Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-05-23
The Woman TOUGHER and Two Swords

that ever lived is a photographer al
Eau Claire. He is soldier Of the
regular army, of the National guard
and served his country il the Cuban
war. and on being honorablv dis
charged he opened peaceful photo
graph gallery at Fan Claire, and
ceased to dream Of blood. He ceased
to smell gore, and only smelled the
collodion and the other drug store
things in the dark room. Business
came to him, and in time be wanted
TOUGHER. A TOUGHER is not one these
! people who touch YOU for a drink,
but young lady with delicate fingers
and a clear liquid eve. who takes a
crnde photograph ofa person OF 80 aud
which looks like a person of so. and BY
gently marking out the lines Of grief
and dissipation, makes ii look like a
person of % She was the most i'm
portant person in a photograph gall
lefy. The artist asked for sealed pro-
posals for a TOUGHER, and young wo-
man answered the summons, who
was beautiful in the extreme, and
whose touch was as fine rs velvet
She could make the picture of de-
crepid old man look like freshman
in college, and the artist was well
pleased. He did not know her from
Mrs. Adam, and didn't care where she
came from a long as her touch was
right, and her presence like rare
painting. The artist had no more
idea that she was married woman
than he would that a school girl with
books under her arm was the moth
er Of family of children. He is not
large man, but as pluckv a one that
ever wore the blue. The TOUGHER had
only touched one day when a 6-foot
man. perfect Hercules, came IN the
studio and began to abuse the Young
woman, and finally, it is alleged, took
her by the neck. or sleeve, or some
where and she screamed for help.
The little artist could not see his little
TOUGHER touched by 4 big stranger. so
he irterfered. the man said the TOUGHER
was his wife. and he took an ornamental
sword from the wall and went for the
soldier. who grabbed another sword
which he had brought as relic from
the Cuban trouble. aud in a moment
the scene of war was transferred from
the Philippines to Eau Claire. In
passing each others vital parts with
the broadswords cameras were upset
as well as the TOUGHER, show cases
were tipped over. and blood flowed
upon the carpet, while the head rest
rolled around and tripped up the COM
batants. and punched each in the neck,
while the TOUGHER yelled all kinds of
murder. The big visitor got the little
artist down on the floor. sat astride
his body. and was preparing TO saw
off his head with duh sabre, when
neighbors came in and pulled the big
man off. and started him down stairs
with Is word, while the artist followed
with another. and the affair was trans
ferre6 to the street. The little soldier
had got his fighting blood up, and
would have made a record, but the
big nan got on a street car and told
the conductor that the litile man COM
ing was a lunatic, and the conductor
pulled the fast bell. and motorman
pulled out at mile minute for
Chippewa Falls. leaving the artist
bloody and mad in the middle OF the
street When he went back TO the
studio there was scene of wreck, the
TOUGHER was in a swoon with her feet
on lounge her head under mid
winter scene painted on canvas, and
the big camera across her stomach.
while LAWYER was throwing what was
supposed to be water on her face,
which he got out Of plate in the
dark room. but which would color
a white craven image the color of a
cigarette smokers fingers. The art
i'll was mad because he had not been
informed Of her social condition as to
husbands, and she cried and said she
HAD not lived with her husband
In 20 long that she was not sure
v neither she was married or not. She
offered to resign, but when she told
the artist of the abuse she had been
subjected to and proved and proved
that she was a good wife. he told her
she could stay As long as she pleased,
and touch all she had mind to and if
that husband came around again he
would til him so full of lead that hs
would sink il he fell in the river. As
ten thousand people visited the studio
during the two DAYS succeeding the
sword exercise. some are inclined 10
believe the whole thing is a scheme to
advertise the hnSineSS