Amador ledger., 1904-02-26
BEING A
BOHEMIAN
BY Helen RotOIand
Copyright. 1908, by 7. c. Mcclure


steps to the first class passenger coach
as it stood in the Richmond depot.
Eta, tar she called gayly to a big
fellow who stood beside the coach "By
by, Teddy" and with a pretty little
movement she blew kiss to the wait
ing man, then disappeared within the
door of the train.
The man lifted his hat solemnly
Then he strobe away with a quiet, hurt
look in his eyes, not even waiting to
see the merry face that peered out of
the window as the train painted and
puffed out of the station.
"Oh, brace up, Morrison! This won't
do. There's no use making a mute of
yourself for any fool girl who doesn't
half appreSiate you."
''You don't know anything about itr'
And Terry Morrison walked off, leaving
the man who had been trying to cheer
him up standing where he was, a little
chagrined and bit sorry for the big
fellow.
As the train whizzed past the out
skirts of the city Dorothy Brockway
stretched out her arms and drew a
deep sigh of relief.
''Free, free, freep' she breathed in a
passionate whisper and leaned back in
the seat with a wonderful smile in her
eyes and deep, joyous satisfaction per-
meating her whole being. mo more
mammas! No more Teddy! No more
chaperons! No more tea partiesp' she
went on. "Just fun and work and do
as l please and be bohemian. Oh, how
l hate it all! Mammals conventionali-
tiesl Teddy's bossing : dear old Ted!
How broken up he lool1ed''- And some
of the merriment faded from her eyes.
1t was dusk as her train steamed into
Jersey City and the tall skyscrapers on
Park row were sending forth a million
twinkling lights that streamed over the
water. Dorothy looked about her a lit
tie bewildered, but made her way hur-
riedly to the gates, followed by a fat
porter who carried her grips. Through
the bars she spied smiling pair of
eyes, and Corinne Morrison came to
meet her with an amused look on her
face
'You dear little IDIOT" said Corinne
as she kissed her and led the way to
the ferryboat "You absurd little
greene! Why ON earth did you leave
my good and glorious brother to come
up to this seething caldron? Why
didn't you stay at home and marry
him and get supported for the rest OF
your life?"
Connie" said Dorothy severely, "you
bossed and bossed. l want to be bohe-
man."
There was queer little light in Co
rinne's eyes as she answered: "All
right, dear, We'll begin right away
Come, We'll take street car instead
of cab. 1t wouldn't be bohemian to
take cab, you know. Bohemians are
all poor. I'm a bohemian"
"But-but-a these bagsr And Dor
othy looked helplessly at the pile of
leather satchels beside her
''They aren't bohemian either" And
Corinne relentlessly led the way to the
car, tugging two satchels, while Doro-
thy followed helplessly with the rest.
Three-quarters of an hour later they
were wearily climbing the stairs to
(,0rinnntc .CflIHin IN {oI,A
up two, up three! Dorothy sat down in
a heap on the dirty floor to rest.
Connie, is your studio in heaven?"
Eyes, when sell anything. Come
along, girly; you'll get there. 1t merely
requires perseverance" And one more
flight brought the two to battered
door in dirty hall, smelling of mold
and dampness. Corinne took out her
latchkey and unlocked the door.
"Oh, how gloriousv' sighed Dorothy
ito carry your own latchkeyr
Delightful" And Corinne's voice
was bit ironical.
Just three weeks later Dorothy rolled
over wearily in her automatic combina.
ton bed and folding couch that did
duty by day as an Oriental corner
with lot of gaudy pillows piled upon
it.
Connie" she said tragically, "do you
know just how much money l have
between me and the cold, cold worldi
Just SIS! And 1 haven't sold single
thing I've written, and, Connie, is there
anything else in Bohemia besides work
and disappointment and editors who
won't see you?"
YES" said Connie doubtfully, "I be-
ieve there are the Hungarian restau-
rants. You need cheering up, girly
Wen do Hungarian restaurant to-
night. I'll telephone two of the boys
from Park row to meet us somewhere
and We'll go to Martinetti's.'
Meet us? Meet us? Can't they call
for us here?
"Why, no." and Corinne turned re-
proachful eyes on Dorothy. "They are
newspaper men, you know, and can
only steal an hour or so from the office
Besides, that would be awful conven-
tional. No, not that low cut frock
goosie. Pick out your plainest shirt
waist if you're going Summing with
me-"
Dorothy set her teeth firmly and
smiled away the little frown that had
begun to cloud her forehead
The tweezy orchestra was playing
the latest air from a popular comic
opera as Dorothy Brockway, followed
by Corinne and the two newspaper
men, in their morning clothes, entered
the third rate bohemian cafe The
lights flashed on hundred women In
gaudy gowns, wearing every color and
Observation-Disclosures