Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-04-10

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We seven got so that we hated the
sight of each other only degree less
than we abhorred the Average Bear
Cltyite cached in the other cabins.
Fling a dozen societykwells into pig
sly and they will herdtogether; not be.
cause they weary OF each other less,
but to avoid the pigs"
No wonder she was popular" Satir.
ical mphasis-feminine emphasis on
the personal pronoun. How and when
did she arrive2''
I'm an old newspaper some fellow
unexpectedly ished from his chest
There she was OF the front page. photo.
grayured to the life. Rare and radiant
she looked 10 us poor devils socially
starving under the north star. A Til.
nook squaw from St. Michaels with her
hair done up in beads and tish oil would
have soothed our eyesight. Imagine
the effect thisrayishing vision produced
upon our esthetic sensibilities, as we
tackled her up on the wall and wor-
SHIPPED. The golden calf of the Israeli
ties was nothing by comparison.
Dear mel All this masculine
splutter over a mere picture?" And
such is the divine perversity Of the sex
that she seemed vaguely disappointed.
"Sure. But such picture! 1t grew
upon US as a Botticelli Madonna is said
to permeate your very being if you
only look at it long enough. At least
that was the way l came to feel"
"Yes?' Miss Lamar's lip curled; for
little as she professed to care for man
in the abstract it did not seem right
that man as an individual should waste
his alteration on a picture, while the
real article abounded in other parts Of
the globe.
yes" he blandly continued, 81 was
the seventh man, you know. That is.
/ came into our mess as number seven,
which, being considered a lucky nu-
neral sayl" he suddenly sat bolt
upright. Are you at all supersti-
tious?"
"Of course. | am" She shuddered
sympathetically. IF you had been
No. 10 now"
81 think | should have given up
right there; but being the seventh
man, l said to myself: l win find
the original Of this picture some fine
day"
"Ahal" with a chilling accent, as II
to show that her interest in the
Belle Of Bear City would relapse in
TO indifference If that aggrayating
creature pushed herself beyond the
photograyure stage of existence.
81 kept on saying it all winter"
continued Sterling, abstractedly.
Later on, when we struck it rich
and the others forgot, | would go up
TO her ladyship, after a wash and
brush-up, and repeat my vow. Then
the boys would satirically intimate
that our belle had made at least one
permanent mash"
As Sterling enthused himself over
his words, Miss Lamar became iron
ically skeptical.
This is good enough for a play.
We must consult Fitch" Fitch was
her manager. "But when luck
evinced itself in a more solid way by
making you suddenly rich, | suppose
her ladyship had TO take gallery
seat"
"On the contrary, she became my
bright particular more than ever.
/ had named my claim Bear City
Bellies, No. u How the boys did
laugh. But when l began TO sluice
out ten dollars TO the pan, they said
No. was all right, and that the
Belle was no flirt-"
Here Sterling, with a side glance
at the actress, meditatively added:
81 have often wondered il they
were right"
II suppose you found that out long
ago. il there was an original TO that
photo-or was il a newspaper? They
print anyone's picture nowadays;
literally anyone's. 1t is rather a dis
tinction to be let alone. Mine, you
ask? Look on the news stands.
Such caricaturesl"
"Such divinitiesl" he interrupted,
eagerly. 81 loved your picture long
before | saw you over the footlights.
Then l made myself known
"By prosecuting poor Fitch until
he had to do something to rid him
self OF YOU"
"And now-am l not your slave?
Dear Gertrude, If / may call you so;
have YOU not guessed my riddle?
Where are your intuitions? You
know I love you deeply, devotedly-"
"Alasl Poor Belle Of Bear CITY,"
she raised her arms in mock trag-
IL gesture. "Has the magic seven
failed her. who brought luck to you?
oh, faithless swami"
He saw that she was not dis
pleased. though it seemed likely that
She had guessed but half his riddle
Rising, he made a sudden dash
through the open window of room
near where they sat on the summer
hotel piazza, but returning almost
instantly, holding out a battered