Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-06-23

him in Clifford Raven: Here, Jim,
he called.
"Well-Im-danged." he excIaim-
ed; IF / didn't think it was some
other mani"
Can you cut hair. Jim?" he asked
i've done it for some of the men,
sir" he replied.
Come on, then" he said, and seated
himself.
Jim set to work, awkwardly at first,
but Clifford soon dispelled all his
nervousness, and the thick auburn
locks were quickly shorn.
1T do seem pity, though" said
the boy, under his breath, when the
task was accomplished. But it
makes sight of difference, sir, thar
/ it dol" and he fell back and stared at
Cliffords greatly altered appearance.
AS for Clifford himself, he burst into
a fit of laughing as he surveyed his
shorn head and clean-shaven chin, and
Jim, consoled, returned to the
kitchen.
When Clifford. feeling like king in
the matter of comfort, followed him,
he found some nicely-cooked chops
on the table and some really we'll
brewed tea, a capital loaf, and Devon.
shire cream.
Sit down, JIM" he said in his
pleasant fashion, and he oyercame the
boys reluctance and made him draw
up, and to Jim's inward establishment
helped him to the best of the chops
and gave him the biggest cup.
The fire roared and cracked. the
kettle sung, the pretty lamp threw
soft light over the room. 1t was
marvellous! Last night he had slep,
in hayloft, tonight he was in a house
of his ownl
Il wish Miss Nellie could see 'un. y
said Jim, with is mouth full; "she was
so mighty uneasy a-thinkin you
wouldn't be comfortable!"
Miss Nellie need have no such
fear" said Clifford. I'VE are as happy
as a couple of sand-boys, aren't we
Jim?"
Then suddenly, even as he spoke
the face of Kate Meddon seemed to
start from the DINNER part of the
room and float toward him, and he
put his knife and fork down and sat
silent and thoughtful.
Jim finished his tea in silence
opened his mouth as if to speak. then.
seeing that his master was "mazed !"
as they call it in those parts. he
quietly got up and left the room.
When he came back. Clifford had
turned his chair to the fire and was
staring at it with is head resting on
his hands
Jim cleared the things away as
quietly as possible, hung about
few minutes, then stole out
For hours Clifford sat and thought.
sitting before the fire at times a,
Others pacing up and down the room.
smoking furiously.
He had been happy and contenteo
enough until the vison of Hates lovely
face had come upon him-the one face
ne had ever seen to which his heart
mad bowed.
Dwelling on it now with a pas,
sionat9 restfulness, and then again
trying to drive it from him with wild
impotence.
What did it matter to him how
beautiful she was? Was she not Kate
Meddon, the daughter of the man who
mad robbed him, the daughter of as
vile and worthless an old villain as
the world could possibly produce?
And If she We're not, whatever then
could 1t matter? Who was he?-the
tramp of yesterday, the workman OF
today-to dream of this queen among
girls, this beautiful, accomplished
woman!
"Oh, Kate, Kate." he murmured
fiinging himself in the chair with
heavy sigh; 'if | had never seen you,
And yet, no; | won't say that, Better
TO burn and burn with this intense
longing TO be near you, and see you,
and tell you all you are to me. than
never to have seen YOU What is il
the poet fellows says: Better to have
loved and lost than never TO have