The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-12-19

1870 yooA iASiu al ~
point of view" said the youth, meekly;
but when you've a soul, and when YOU
soul mounts beyond the office stool,
where are you then?"
He waved his hand descriptively, as
it were, of an aerial flight; his nails
were inky and very long.
We'll, I don't know" said I, "but
hadn't you better-"
But he had risen, and hurriedly com
menced undoing the brown paper, with
drawing from it about fifty sheets OF
fooiscap, well written over.
"Listen!" he cried oracularly, and
slowly recited as follows:
Hail! cold, unfeeling orb, tho thy bright ray
Mocks the absorbing madness Of my soul!
Soon, soon thy last quarter will draw nigh;
But sooner still for me the funeral bell shall
"That's the opening lines," said he
''the ne1t"-
my. friend" I said, 81 am afraid
you will find the public hard to satisfy
you must look for disappointment"
"That's all I look for, sir" he inter-
rupted. "tllat and an early grave" he
added, with q certain air of satisfaction.
And as mother and father aren't US
we'll off as they were, / daresay there
won't even be a recordin' marble to tell
the world that Cincinnatus Maudle lies
below-but that's of no consequence"
He sighed.
aren't you a little out of health ?"
l asked at this point.
ooh, yes, sir" he smiled. "I'm
1ourneying to the tomb. I've no sort of
a doubt about it myself, but the cold
world will pass needless by and think
nothing of it. The worlds so very
%sublunary! Don't you tnd it SO, sir 2"
well, yes; ! suppose it is that" I
said, never having had cause to doubt
it as a fact. Eyes, I suppose it is. But
now let me advise YOU as q friend"
He looked up sol =.
Il knew you wou l." he cried; that's
just it, you Will assist me, and I'll step
up of evenings aud we'll go through it
together Gradual like. Yes 1 felt sure
you'd be the friend to do it; when
mother said, Gin, that's our first floor
going out I felt as if I could open
my heart to you like o brother: I Gid
indeed, sir"
"Look here" I said, when he paused
and shook bnck the excited w1sp of
whitey-brown hair, with joyful vehe-
mence; Look here. I'll let you know
when to bring it up. The fact is, I'm
awfully busy justnow; I haven't a minute
to spare for study or the delights of the
muse"
L smiled grimly as I almost pushed
him out of the door, bearing his precious
brown paper parcel, and overwhelming
me with undeserved thanks. lnwardlv
| resolved never to have five minutes
leisure to listen to those revelations to
the moon" which would %henceforth
haunt my waking and sleeping hours even
should the meek Cincinnatus sink into
his early grave the sooner for lack of
b%rotherly sympathy.
The next morning, when 1 entered
my sitting-room, Sophronisba Ann was
there, a little belated, I concluded, as
she was finishing the operation of dust
ing. which l never observed to produce
much result. Something in the street
had caught the damsel's notice. for she
did not observe my entrance, as she
stood with her hands on her hips, the
buster hanging idly by her side; her
mouth open, and %vacantly fixed eyes;
the refractory hair-pins in open rebel
lion, and stray wisps and tails of HAIR
%obtruding where they were off duty;
while the hooks and eyes at va
rance completed the effect of the bulgv
lines of Sophonisba AIMS figure before
limited at.
Now it happened that 1 was engaged
in making a series of sketches for d
comic journal, and %Sophonisba Ann, as
she now stood, was the very model I
wanted for one ofthem. The opportunity
was too good to be lost. T seized paper
and pencil.
Cone moment, my good grill" I cried.
Stay as you are; oblige me by not
moving"
OF course she did not stay "as she
was" but nearly enough so to enable
me to throw o. paper the outline which
had caught my fancy.
"Thanks-that will d." I said as
blandly as I could.
She simpered and actully forgot to
snifile.
LA, sir! whatever could you take
me like this for?" she cried at last. If
I'd only been in my afternoon frock, at
least, and done my hnir up a bit tidy
if you had told me; but Ia! now"
Don't name it," l said; "Td rather
not, In fact. l wanted you just as you
are"
The next evening Mrs. Maudle came
up a smiling-yes, actually smiling!-I
with q cheerful serenity, if not q little
excitement in her demeanor, as she
placed before me q Photographic like
ness of Sophronisba Ann.
(which Maudle and me, sir, couldn't
hear of your putin up with such a
sketch like, all of q hurry; and being
as u girl wasn't tidied up, as she'd q
wished, in course, so Sophronisba AIMS
been and had this took at Mr.. Daubley's
round the corner, if you'll accept it;
and I'm SUR a good hearted, well-dis-
posed gurl is my girl, though / say it,
and not took up with follies like some,
and that ste ady, almost too steady for
her station in life, as her father tells
her; and I'm sure both her father and
me-but there, sir, when you're a par
emit you'll know what a parents %feelin's
are"
All this was said in one breath, with
out any pause whatever. l sat Devil
dered, wondering if it would be unpar-
donably rude to reject the offer of a
lady's portrait, and what 1 could say in
excuse.
I'm afraid,"I began, you're very
kind-the fact isl think I didn't make
myself quite understood"
ooh, yes, sir, you did. Pray don't
name it. You was all q gentleman
should be; and Maudle and me are
proud"-here Mrs. Maudle, without
proceeding further, conveyed herself
down stairs in a tremulous condition
hetwaan taars and an,;lae fhot fairly