Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1902-02-12
x31.iiu .e-l ad % 5,lIaEN.5l
'''"dGI..,P.'.!' j.
BY c. &. Corbet.

stopped before an ordinary looking
brick house in certain bustling west
ern city and indicated by his attitude
and expression that he was listening.
His persistence attracted the attention
of the drug clerk down the street, who
In the absence Of customers was enjoy
Ing a smoke on the sidewalk under the
awning, so he joined him and also be-
gan to listen. The laundrymanI who
came to deliver, a package next door
sat in his wagon and eyed them silent
ly and ruminatingly for awhile and
then Came over and inquired what was
doing. This small group was gradually
increased by the addition of the Weary
Willie from down on the corner, the
cook from across the street. several
chance pedestrians, and numerous small
boys who were all ears and mouth.
I "rhere's some trouble In here" ex-
planned the first Individual to whom
everybody lookednfor' enlightenment.
II distinctly heard cries for help but
I hesitate to interfere, unless it istfeally
something serious. There! Hear that7
It seems to come from up stairs" And
all eyes We're Immediately directed to
the second story. -" =" ''"' '''H
Then borne distinctly on the clear dir
could be heard the agonized cry:N''O
gods! Stay Zoe, stay!nWhat hast thou
done n This was followed byflsharp
tones of oremonstrance, then the low
mutterings, Of two voices, and finally
silence, The cook looked at the laun-
dryman and nodded her head so1emnly.
THE auld spalpeen do be gettin' his
deserts" said she. 'Many's the time
I've heard him a-jawin' of that poor
little woman, but Zoe seems to be hay
In the upper hand now" oggaf
Meanwhile in the front, room up
stairs, entirely unconscious of the in
terested group below, so absorbed was
he in the delightful mysteries of the
histrionie art, there stood perspiring
young man with wild eyes and rumpled
hair. Opposite him, reclining in the
easy chair, his faded velvet coat plenti-
fully besprinkled with, cigarette ashes,
pot tLC plOlCoSiOhul WHY ilSlGhCh W flLC
wild paroXysms of passion uttered by
the youth with perfect Indifference and
apparently not the slightest interest.
Occasionally he would turn his ianguid
eyes upon the agitated countehance and
desp6iring gestures and remark: IA
little more feeling there, my boy; iex-
centric excentric attitude of feet and
more agony in your voice and face
Thereupon his words and action would
be repeated again and again until the
critic, Iroused by his tanieness, would
jump to his feet and, throwing back
his long hair, give the passage with al
the fire and extravaganza of b true sdn
Of Thespis. I3 Nv
But while this process of inspiring
duh clay with PrOmethean fire was 60
ing on matters were growing serious
down in the street. AS over and over
again the cry was heard even the cook
began to think that perhaps Zoe was a
little too severe ON her ,liege lord and
that her determined attempts to ,avenge
past wrongs might end disastrOusly
for the belabored party. But the small
boy was in, his element. There was
trouble in the air. and he saw visions
of quick rush of the patrol wagon
loaded with bluecoats. for an Animal
ed discussion, was in progress between
the original discOverer and the laun-
dryman as to whether an officer should
be, called or not. The Willie listened
suspiciously and furtively to the de-
velopment of this plan. The cook
turned around completely and was loud
in her denunciations Of 1.-THE hussy'' up
stairs who was ,'.murthuring her auld
man." and the clerk smiled complacent-
ly to himself in anticipation of, a rush
order for drugs and restoratiyes. Sud
denly came in laundering tones: 1t
30 gods! Stay, Zoe. stayl What hast thou done ,
Help! Helpl She dies jailer, she is sonel''
They looked at each other for an in
slant. Their worst fears were realized.
1t was murder and suicide together.
The original discoverer sprang toward
the front steps, and the laundryman
made a bound for policeman, ,whereat
the Weary Willie shambled upsteadily
and hastily round the corner, and the
small boy, utterly unmindful and re-
CARELESS of the tragedy before. him,
shrieked: "Hi there, Zoe! You're all
right. Give him another, Zoe"
But before any of them had gone
three steps a fat youth bearing the let
tiers A. ID. r. on his cap, who in his
leisurely progress down the street had
stopped just i'll time to hear the last
Cry, called out: Here, you guys!
What's the matter with you? Don't
any of you know anything about the
dramatic art? That amt no murder
nor nothin'. It's one of them fellows
what's learnin' to chase up and down
the stage and rescue girl from a
burnin' buildin' aud play the whole
thing all the time. Huh! You don't
know much.3 jt .t5f,t rrf
aThe Weary Willie went on down to
che corner, the drug clerk ambled back
to9shis cigar in the shade, whistling
Iionchalantly, the laundryman drove
Oft without aword, the cook went home
and slammed the door, the original dis
coserer boarded passing car, and
when the bluecoat hove in sight there
WAS nothing more unusual 10 be seen