The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1901-10-04


est ingenue ever created by Pinero
and company. Come back, and I'll in
vite you again, and give you a lovely
cushioned chair all to yourself, and
sing reveries and cradle-songs and
love-songs-oh yes, especially love-
songs-to you till you shut your
mouth with kisses-what am saying?
No, no, let us be careful, and cold
surtout cold. But one little kiss does
not matter, does it? just before one
goes out into the night-which is so
| callous, so Indifferent. And so l bid
you farewell, Tommy dear. Hope for
letter next week. 1t will mean my
| luck is in. Your Fleurette.
vi.
CHEZ PAPA
"It's no good, Dad, I've stuck to it
six months and it's killing me by
inches. I'll have to co.
They were seated in the big book
lined library Thomas Grifiths, sem
| ior, upright in his red leathern chair,
calm and dignified, observed his son
from beneath acute, shaggy eyebrows.
| $50 I see. It's the young blood again."
he sighed. 81 thought you had sown
your oats, but it seems there's still
plentiful crop"
Indeed, dad, you're wrong. I'll
be as steady as the Inchcape Rock,
butt must get away. I'm choking"
"Can't brook restraint. Home ties
what are they? Brittle as paper,
solid as water. My son!" He turned
over the leaves of the Graphic" with
large paper-knife, and let his eyes
rest vacantly on the pictures. Sud-
| denly he spoke again.
| "Of course, there's a woman. Will
you tell me who and what she is?"
The roots of Tommy's hair blushed
a quivering red.
"There's no woman" he said, after
a pause.
"'And before the cock crows We
shall deny me thrice!' o Lowell"
| Through the stained-glass window
fell shafts from the westering sun.
Long shadows lay across the thick
pile carpet, the face of the old man
cleaned like the emotionless stern
|
"You are choosing, Thomas" he
said at last. "My way or thy way.
There is no going back. Ny fortune
goes to your sister if you thwart me.
I can allow you nothing any more"
81 can't stick it, dad" he repeated
doggedly. "I'm sorry to cross you,
but the fever's in my blood. The bat
theories drown the voice of agricul-
| ture."
| "You are not in the army?"
''The battle-cry of life, dad, of the
world-the struggling swimming
to shore, the huzzas, the champagne.
I must get back to it, sink or SWIM
Mr.. Griffiths rose. 81 don't speak
your language Thomas. I belong to
the old school, I suppose. You have
gone beyond me. Unless you change
your mind before tomorrow week our
ways lie apart. Do not seek to alter
my decision. You know my-shall we
call it-obst1nacy? Goodnight"
Upstairs in the boudoir of his dead
wife Thomas Grifiths, senior, I'M
locked an escritoire. Drawing out a
miniature of little lad in a Scotch
suit, he held it to the light, while dag
onal lines from nostril to mouth
deepened into ploughed burrows.
''He should have been named Alb
salon." he said bitterly.
| VII
FLEURETTE.
A familiar knock drew Fleurette
bolt upright. She waited breathlessly.
The door handle was impatiently
turned and sunburnt man stood
bareheaded in the middle of the room.
Tommy"
Tommy didn't say anything. He
devoured her with his eyes, from the
sober serge gown to the bangleless
wrists.
"What does it mean, Fleurette?"
She laughed, butthe blood fared in
her cheeks.
"What an awful Lime since I've seen
you? I believe y'u've grown"
"What does it nean, Fleurette?"
"What does wha mean? Don't be
so silly, Tommy. You look as if you
were going to eat me-"
, "Tell me, please!
: Don't you like f?'
, Tommy spoke sbwly. "No, I like
the gew-gaws, tills and things.
Where are they?'
"I've changed ired of them. I'm
r capricious. You haven't said you're
: glad to see me-"
!, He looked at he with such intensity
5 that she stirred neasily.
e 'Come and tel me all you've seen
r and done. I've been hungering for
v YOU"
v SIS that true"
v "Of course Mt. Do you think /
u should say so lift was? want to be
t polite
|. They sat dom, and a strained 81
,. lence fell beteen them. Tommy
e broke it difiidetly.
u give got a lllet with chap who
e came out on my. boat. He's on
e change A seculator, rich as Croe-
}. sus. 1 get so month and pros
" pects."
d SIT will kee you in tobacco"
it "I'm not ste. It will give us oys-
e. tiers once in way"
h 81 don't lie oysters any more,
it Tommy"
" eft will bt an occasion ficbu"