Then she laughed. "Is that the way
you get your contributors?"
"Often, as the spider said to the fly," grinned Banneker the shameless.
"Take a thousand words or more and let us have your picture."
"No. Not that. I've seen my friends' pictures too often in your society
columns. By the way, how comes it that a paper devoted to the interests
of the common people maintains that aristocratic feature?"
"Oh, the common people eat it alive. Russell Edmonds is largely
responsible for keeping it up. You should hear his theory. It's
ingenious. I'll send for him."
Edmonds, who chanced to be at his desk, entered the editorial den with
his tiny pipe between his teeth, and, much disconcerted at finding a
lady there, hastily removed it until Miss Van Arsdale suggested its
restitution.
"What? The society page?" said he. "Yes; I was against dropping it. You
see, Miss Van Arsdale, I'm a Socialist in belief."
"Is there a pun concealed in that or are you serious, Mr. Edmonds?"
"Serious. I'm always that on the subjects of Socialism and The Patriot."
"Then you must explain if I'm to understand."
"By whom is society news read? By two classes," expounded the veteran;
"those whose names appear, and those who are envious of those whose
names appear.
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