The Tupelo journal., 1904-11-11
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CHE wa certainly pretty. Archie
y Newport had said it, and Archie
Newport was an artist and knew all
about such things. When she visited
Portadown mansions he used to stand
at his window and watch her alight
from a car, "trip across the pavement
holding up her dainty skirt the while
daintily. whereby he got just a peep
of the tip of the most fascinating pet
ticoat, to say nothing of a pair OF ank-
les the like of which could not be seen
in the northumberland so on into
the huge building in which he occupied
a modest fiat.
BY the time she was in the hall, and
had nodded to the janitOr, Mr.. New
port had generally reached the door
of his fiat which she had to pass, for
the elevator was just opposite, and
was pulling on his gloves preparatory
to sallying out.
He discovered that she visited the
people on the third floor, and he set
himself to learn as much as he could
about them. There seemed TO be a
kind of mystery about them. They
were an Italian couple, and the %janitor,
whom he interviewed, remarked that
he didn't know that they were much
good"
Mr.. Newport provided his informant
with the kind of r~efreshment which
latent mesmerism generally demands,
and returned to his studio.
Strange thing!!" he reflected, as he
gayly painted Venice by Moonlight
with the confidence of a man who has
never travelled farther than New York.
Cant imagine why a nice girl like
that can want to have anything to do
with such people. Hope it's all right"
He had no particular reason for
doubling that 1T was all right" but
he took a great interest in her, and
had reached that stage when a man
thinks that a girl needs some n to
look after her.
She generally came in the evening,
and never appeared earlier than seven
O'Clock. From this it may be gathered
that he had studied her habits closely.
One night his chance came, though
it cannot be said that he availed him
self of it to a large extent.
She-he had got into the narrow
minded way of thinking of her as
she" apparently having lost sight of
the fact that there are other people
- +Lo ,vopIl 80 +h1 Fo.,o1D n r;uoJ
as usual at about a quarter past seven,
and by the most extraordinary good
fortune he was, as usual, just going
for a walk. Consequently they met in
the hall.
The janitor happened to be out, and
the elevator boy was likewise absent,
so Archie Newport stepped into the
breach.
I'm afraid the boy who looks after
the elevator is not here to-day" he
said, raising his hat. Can | do any
thing for you?"
20, no, it doesn't matter!." she said,
with a smile and a blush. 81 can easily
run up stairs"
'If you will allow me, l shall be
glad to take you up in the elevator"
he said. I'm a tremendous dab at
elevators"
He took his place in the car as he
spoke, and waited for her to join him.
She gazed at him in a little p~erpleXity.
1t is probable that his impulsive good
ness took her breath away, and it was
borne in upon him that she was really
quite the prettiest girl he had seen.
II really couldn't think of troub-
ling you" she stammered.
The painter assured her with SO
much sOlemnity that, so far from be-
ing a trouble, it would be a source of
almost inexpressible happiness, that
her look of perplexity vanished, and a
smile broke over her face.
IF you are quite sure it would not
be taking up too much of your time"
she murmured, and stepped into the
elevator.
He decided to paint the scene, sub
shutting a gondola for the elevator,
and run it into his picture.
WHICH AoOl w you WANT " 50 eo'
he asked, automatically, though he
new that Mr.. and Mrs. Ferrari lived
on the third.
81 think it's the third" she muir
INJURED. TITS Mr.. Ferrari's fiat ! am
going to-"
He closed the door and gave the cord
a mighty pull. Perhaps he overdid
the pulling, or perhaps elevators, like
human beings, are endowed with a
special talent for ~contrariety.
Whatever it was, the fact remains
that after s~pringing upwards with
unusual CELEBRITY the elevator suddenly
stopped with a jerk.
"That's funny" said the artist.