Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-04-24
HECUBA
- Il Z -
BY Rossiter johnson.
" ES, old chum, I will tell you all

SUOOu LU UAC AoA IAVuoV WI ACA VI
street and watched it as it swept alons
up the avenue with an even stride, anc
at intervals with a monotonous song
was not altogether comfortable; fol
it was one long, moving column of en-
thusiasm, inspiring almost equal en-
thusiasm in two stationary columns
on either side of the way, and it was
enthusiasm for ticket that did not
intend to vote.
I busted myself with counting the
ranks and making large allowance fol
the boys that were apparently un
Suddenly my counting came to an
end-I forgot what total had arrived
at, cared no'more for the banners and
notices, and was deaf to 1.-The noise
of the captains and the shouting" By
one of those movements that occa'
sionally take place in a good-na tured
crowd there was a little whirlpool
where I stood. everybody within two
or three yards was moved to a new
spot on the pavement and all relative
positions were changed. With this
change suddenly doomed up in front
of me one of the most delightful vi
sions of my life. She was taller than
most of the men that stood near her,
and was perfectly proportioned. Her
dark brown hair was rolled into a
smooth, solid mass at the back of her
head, and balanced it perfectly above
shoulders that seemed to have the
strength of mans without losing the
beauty Of woman's. She wore a
dormer-window hat, ornamented by a
single rosebud, with just the least
touch of jauntiness, and the October
sunlight fell athwart one of those
faces that words can never portray
and the painter can seldom do more
than attempt. 1t might be said that
it was almost Grecian, and it must be
said that it was wholly American. But
the chief glory was in the expression,
ana as edged around to one side and
the other, through an arc of 24O de-
grces, l saw it from many different
angles, but discovered no abatement.
! have seen perfect profiles on plain
faces and handsome faces with pitiful
Frofiles, but here it was impossible for
light and shadow, by any change, to
betray IL fault OF weakness, for there
was nothing to be betrayed. She
could have stood as the comprehensive
model for womankind, whose separate
eXcellencies might be caught by one
and another of her sisters. but who
in her entirety was not likely ever to
be duplicated.
Twice only in my life had I seen
similar vision, and these two visions
We're but pictures. of moment; yet
they never have faded from my MEM
Dry. They are nameless, but immor-
tai. The third such, far more Impress
i've, more real and yet more romantic,
was-who was she: When the process
sion disbanded and I was walking
slowly. home some. fragment of con-
seriousness, rose and said: "What is she
TO -you?" Thereupon- I named her
Hecuba-and Hecuba she is and will be
to the end of time.
Hecuba did not wave her hand at
the procession nor nod to anyone in it,
nor smile immoderately when the
noise of the multitude eliminated in
cheers OF specially witty motto was.
carried by. But she watched the
movement intently, and could read
lily seq from the expression of her face
that her politics were identical with
those of the marching men. This
immediately excused, saying to my
self: ''Of course her politics are mere
" hereditary:-all women's are; and
she is not to blame for the stupidity
Of her father ~ ##&t
When the crowd dispersed after the
last troop had passed watched her
as she climbed into an omnibus. !
snow, why" said to myself after
dinner, SHOULD you think a second
time of Hecuba? You know absolute
" nothing about her, except that her
personal appearance is remarkably
fine, and her politics remarkably
faulty. Not so. Every lover of a fine
art knows there is something in it
which he cannot describe, and perhaps
cannot even account for; and we all
know that here and there, as we go
through. the world, we come upon a
person whose evident qualities are not
to be summed up by any words that
the dictionary affords. J. wish could
see Hecul,a once moSe, but T. never
shall-and yet. the world is SMALL" =
For weeks 7 found myself looking
intently at every stage that happened
to pass me on the avenue, as if had
expected to recognize a, friend inside.
1 could not pass the entrance of a
photograph gallery without. stopping
long enough to sean every. portrait
that was displayed beside the door.
My religion was-well, the fact was,
feared it was becoming too narrow
A man should always try to broaden
himself, especially in his moral nature,
and should listen occasionally to the
services s%of other churches tina his
own. Yes, I must broaden my reli-
gion, and SO I attended different
church every Sunday for many weeks.
They were a littlesteaiotls, all OF them.
Occasionally Isawtinsthe CONGREGATION
some person that I knew, but no one
particularly interesting. x.es =, -.
Perhaps there are Other means, 81
broadening enee'ss IA ire zT tthe drama,
, for instance. Yes, ! ought to attend
good theater oftener than do, espe-
Gladly to lend support to- the efforts
that are being made toEelevate the
stage. ss ~ agg
Itswas near the close OF. the season,
and i was telling myself how. much ]
had been disappointed in the elevation
ofsthe stage when Event one night to
see AS You Mke91t.'' The lights are
Z little dim; { will just sweep the circle
{ with my glass, lest I might have some