Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-02-25
HER SMILE WAS MADE UP.
The Curious Physiognomic Changes of the
Confidence Woman.


Confidence Woman.
She was about forty years DID, per-
haps not so much, but her face had
look of much and cold experience in the
world, a look not at all disguised by the
handmade smile she wore like vail.
She was tall and well-dressed, but just
trifie over-dressed. She came into the
Boston express at Bridgeport and steered
straight for seat beside a nice, white
haired old lady, although there were
six or seven empty seats in the car.
The old lady had little girl travel
ing with her, and the train hadn't left
the station before she of the smile had
fed the child with candy and asked the
old lady if the pretty little girl was her
daughter No Her granddaughter?
How strange Then she edged up a.
little closer and turned on another valve
of talk. How old was the little girl?
Five years? How strange! She her
self had lost little girl of just that age;
her only child Children led to home.
Didn't the nice old lady love home?
And where was her home? O, Sunbury,
Mass? O, indeed; most beautiful
place she had heard.
Yes, indeed, she did love home, but
her own home had been broken up by
the death of her child, and now she and
her husband were travelling around and
trying to do good to the human race.
Didn't the old lady like to do good? O,
yes, if one had the means; that's very
true. And the old lady had some means
with which she had tried to do what
good she could? Admirablei Splendid!
That's what she of the smile believed
| in.
About all the flood gates of talk were
wide open now, and the streams were
| flowing smoothly. She of the snise
didn't care for money for herself. Her
| husband didn't care for it for himself.
| All they cared for was to do good with
their money. 1t was SO charming to
meet some one who held the same view.
Now one of the cherished plans for the
| benefit of the human race was the es-
| tablishment of an old ladies' home.
Was that benefcent project? Yes. in
deed. So glad to find the old lady ap-
proved of it. We had got together about
enough money to begin work. Provi-
dence (walling her eyes, had opened a
way by which the rest could be secured
The way was thus: Years ago her hus-
band had come into possession of gold
mine. Shares in this mine he was now
disposing of at 500 each. They would
be worth 1000 each within a year.
Then the happy possessor could do just
so much more good for the human race
The train had passed Mott Haven now,
and she of the smile was exhibiting con-
siderable nervousness and haste. By
the way, she had one of the shares with
her. Perhaps the nice old lady would
like one to help along the fund for the
home. With that she made a reach into
her valise. The train was just coming
to stop in the Grand Central station.
| The nice old lady got up and took her
baggage and her granddaughter in hand
and leaned over the still smiling bene-
factor of the human race.
81 have to thank you, madame" she
said, ''for the most entertaining after
noon have spent in some time. But [
am not quite SO green as look"
The handmade smile disappeared then
for the first time and left face that
looked ten years older and somewhat
hard and cruel. And that was the last
the passengers who watched this little
drama with intense interest saw of the
nice old lady or she of the smile.-N. Y.
| Herald