The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-05-03
A NEW MAUD MULLER,
Or, The Belle of Mnetta Lane. Written for
This Paper by 1ngersoll Lockwood.

although a genial and sOciablc man,
there was always a coating of judicial
ice over his manner. that no one
seemed quite daring enough to put d
foot through.
A low tap at his door one day aroused
him from an afternoon siesta.
Come in he cried. without taking
the trouble to lock around.
Your things f. N Mrs. Nolan's, sir"
said soft. girlish voice.
oh. all right: have YOU the bill"
Yes, sir"
With yawn Plat fumbled in his
pocket for some money and then vita
/. rrowI about getting old. sent the
shade up with Il run.
Excuse me" he stammcrcd as he
turned towards his visitor. did you say
Mrs. Nolan"
the bill sir"
ri, ID it up, stuffed it into his pocket.
half Il dozen times and finally ended by
holding out ten dollar note to her.
oh. cant change that, sir" eX-
claimed the girl, confused by his con-
fusion.
With no little difficulty, Judge Platt
atlast succeeded in recovering hts
judicial serenity. paving the bill and
dismis,ing his caller.
As the door closed behind her, Plat
murmured to himself:
BY love. What mOss-rOse bud.
Can it be possible that she is Mrs.
Nolan's daughter: Her big. gray blue
eyes are superb, simply superb. And
then. her smile, her teeth, her COM
plexion: could anything be more per-
feet. ! made a fool of myself over the
girl, but it's not the first time such
eyes have disturbed my peace of
mind"
Hearing Mrs. Finch's voice in the
hallway, he called her into his room.
"Oho, Judge, take care, cried that
lady, you a.e not the first OF my
boarders to fall in love with Kitty
Nolan, the belle of Minetta Lane. But
there's one thing about Kitty, she is a,
Indifferent as she is pretty. don't
think she can have any heart at all. for
her mother tells me she laughs at the
laddics who want to die for her."
Il never saw II prettier girl cried.
Platt, more charme than ever when
he had learned that she was not only
fancy free but extremely hard to
please. II grapes didn't hang high.
foxes would never want them.
All, those eyes, those eyes" muscd
Plat to himself and hi, thoughts went
back to his old home in the county o.
o., and he saw himself seated be-
meath the figure of Justice in the old
cOurt-hOuse, and It seemed to him that
among the crowd that filled the gallery
he could sec one whose large gray-b.uc
l.
sweet word vie trcmblcd on hi J,
lips.
The Judge was called upon t, submit
to a great deal of good-humorcd rail
lory when it became known at Mrs
tinch's that pretty Kitty Nolan. the
belle of Minctta Lane. had disturbed
the judicial placidityof his daily life.
He mace NJ secret of his admiration.
If | were twenty years younger,
said he to his tormcnt5rs. Id let no
grass grow under my feet until | had
transplanted that flower to a garden
worthy of its bloom and fragrance"
Whenever Mrs. Nolan made her ap-
D,arance the Judge never failed t. L.
uuirc most particularly after Kitty and
/ from time to time sent her a book to
| read, a fashion magazine, or ono of the
moErhlies, Tor Kitty was diligcnt
| reader and very ambitious to get what
| Mrs. Nolan terra d "a foine cddlca-
ton"
"Shure," said the good woman to
| Mrs. Finch, Kate kin draw now a.
nately as iver wan of them artist
chaps. I'll be after shown you wan OF
her p;ctchures, man.
To show the "pictchurc" to Mrs
Finch was. of course, to let the Judge
see it.
".h, what did | tell you: How
could it be otherwise: Why, the god
de>s of wisdom herself hadn t sucn d
pair If eyes as Kitty Nolan..'
The next day Platt handed All en-
velope to Mrs. Finch with the request
: that she mail it to Mrs Nolan with his
compliments.
a declaration Judge" querie Mrs
| Finch, with Il miscellaneous twinkle il
her eve: If 81. Ill take it myself per
sonau,.'
a declaration of my confidence il
kitty's artistic ability, that's all fol
the present" he said. laughingly.
The envelope contained Il notice tina
Mis-, Kate Nolan would be admit ID 4:
Il pupil to the art class OF the Coopc
Union upon complying with certain re
quircments.
1t was quite in order for Kitty t.
call and thank the Judge for his kline
interest in her welfare.
This time it was not Il basket of Gle ar
linen she brought with her. but small
portfolio of drawings.
Platt was more and more pleased
with her vivacity and intelligence
No grammatical slips. no ineiegan
expression, no slarg married her speech
She had q uativc grace and dignit,
that was at one, charming and seduc
two Once or twice a they sat look
ing over the drawings her little hea
cane so near to the Judges face tina
il aught a faint trace of sweetnes
her bi cath left in the air. ant