! the whole of it; and how hard she has worked! and what a
pitiful sum those fellows pay her! it is contemptible. She has about
made The Standard; it never was heard of to any extent before she
commenced writing for it. It is perfectly outrageous; she shall not
write for them another day, if I can help it! I will make her an offer
at once. She will accept it; and then those Jews will be brought to
their senses. Ha! ha! I know them! They will want to get her back; they
will write to me about it, or at least Lescom will. That will give me a
chance at him; and if I don't tell him a few truths in plain English, my
name is not John Walter." Then seating himself at his desk, Mr. Walter
wrote the following letter to 'Floy':
"DEAR SISTER RUTH,--If you will permit me to be so brotherly. I
have received, read, and digested your letter; how it has affected
me I will not now tell you. I wish to say, however, that on reading
that portion of it which relates to the compensation you are now
receiving, my indignation exhausted the dictionary! Why, you poor,
dear little genius! what you write for those two papers is worth,
to the proprietors, ten times what they pay you. But I will not
bore you with compliments; I wish to engage you to write for the
Household Messenger, and here is my offer: you to write one article
a week, length, matter and manner, to your own fancy; I to pay you
----, the engagement to continue one year, during which time you
are not to write for any other periodical, without my consent. My
reason for placing a limitation to our engagement is, that you may
be able to take advantage at that time of better offers, which you
will undoubtedly have.
"I enclose duplicates, of a contract, which, if the terms suit, you
will please sign and return one copy _by the next mail_; the other
copy you will keep. Unless you accept my offer by return of mail it
will be withdrawn. You may think this exacting; I will explain it
in my next to your satisfaction. Most truly your friend,
"JOHN WALTER."
This letter being despatched, thanks to the post-office department,
arrived promptly at its destination the next morning.
Ruth sat with Mr. Walter's letter in her hand, thinking. "'If you do not
accept my offer by return of mail, it will be withdrawn.' How exacting!
'the explanation of this to be given in my next letter,' ah, Mr. John
Walter, I shall not have to wait till then," soliloquized Ruth; "I can
jump at your reason; you think I shall mention it to Mr. Lescom, and
that then he will interfere, and offer something by way of an equivalent
to tempt me to reject it; that's it, Mr. John Walter! This bumping round
the world has at least sharpened my wits!" and Ruth sat beating a tattoo
with the toe of her slipper on the carpet, and looking very profound
and wise. Then she took up the contract and examined it; it was brief,
plain and easily understood, _even by a woman_, as the men say. "It is a
good offer," said Ruth, "he is in earnest, so am I; it's a bargain."
Ruth signed the document.