The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-12-03

I think it was easier for him to work
with me tumbling beside him: first-class
nonsense does q great deal OF good
sometimes!
The matinee crowd stopped as they
went and as they came home, and
bought good many little things. but
among the first people who came after
dinner was shabby man with gray
hair and a sharp, thin face. who strayed
along the street as if he hadn't any
thing to do, and yet wanted to do some
thing. 1 think if he passed the stand
once he passed it ten times; then he
asked my master how I worked, and
my master told him "wlth spring"
but very shortly, for think he did not
like the mans looks. He spoke pleas
antly enough, thought, and by and by
stationed himself in doorway near by,
and kept looking at me from under his
eyebrows and biting his lip. think
my master had q notion that this idle
man might steal me, and was relieved
presently when he saw pleasant-look-
ing lady recognize the shabby fellow as
she came out of the book store. She
shook hands with him. too. she did.
that lady; remember seeing that her
glove was ripping. How are you get
ting on these days, Jem?" she said, in
a nice, bright voice.
'.Not SO very well. Miss Ellen" he
answered.
''Not out of work again. hope?''
mo. not quite; but only half-work,
and that makes it hard to pay the
rent
Miss Ellen looked sober. "Half-
work is hard, Jem; no one knows that
better than l Just now. People haven't
much money to spend for pictures,
and don't know that they ought to
have; but it is hard on us who paint
them.n
Jem listened respectfully, but as if he
only took part of it in, and Miss Ellen
gave little Jump, as if she had been
talking to herself. '.But what about
the new invention, Jem?''
Jem's face lighte up. ''rve worked
at it good deal, Miss Ellen; I've more
time for it than l wish l had! And
was just wondering now how it would
do to run it by a spring, like that fellow
there" pointing to me.
81 don't know; would the spring have
enough power?''
THAT'S what can't tell till reckon
it out, ma am" said Jem; and when
1 was on my feet and not on my head
I could see how bright his face was.
''But, you see, if the Wheel and then
came a long discourse about wheels and
pinions and cogs, which don't believe
Miss Ellen understood. for all she list
ened so patiently. You know most
women hate machines; it is all they
can do to keep the clock wound up-and
then some OF them aoiU turn the hands
back whenever they please! But it
didn't matter to Jem so long as he had a
listener; I've seen the same thing since
in that young engineer that our Miss
Jenny is going to marry. And then,
too, between turns, began to see that
she was looking at Jem in a queer sort
of way. At first she had thought
about him, and not his looks; and now
the looks were foremost, and she pulled
out little square, white thing and a
pencil and began making marks, signing
to Jem to 60 on telling her about his
continuance.
"Now, if the spring can make the
figure turn over that bar and back
again, why couldn't a stronger one give
the same motion?' Jem was saving,
when up came a gentleman and the
dearest little girl I ever saw; such a
her, and she lost her hear. to me.
"Oh-h, papa, isn't he just elesant?"
and she jumped up and down, holding
her fathers hand. OF course did my
very best tumbling then, and she
laughed so that every one about laughed
too, and her father couldn't keepa very
straight face when he tried to quiet her.
Then the chestnut-boy gave a chuckle
and everybody laughed again, except
Miss Ellen, who was busy with her
paper, and looked as if she didn't have
time for fun just then; but she had to
stop in moment. for the gentleman
her.
"Street studies, Nelly?' he said,
looking over her shoulder. I found out
afterward they were old friends.
She laughed and hushed, and showed
him her paper.
"Capital!'' said he. "Capital! Little
Mans fine portrait hasn't as much of
her real self; but the others?''
She spoke quick and low and I saw
him glance at the chestnut-boy and the
man in the doorway. who was looking
at me harder than ever.
"Well," he said at last, "when you
work up that sketch let me know. If
like it finished as well as do out
lined, I'll give you two prices for it
one for Mans likeness and one for the
whole picture. Is it 3 bargainP'
Miss Ellen laughed and shook her
head. "No, for should always fear
that you would want to run when you
eow r ond fhot.won1d rnoLo INV f;nnoro