Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1893-12-30
Chapter MI.
Found.

IL might nave been Il CITY III the uoP-
lies. Thick white mists rose from the
boulevards and clouded the evening
air. The stones in the courtyards of
hotels ana great houses were baked
In the sunshine. The very sound Of
water splaShing upon the hot streets
was rapture The atmosphere was
heavy with heat and it seemed as
if the low thunder charged sky were
cast-iron dome which rooted in the
city and suburbs.
That city, once called beautiful, still
wore the aspect OF devastation. The
ruined houses still gave forth an odor
Of smoke and burning. The fierce meri-
dian sun drew out the stencil of char
red wood On every side were the
signs and tokens of destruction on
every side one heard of loss, and sor-
row. and death.
The herd of tourists went tramping
through the city staring, gaping, eX-
Ipatiating on the spectacle-disappoin
ed somewhat that things were no
worse They had expected to find Ba-
bylon a heap; and here were her
palaces and churches still standing her
spires and pinnacles still pointing
Iheayenward, her domes Offering
against the hot blue sky The tourists
were dislllusioned, and felt they We're
getting very little for their money.
The mghtier of the ruins remained
as anarchy had left them; but here
and there the work of reparation had
begun. Trade was reviving. The mar
Ikets had resumed their normal aspect.
and food was 10 be had at the old
prices. The theaters were beginning
10 reopen their doors. Restaurants and
cafes had Smartened themselves up to
accommodate a floating population of
travellers, 6ling in this desolIted Baby-
lon on their way to fairer scenes.
Again the Cliuking of teaspoons and
the clash of glasses were heard on
the boulevard The petits ereyes, the
icocodettes, had emerged from retire
ment, or had come back from exile.
Paris was Paris again; but sorely
impoverished. somewhat Inundated
Paris
Kathleen'S life pursued its beaten
round all this time, The oppressive
heat of those August days did not de
ter her from her labor. Every morn
ing before the shops We're opened she
was in the streets, neatly clad in her
black gown and close black bonnet,
la little market-basket on her arm,
las of one who went upon a house
wife's Grand In the dim early morn
ing she walked to her destination
one Of those two hundred and thirty
; two workshops which she had written
down in her list. Some Of these were
? in the remotest corners of Paris, and
many of her morning walks were long
land weary; but she was careful to al
low herself ample time for these long
distances. She always studied her
map overnight, and learned the names
0f the streets by which She had TO go.
She was thoroughly systematic in her
r work; and she had by this time ac-
: quired wonderful eXpeTtness In find
b ing her way, a wonderful knowledge
of the great widespreading town. II
, seemed to her as if there We're not
Il corner OF Paris, not nook or an
alley, which she had not explored.
Sometimes her destination was some
foui-smelling lane at Belleyille, some
dingy street near Montmartre She
went as far as Ninceunes on one side,
beyond passy on the other. But what
ever the distance, she went TO her
work with the same quiet patience,
. the same tranquil aspect. Nobody ever
/, remarked her as an eccentric-lo0king
person. no one ever saw wildness or
eXaltatiOn in her manner. She walked
quietly onward, at a moderate bust
IncSs-like pace, her little basket over
her arm her p;slG earnest face shaded
by the neat little Grape veil, tied close
~ round the small black bonnet; and
she inspired no ones wonder or curl
IoSity 4 clerks wife, catering for her
little household; a scmpstress going to
her work she might be either
When she reached her destination,
and stood in front OF the curriers'
workshop, her task became more diff
cult She watched for the going and
coming Of the workmcn at their break
rast-hour, between nine and ter
O'Clock. She had To observe without
DtlHA OBetI \ GU ENlt 10y tItu ut-iI the
door OF the restaurant where they
took their soupe au fromage She had
to loiter in the street of the lane, with
out appearing to be a loiterer, This
eXacted all her powers as an actress;
but as every Intelligent woman is
instnctiycly an actress, she conriyed
to perform this part of her task so
skilfully as to escape, for the most
part, unquestioned and unremarked
If there were shops in the street all
her little purchases for that humble
Imenage, which was not much better
than genteel starvation, were made
upon the spot. This gave her the OPP
portumty of wasting time, and Of
making inquiries. II was 50 easy
while buying a pear or a handful Of
Iplums IN the little fruitshop, or a roll
at be bakers, to ask a few questions,
lin mere idle curiosity as it seemed,
about the curriers' on the other side
ne flo ,s-ov 9KUoo small r,r q. iaTUa