Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-12-01

derness in Pinkie's behavior. He
thought seriously of jumping the
town." but put away the temptation
with a shiver. He ran over his list of
friends who might stand a slight loan,
and he shipped what pictures he had
finished to Tidwell with instructions -
sell at any price.
Meanwhile Pinkie proved an enthus
siastic pupil. To stimulate her efforts
he set her to work copying objects of
still life. This progress fascinated Mrs.
Tripp, and she unearthed from the bot
tom of an old closet n stuffed white
pigeon that had once done service as
"the dove" upon a floral offering for
certain deceased aunt. The advent of
this dove" fixed the status of Brush
ingham's diligent pupil. Pinkie paint
ed that dove on everything, in every
conceivable color, light, attitude and
pose. She bought cords of wooden
shovels, plaques, plates, screens, doll
lies, lambrequins, canvas and frames,
tubes, brushes, easels and palettes till
the Tripp House began to look like an
art school and Papa Tripp faded into
sinister looking, cankered skeleton of
himself. If Pinkie had only painted
something besides that dove papa
might have kept up at least a SEM
blance of serenity, but turn where he
would it peered at him out of its pink
eyes. 1t was in his soup plate. He
had it with his meat and with his des-
sert. 1t futtered by his desk on a
"hand-painted" calendar, it poised In
his bedroom on sky-blue plaque. 1t
was all over town. Instead of dove
of peace it loomed before him as vul-
ture of discomfort, bird of prey. He
brooded over it. He would have stolen
the hateful model itself if he dared to
brave his wife and Pinkie. But the
accursed thing had become the one,
priceless idol of all their lares and Pc
nates
Brushingham was now in that state
in which Pinkie, her mother and old
man Trip Were objects of almost
equal dread. The "dove" seemed to
have drawn them together and to DOM
iAittN thNli lliNN tii tNil III hlllu
of tangled web that enmeshed and
threatened him.
When graduation day came he was
expected to be one Of Pinkie's guests
of honor. He was almost i'll with
worry when he got the invitation, but
the sight of it gave him new hope. 1t
meant that the girl and her mother
would be absent all day. Why not face
old man Tripp alone, demand his bill,
promise a check, catch the noon train
for town and leave his effects as Sc
curity? To lie sure, he would lose them
as well as his Trippville fame, but
what then? Was it not better than to
be forever pestered with the sentiment
tai Pinkie, her ogling mamma and that
ubiquitous and preposterous bird!
1t took courage to politely decline
the invitation, but he did it. 1t took
more to face the long suffering and
skulking Trip, but to demand his
bill" And then to dare to "stand off"
the proprietor! That was nerve,
"Mister Tripp," said Brushingham
that fateful morning, when the sweet
girl graduate and ma had left the place
clear. mister Tripp, L ahem, I'm
thinking of leaving. T.
"Ah-h!' gasped the old man.
"Td like-ah-to know, that is to Gee,
about what my bill is"
$50 yer goin' away, eh?"
"I'm afraid So"
Eye amt acomln' back, air ye?"
"I-ah-really can't say. l.
"See here, young feller, if yer goin'
away an amt acomin' back, I'll make
the bill as triiiin as"
"I'm afraid l may never get an op.
portunity to return" frightened Jim.
"But if ye'll take away that gosh.
dipged pIgeon--'
"All right, sir"
"An' all this dad-gasted stoojo truck,
pack and passel, and git out fore them
fool women comes back"
"Certainly."
They won't be no bill at allr' con-
cluded old man Tripp with yowl of
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