Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1901-02-26
THAT SIMPLETON.
a HE entered the dining room of


masses of soft white lace were arts
1ically arranged. Every eye was upon
~aer as she quietly glided to her place
at one of the tables reserved for regu-
4ar boarders. Those Of a romantic ma
0ure might have imagined the face of
an angel appearing through white
clouds floating over a sea Of bright
blue sky. There was not the slightest
doubt that upon the faces of the men
there were expressions of admiration.
The big husband by whose side she sat
made no effort to conceal the fact that
this exquisite piece of femininity-whO
had been his wife for ten years-was
still the object of his ardent and ever
INCREASING worship. AS he deferential-
~ bent his head to her in reply to some
slight request, the big woman sitting
Just opposite glanced TeprOvingly at
her own husband as if to say, "Alr.
leslie is n model husband. If you
were only like him. But the express
sion of reprOach was Immediately sue
ceeded by a frOwn Of indignation as
she noted that Mr. Leslie's chiyalry
was quite lost upon her mate. as he
was evidently absorbed in the vision of
Beauty at Mr.. Leslie's side.
The vision was only talking common
place; but with such a genius-Or was
It magnetism?-that every one seemed
helpless under its influence, although
the women present were evidently not
.ry3Iita in barrpoDry with tho situ0tioD
nor the fragile looking woman of thir-
ty with the child's face. In spite of
this antagOnistic undercurrent they
were, however, almost as irreSistibly
attracted as were the men. Women
are usually more analytical than are
men, and mentally dissected Mrs. Les
lie, although they inwardly rebelled
that she possessed the power to claim
a second thought. When discussing her
together they denOminated her "a silly
chit" doll face" "simpleton," know
nothing" and so on. They never adj
Initted her attractions, but openly Won
dcred what there was in Mrs. Leslie
that all the men went wild over. If she
did have one grain of sense-they aver
red to the cOntrary-she certainly pos
sessed little education, and would of
ten make the most astonishing blum
-ders.
Yet she always held crowd of male
admirers around her, while the intel
Iectual women who could talk politics.
literature, science or art, were quite
neglected if she were present She
was no coquette. however. and in spite
OF much jealous watching was never
discovered to be guilty of a moral in
discretion The women were jealous
of her The men enjoyed her because
they were not jealous.
She always seemed unconscious of
either admiration or cenSure. and
though she had the most exquisite
taste in dress, there was no apparent
vanity in her natures To-day. in spite
of certain whispered comments and
-gIanceS of diSapprOval, she innOcpntly
chartered on, her delicate. child-lik,
face flushing prettily at times. al
though she could not. as Mrs. Adams
said, talk fifteen consecutive minutes
without displaying the most egregiorrs
ignorance even upon ordinary sub
jects." Yet the men always ignored
lCr mistakes. lust now she caught the
word tariff from Il conversation be-
tween Miss Adams and Mrs. Smith
and she quietly interrupted in hird-liIle
tones: "Oh, has that bill passed? Let's
see. what was it callcd?" One of the
ladies giggled audIbly as Mr. Smith
gallantly replied:
'Oh. yes; the Dingley bill. YOU
.mpan?"
Yes. that's it. Who introduced it?"
4 smile from the women. and the no
1ite and quiet reply:
Mr. Diugley introduced it; it is nam
cd for him."
"Ah. is that so? How nice. Mr.
0ingley is an EngliShman; l remem-
ger now.
Fool whispered Miss Adams, while
Mrs. Smith applied her handkerchief
quickly to her mouth ana feigned
cough, although she knew her ruSe was
detected by the look of Scorn Mr. FL
Sis gave her as Mr.. Smith again made
courteous reply, and then, with charm
Ing tact. changed the subject to one
more adapted IN Mrs LeSlie'S capacity.
That night, IN the guests were as
semhled upon the commodiouS hotel
5sorch. the men. rs usual. forming cir
...lc around Mrs. Leslie. the women thus
Solated discussed more SatiricalIy
rcrlsticS. One declared she was not
only hraiuleSS but SoUlleSS. incapable
or any great and noble thought or ac-
gion.
But" responded Mrs. Smith in sar-
castle tones. initiative Of Mr.. Ellis. she
- 50 genuine and sympathetic: such
q sweet. womanly woman
Yes. indeed. my dearS." sail Miss
Adams. and Mr.. Smith informed me
only yesterday that she gave a fellow
such noble aspirations"
\ merry laugh rang out NJ Mrs.
smiths expense. but ere she could re-
tort. the firebell changed loudly. fol,
lowed Immediately by the heavy roll
or the engines over the paved streets.
snd the cry Of Fire, Fire." from in
Vulnerable voices.
4 wild, lurid glare lit up the town on
pCsite the hotel. and with one accord.
and many ordinations. the group up
on the porch Joined the eager. rushing
crowd movir gin the direction of the
c0udagration. Cries Of Where IS it?'
and o%ly indiStinct replies from the
distance reached the hotel group. as.
accepting as closely together as possible.
saey were pressed onward with the
ever increasing throng. until. when
some five blocks distant. the thick
smoke from the burning building made
them gasp for breath. while Mr.. Ellis.
with Mrs. Leslie in syon,. shouted
back:
the whole Weldon tenement IS
ablaze, Hurry up. men, aud help 10
set those people out..'
A quicker impulse forward and Z
nervous shrek from Mrs. Leslie cans.