Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-09-29

Inc tramp'S browS lowered.
He amt no friend O. mine
''Oh, come now" lightly; you're
not so solitary as I thought, appar-
emily. To be sure, you're too young
and too good-looking to lack company
by the way"
Il needn't" she said, and smiled in
great contempt THAT cove offered
me a lift larst night further up the
road
The deuce he did! Well" with
the easy tolerance Of an avowed
Bohemian. weren't you rather foolish
to refuse?"
She sent a scowl after the dust
enveloped wheels.
I'm on my own since mother
died" she said when I want a pal,
III choose my own company"
The artist laughed.
That's right, my dear; I commend
your judgment; the serpent in this
case was an ugly looking customer"
He pulled at his pipe in silence.
Sc mothers dead? "-presently
Dear, dear. That's bad" He
struggled with a yawn. What did
she die of" vaguely sympathetic.
Booze" returned the tramp, but
spoke so gravely he checked a ris-
ing laugh.
And father? Where Is he?"
She shrugged her shapely shoulders.
'GCrd knows" She sat up, coiling
up her hair. Where do the fathers
of pore gal children go?'
He nodded COMPREHENSIVE, curry
ing his thumb downward.
The girl laughed.
Amt that the place wot's paved
with good intentions? Well, father
never 'ad any lords mother, SO e
won't go there"
STOPPING for his brushes, he be-
gan touching up the canvas.
"Well-father being an accident
and mother given to drink-you led
nice life of it between them,
suppose?"
Father was a gentleman. e only
see me once"
when he salved mothers con-
science with alimony, I presume?'
He laughed the laugh Of the cynic
who, blase, sins no more. History
repeats itself in matters of the kind
And she beat you, of course? Half
! starved you IN her cups'?"
"Wot! mother?" The girl looked
up, fire flaming in her eye. "a angel
Of a woman-wnen she weren't in
! drink, poor soul"
| She stopped and sighed. He was
struck by her expression. He went on
j questioning, working rapidly the
while
What did you do for a living?
Had you any trader"
eve was artificial flower makers
! in the winter time" she said; Sin
the summer we spent tramping, and
earned a bit at 'opping."
"'Opping?"
"Yus, 'op picking, That's wot I'm
doing now"
81 see. Where are you making
| for?''
ga bit further up the road, to a
place where they know me. We're
! old hands, me an mother"
The gloom in her eyes deepened
His brush was kept at work.
Its hard life?"
"It amt all beer and skittles,"
"Pu tel you what" suddenly;
you're a handsome girl, you make
a frst-rate sitter. I'll put you into
the way CT earning m ney as a
model"
She was silent.
What do you say?'
She sat smoothing out her dress
He ran critical eye over the lines
of her full figure.
That's my address," he said
scribbling on a card. when you're
back in town just come and look
me up"
He tossed it over. She let it lay
: unheeded.
I'D rather stick to the flower
trade" she said.
The artist was surprised; he paused,
regarding her.
The lifes easy-you'n make good
money as a model"
"'Uml" she answered, shutting
her lips tight. A light dawned. The
girl looked flushed and angry.
Ycu've nothing to be ashamed OF"
he smiled, eying her again.
She did not blush this time. Com
ments-coarse, even bruta1-on her
physical endowments fell on her ears
by no means FIR the first time.
''I'm an honest woman" was all
she found to answer
''Of course, of course" adding, call
my models are"
His tone penetrated the thick
coating hardship and custom weave
to guard the sensitive.
"I promised pore mother to keep
straight" she said. 'Took my Bible
oath on it on 'er dyin' bed. I did"
Eyes and voice were alike earnest;
they impressed him, though he
laughed.
Very commendable on your part,
my dear; a trife unreasonable on
mothers, though"
browning for a moment she turned
her head aside "Wot was the good
O. talkin' serious to these swells?"
1T isn't carrying out your phil
osophy, you know" he spoke again
presently; "the philosophy of the
many, the philosophy Of the cigar
cite" Gradually falling into thought
fulness, he sighed. Life itself is only
cigarette, carelessly made up, Of
mostly bad tobacco, the outer coat
l.