The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1886-02-06
MOD BANGS.

An Evil Intent Thwarted, and a
Noble Deed Inspired.
Anywhere else she would have been
called Maud, but Smoketon people were too
busy making money to pay proper atten-
zion to dipthongs, 90 to them she was
simply Mod.
Smoketon was not 90 large place as one
might imagine from the mere number of its
factories. It crawied along in q blacky
unwholesome manner, upon the banks of
one Of the loveliest rivers In the world, to
very unfair length, but was In parts
scarcely more than half mile wide, being
shut In on the east by beautiful rolling
green hills, over which It had made q
grimy and Intellectual effort to climb
Among these hills flowed swift, clear
mountain streams, doubling and winding
many times on their way to the great
river, to which, when the snow melted in
brought larger tribute than was quite
convenient.
It was indeed q beautiful country.
Champ Preston said In his languid way,
when he visited the place, that the part of
Smoketon which the Lord made was q per-
feet success, adding that he had never
visited . town where the people so bowed
down 70 money and possessed so little Of it
themselves, for there were no millionaires
In Smoketon.
Mods surname was Bangs, the vowel OF
which ives - unduly prolonged by the
Smoketouians a. her dipthong was unjustly
shortened. There was nothing visibly
heroic about Mod. She was the eldest
daughter of Smoketon operative, teach
ing in Room No. g Ward eleven, of the
Smoketon Public Schools. She was small
and slender, awkward in person and move
ments, with . protruding forehead, life-
less-looking sandy hair, and small, dull,
unexpressive eyes. She was also an en-
thusiast In her profession, and had dim
longfnRs after Couture" and cravings for
"sweetness and light" Above ali she
cherished Q romance and worshiped hero.
Stephen Dare was not at all bad fellow,
especially In his own opinion. He was q
handsome young giant, with . frank,
merry face, usually obscured by cloud OF
SCOT; for Stephen, though only twenty five,
was . "boss" at Browns mill, the largest
nail-mill in Smoketon. He was well of,
too-wealthv for place whose richest men
only counted by tens Of thousands; 20 it is
not wonderful, perhaps, that he was much
Rcteo0 0uQ BkOllcQ ny bu0 6IUOk0lOu IA8Be0,
even though his "schooling" had scarcely
passed beyond an elementary knowledge
Of 1.-THE three Rs"
Stephen and Mod had toddled about in
each others company when both of them
wore dresses; they had been deskmates
during the boys brief experience Of school
life, and had confided their joys and sor-
rows each to the other, though Mod was
rather the better listener. The Eleventh
ward school house was on Stephens direct
way homo from work, and as Mod always
remained there. until six o'clock to study,
Stephen had got into the habit of calling
for her. and thence one September after
noon they were walking home together
when they first saw Myra Tracy.
Stephens hands were In his pockets, his
shoulders well squared under the shabby
old coat, and bis full breadth Of chest dis
played In it's garniture OF blue checked
shirt; he was whistling under his breath,
and his chin, dark with SCOT and Q three
days growth of beard, was carried proudly
In the air. Mods eyes were red from ct
of weeping into which she had been be-
trayed ct the close of one of those DAYS
which come to every teacher, when the
thing and everybody. She wore . faded
pink bingham and carried . dilapidated
lunch basket in her gloveless hand. In
this guise they turned . corner and came
suddenly upon lady in deeps mourning
who was gazing around her In perplexity.
She was tall, slender and exquisiteIy
graceful, with q wild-rose complexion and
large, pathetic gray eyes, from which, as
straight into Stephens heart.
excuse me" she said, In low, musical
tones, but wonder II you can direct me
az. =. Tracy, of Browns Millsn asked
Mod, a. Stephen, without even the presence
of mind to remove his hat, could only ram
his hands further into his pockets and stare
In silence.
The faintest possible smile wavered
around Myra Tracy's beautiful mouth a.
she bowed In silence.
20, then, L. 8. Tracy lives on the next
street to this. Your nearest way will be
TO cross the railroad and 60 up the Hill
through that alley BY the carpenters shop:
II win bring You out right opposite his
house."
"Thank you 20 much" and with another
smile and bow Miss Tracy moved grace
fully away, somewhat amused at the
novelties which had come into her life in
the shape OF alleys by carpenters' shops
and handsome young workmen stricken
dumb by her charms.
"By 5inksi amt she daisy % exclaimed
Stephen. recovering his breath and his
Smoksson vernacular when the vision was
gone.
"You never took on your hat, Steve. -
said Mod, glancing with . strange new
pain In her heart ct the mans flushed face
and sparkling eyes.
30, confound the hat! I forgot Il. I
say, Mod, she must b Tracy's niece. You
know his brother died In Philadelphia last
come here to teach her uncle's children.
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