Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-29

''She came from Chicago"
What, and you are sure she amt an
anarchist? Look here, colonel, you ought
to have gone a little slow in this matter.
She might hoist the red flag at the head
of your paper, and then where would the
country be-"
mo danger of that" the editor laughed,
and off he walked. leaving old Aimes to
stand there and wonder whether or not
he should cali on the woman and get
few points from her. He decided that he
would, and upstairs he went. lie looked
in at the parlor door and saw TIE young
woman sitting on the sofa with book In
her hand.
"Ahem. excuse me; but may come in a
moment?"
Yes" the woman answered, putting
aside the book The old man entered, took
a chair moved 1t about and finally settled
down near her.
Putty hot" he ventured to remark.
YES, rather"
Hotter than it was yistiay. believe"
he observed.
Yes, or day before yesterday. either"
she replied.
Il CAD, L reckon you are right"
She slowly turned her head and locking
straight at him said:
You were exhorting in the church just
a short while ago, / believer"
You are right 1 always take an active
part in our revivals. But we hain't done
much this time and the meetin closed to-
day"
therefore little surprised to hear youyeay
L CAD after hearing you so fervently urge
people to turn from frivolous ways"
Old Aimes puffed and famed himself
with his straw hat. The woman took UP
her book and looked at it. Miss, / knock
under. You are right. But 1 don't mean
no harm by usin' such words, and l want
to say they are the strongest 1 ever use
Bleeged to you for calm my attention to
en- But l have come to see you to ask
you few questions, and hope you won't
think them out OF place. or anything Of
that sort, for you see country people pride
themselves on bein more respectable than
most any other folks are, and the truth is
they have to be mighty particular and all
that sort Of thing, which 1 hope you will
understand without any trouble, and the
questions L want to ask you are simply
these here: How did you happen to come
here and
How did you happen to come here?"
the woman broke in, raising her eyes from
the book and mildly fixing them upon the
old man. And she appeared to be making
a study of him, his squint eyes, his purple
cheeks, bushy eyebrows, fat nose; and she
noticed that the bosom of his cotton shirt
was unbuttoned at the top, revealing the
grayish hairs on his chest. But before
you answer" she added, still looking at
him. taking, 1t seemed, an enjoyable meas
urement of his discontinue, ''let me ask
you IL you would mind buttoning your
shirt"
Il CAD, miss" the old man pulled. you
are somethin of Tartar, / reckon. I've
lived here all my life and have been mayor
here for ten year and have wore my shirt
this way every spell of hot weather. and
you are the first one to tell me to button
it; but dinged-excuse the expression, for
it's the strongest 1 use-I say dinged If I
don't do it. Now, miss, the shirts button
ed, so go ahead with your rat KILN, as
the Teller said"
II have no rat killing to go on with. 1
merely asked you how you happened to
come here"
Yes, but blast my hide-excuse me for
that expression, If you please, for 1t, is
about the strongest 1 use-you've got 10
right to ask me that question"
We'll, then. you have no right to ask
me how happened to come here"
Miss, 1 tell you that I'm the mayor CT
this here town, but We'll let that pass.
would you mind tellin' me your name?'
My fathers name was Lopp and in re-
membrance OF great-aunt l was called
Polly"
'Ah, hah, I reckon it was all right to
ricollect the old lady and all that sort OF
thing, but from what / can gather from
the papers Lopp is sort Of anarchist
name, amt it?'
Il have never known an anarchist of
that NAME" the young woman answered.
smiling.
They may be- miss, but don't like the
name any too well, but We'll let that pass
as the Teller said when he seed the wild
cat" He was silent long enough to unbutton
went on: I'VE understand that you have
leased the paper here, and we'd like to
know why, for when paper Is leased there
is generally some sort of ak to be ground,
so l would just like to ask you what sort
of ak you have brought with your"
The woman threw down the book laugh
ed at the old man, and, clasping her hands
back of her head. leaned back still laugh
ing al him.
Miss, you are as much tickled as If
there was bug on you. Hah. don't you
think there's a bug on you? ! have gen.
orally commanded good deal of respect
among women folks and you needn't laugh
at me any more than you can help, even
II there's bug on you but what l want
to get at, and I'm going to get at it mighty
sudden, is this here: Before we can allow
you to associate with us we must know
somethin about you, and 1t is as little as
you can do to tell us what we want to
know"
you have asked me for my confidence"
she said, looking at him with demlIre
mockery, 1.-The precious confidence of an
unprotected woman, and oh, how willingly
would give 1t you but for the fact that
have not known you long enough But /
confess that you have invited my conf
dence by seeking to unbosom yourself"
She looked at the old mans shirt and he
pulled and buttoned 1t.
Miss, I'll be slathered-now that is really
the strongest expression l uSe-if you don't
sorter git away with me. But won't you
tell me somethin' about yourself?"
Why, yes, l will give you Iiiy tenderest
condolences"
"Oh, now, here. don't chaw me- 1 am
the mayor of this town, 1 tell you, and If
you are goin' to run a paper here you had
better keep in with me. The city council
takes ten copies and l could have them cut
off at any time"
She raised her hands as IL imploring him
not to cut them off, and he, looking down
at his shirt to see If 1t were buttoned.
showed his yellow teeth, and continued:
Yes, you better keep in with me. Man
tried to run a paper here once without
keepin in with me, and what do Won
reckon became of him?"
Went to the legislature, I suppose"
Hah! Who told you? Dinged tf he
didn't go there, but he left his paper dead
as paddock" 49,
Il haven't anything to hide" she said
ard L don't mind telling you that, having
grown very tired of city life, 1 have come
mere to rest awhile, but not being able to
rest without work 1 have decided to lease
TINS niue paper and play with it,"
AK IKE woman in a show dinced If
you don't. Not being able to rest witbo,t
work Is new one on me; but we let that
pass" '
Just as well, 1 suppose Yes. II II INV
purpose 10 live here year, and then If I
IKE the place well enough 1 may remain
'Ah, hail." said the old fellow. "tbat ,s
tn -