The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-05-30
FIFTY CENTS A TICKET"

Diana-like young creature. with large,
limpid eyes, n brown skin not entirely
innocent of freckles and a mass OF jetty
shining hair. which bad broken loose
from its coarse horn comb aud fell in
ink-hlack riDplss down her back.
There was little brook twining its
TRANSPARENT sparkles around the
guarded roots of an ancient tree, and
background OF black-green laurel,
which with the sun-bathed meadow In
front, made a sort of rustic picture
that struck Paul Gesspers artistic fancy
as he crossed the wooden bridge.
Il should like TO sketch her" he
thought to himself Il wonder, now,
what she would say 10 it''
But before he could get his pencil
and mill-boards out the Young Diana
had poised her empty basket lightly on
her head and was gone.
I'm sorry for that soberly pom
dered Gessner. ''She had brilliant
Charlotte Coriay sort of face that
would have stood the TEST of perpetua-
tion on paperm
And then MIR Gessner went into the
inn and set himself at work 10 elahor-
ate the notes of his lecture on The
Literature OF Queen Anne's Time"
which was to be delivered the next eve
ming at the village hall.
There were plenty of people at the
inn. Brook bridge was "A wild. sylvan
sort of place, which attracted people in
the summer season. Every farmhouse
and cottage in the vicinity was crowd
Ell. and lecture was something TO
stir the stagnaiioh of their every day
life. Moreover. Paul Gessner had a
reputation for scholarly polish aud
graceful Wit which had reached even
to Brookbridge. In our New England
villages the cooks are often aesthetic,
aud the hired men critics, and every
body was talking ol the lecture.
Cant | gup'' said Natty Purple.
oh wish / could gol'
The towels and tabie-eloths were all
bleached whittier than snow. between
the ,laisied grass aud the July sun
shine, aud Natty was sprinkiing aud .
folding them now, with qniek. deit
fingers in an obscure corner uf the
kitchen.
..You go. in,leed,'' said Miss Carry
Podham. who eondcscended to wait at
table during tie crowded season.
you've too much io do in the kitchen.
aud besides the tickets are iiity cents
eachi'
Natty Purple sighed dolorcusly.
Fifty centsln she repeated. ''Oh,
then of course it's out of the question:
For Nattv's slender wages we're all
of them expended in the support of
good-for- nothing old grandsire who.
when he was not drinking great deal
too much whisky, was suffering un-
heard-of agonies with the rheumatism.
She never wore anything but calico,
and drudged away in the inn kitchen
like modern Cinderella. without any
OF the eclat which, in ancient story, APP
pertained to that young person.
But later I'm the evening the head
stable-man looked into the kitchen,
where Cinderella was darning a we'll
worn table-napkin and Mrs. Podham
was preparing brook trout for break
fast for the morrow's early travellers
where's Jimp' said the head stable-
man.
.Gone out" said Mrs. Podham,
curtly.
Il want some one to row one of the
boarders out on the lake." said the
stableman.
Hes a picter-painter, | guess. He
wants moonlight effects. he says" with
a chuekle.)
I'D deal ruther hev feather-pil-
low effects myself. Then where is
DickP"
"Dick never's on hand when he's
wanted" Mrs. Podham replied. Il
haven't seen him since supper"
Then he'll lose a 80 cent job" said
the stableman. "Well, | s'pose l can
hunt up some one somewhere"
FIFTY centsI" cried Natty Purple,
springing to her feet. 'I'll 20. Thomas!
I'm handy with the oars, and I'm just
perishing for breath of cool air from
the water"
J "Them napkins isn't mended, I"
croaked Mrs. Podham, discouraglng.
, '.rll finish 'em when | come back, p"
said Natty coaxingly. ''Do let me go,
just once!'
So that when Mr.. Gessner came out
to the edge of the lake with his pictur-
| esque Spanish cloak thrown across one
shoulder. aud his sketching apparatus
under his arm, Matte Purple sat in the
boat ready to row him whether he
I would 90.
I 'Heilor said Paul. '.why, you're
grill"
. Yes. Tn a girl" apologetically con.
, fessed Natty. But I'm good hand
{. to row, and l know all about the lake.
], | can take YOU straight to Echo Cove,
e where the water-lilies grow thickest.
y and past the Old Indian rock, aud
: Agreed" said Paul, good -humor-
t edly. but was there no man about
. the place to undertake this disagreeable
g jobP"
t "Oh, it isn't disagreeable." said
Natty. earnestly. Il like TO row! And,
5 besides. DO so much want to earn Of
e centsr'
It DO youg" said Paul as the fttlt
t boat, propelled by Naty's skillfu
a strokes, vanished into the deep shadow
d of the overhanging birehes that fringe.
o the lovely tides. May venture to asl
: whyP"
.;Oh. yes" said Nattv "Ii'' M
secret, want to go TO the lecture to
morrow night"
!. Paul Gessner smiled to himself in the
|, moonlight. as he sat there like I
: Spanish gondolier.
do YOU suppose it will be very in
= teresting?n said he.
: Interestingly echoed Natty. 20
= course it will be. Haven't you heard
: Mr.. Gessner is to deliver a lecture OF
: the literature of Queen Annes time. y
..And who is Mr.. Gessner?H demand
: ed the young man.
: IF you don't read the magazines. o
= course YOU can't be expected to know.
i said Natty Purple. with some natura
: lEnIatiencs But have read ever