Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-03-19
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Miji-br-r-r-ick! Miji-br-r-ick! You fat ras-
cal! What right have you to lie before
the fire on that Persian rug. doing and
purrlns as happy and cosey as a cat can
De while your master is out in the storm
On, you needn't come rubbing against my
leg and singing any songs of peace to me!
l m tired of seeing such lsziness and con-
tentment. There you are, sleek. dignifed.
lat and lazy, while l am almost the exact
opposite. Burr-r-rr. what a cold night Ii
Is There, nov, wait until I take of my
coat and shake the snow off it. Then
VIII nang il up-so-take off my shoes, put
on my slippers and jacket. draw my chair
UP to the fire, and light my pipe. Now,
now, | didn't say anything about petting
you. did /? Well, If you must be petted
suppose | shall have to do it. There is
fellow am as happy as a lord tonight 1
don't exactly know how happy a lord can
be. If he tries. but he couldn't be any hap
pier than am. You ought to have seen
ner tonight. But you don't know her, do
you, old fellow? Never mind, you shall
know he, for she is coming tomorrow to
sit for me, and will paint such picture
1t will surely make my fortune. My for
tune? Nay, our fortune-hers, yours and
eline.
Mmmmmmm, mmmm, mmm.
Now, what are you saying? How did 1
meet her? Well, you see a poor devil of
an artist like me doesn't often have such
rare fortune. but it seemed as though an
angel dropped from heaven a moment to
pluck from danger a wee doggie. There!
There! don't arch your back and spit mere
ly because l mentioned your bitterest foe.
It was wee doggie. and you abused 1t.
Oh! oh! You villaint You recognize me
now, do you? You haven't forgotten the
other day when l let you out In the hall
for a run about, hoping you might catch
fat mouse and save me the price of a
steak for you, and how you had a fight
with a mite OF a terrier, one-third your
size? Uh, hum. L see you remember it
very well. Where are you going? Don't
run away from me as II were chiding you.
| am not though you richly deserve it.
For it was through your fight with the
little pup that l made An acquaintance
with her. Who Is she? Now you won't
know until she comes here to live.
You remember Miji-br-r-ick, how you
proudly walked through the hall like a
Gagged tiger that day, how you soon saw
that your domain was invaded by the tint
est dog you ever saw. 1t was then that
your sleek fur stood on end; that your gen.
tie eyes shone fire. and you spit as though
you were trying to get the taste Of bad
word out Of your mouth. But the little
rascal was not afraid Of you. He came
bravely to the attack, and you had to
fight. and fight hard at that. Mrmrmrm.
You came off victorious? Why, of course
you did. You great, big bully. He wasn't
half your size. You made him run? Yes,
and he ran right under the skirts of the
prettiest lady you ever saw. just as she was
coming by the door. 1 heard the racket.
the whole house did for that matter, and
I looked to see what 1t was, when in you
bounded The little dogge, seeing your
flight, took up the pursuit and darted be,
tween my legs In an instant l saw that
you had been in the wrong, and took off my
cap to apologize for you. What did this
Gyp. lGyp-indeed! AS If l didn't know
better. How could anything belonging to
her, living about her, do anything wrong? |
But, anyway, we made an acquaintance |
with each other, she with Gyp in her arms
and l with you safe behind me- I learned /
that she sometimes came here to give music /
lessons to a friend of hers, an artist on the !
floor above. | didn't know until then that |
there were any floors above. I thought |
when | came up this far that | was surely /
directly beneath the vault of heaven, and |
when the FORTRESS asked me, Did | wish /
to look further?" l gasped out, mo, in |
deed! My clothes are not ft,'' for l though: !
she wanted to introduce me to st. Peter.
Puff, puff puff. Puss, did you ever .
smoke? Whew! 1t was too much for you
wes it, my dainty boy? Well, in Difference .
to your wishes, I will lay it aside, and tell .
you why l am in such good humor tonight |
You don't know, for | have kept it hid
len from you, but l have been seeing her
every day since. I suppose her friend must
be making great progress in music, for she
gels a lesson every day. And | have seen
ler every day. For, just as she would be
coming in l would be going out, and J
would meet her on the way to the ground
)r, she would have finished her lesson
and be starting home, when l would JUS,
De coming up the stairs. How did know
he time so exactly when to be there? In
he morning, look out of that window and
rou will see the corner Of the street. Well +
'he passes that corner every day she comes
Now, do you see why I moved my easel,
even though the light is not so good where
t is? And some days 1 would walk few
blocks with her. Her father did not like
he idea Of her going to see her friend"
aid che, $50 it was better that | did not
'all until 1 net her In some other way"
But every time l walked with heI and
very time I spoke to her the blood surged
nadly through my veins until could hardly
,eep from telling her how much 1 adored
Ter.
What right has a poor devil like me to
ell a girl as poor as himself that he wants
o marry her? Why, 1 can hardly find a
ecent living for you and myself. let alone
woman. Size is a music teacher l think.
he plays divinely, for I've heard her Of an
fternoon. Perhaps that is the reason l
aven't painted much of late. Listening
o her. Well begin tomorrow in earnest q
or she is coming here to let me paint her,
III, what joy! Is it any wonder that l am
alf wild with delight? For such a pic I
ure as I shall paint will make my name |
nd fortune, and then. Then what? I
lever mind. old boy, you shall see what 7
gu shall see. c
q
Mrow-ow-ow. Mrr-r-ow. Mr-ow-ow-um- I
mmm. 1 wonder when that foolish fellow t
ill come back? Here he has been out for c
n hour, or two, when he should have been s
ard at work. And what hustle he was '
this morning. The place was all upside b
own. After hint as he gave me last Y
light about the fat mouse, think ne might Z
ave let me have little quiet here by my 5
Elf this morning, so that I might have d
united up something good to eat. AS If | I
ould touch hall of that paltry roll he had n
'r breakfast! l should say not! I turned S
ly back on it in disgust when he placed 1t a
efore me and said it was all we could have s
,-day. He saw l wasn't going to eat it, t
I'D took it himself, with a shrug Of his r
loulders, and muttered 'un grateful beast" Il
s il | didn't know he was dying for it, u
ut was too generous to leave me without n
1ything. b
Heigh-ho. Men AN never understand
ITS. We are too sensitive for them. That y
the reason We get along better with Wo- q
en-. Their natures are so much like our
m. Well, he cleaned up all the place n
lis morning. Everything was dusty and c.
rty before. Now It is clean and bright "
here is not much OF it to be sure, but "
i'll it makes rather an attractive picture IL
zen for well-bred creature like myself
do hope she is a thoroughbred. | ma te a
ese models with their loud talk and boist- W
Gus laugh. They all like him, and that T
why they used to come here so much. b;
hey don't any more. Guess they made 50 a.
UGH noise he couldn't hear her play a.