Middletown transcript., 1905-12-09
BILLY OF THE FLATS
BY HELEN FRANCES HUNTINGTON


of lifting his upper lip to display row {
snagged-off teeth.
"Not much to look at is he," Forreste
remarked.
NO." she admitten frankly, ''bnt
rather think like him for all that"
Forester laughed weakly. "Oh, @
course, woman wouldn't take to a bat
tered up old veteran like Billy" said he
with tinge of scorn, "but lie suits m
down to the ground. No silken poodl
for us, ell Billy ?"
81 guess I'll 90 now," said Miss Paytol
a little coIdly. II left my door open.
think. II you need anything send Bill,
down to let me know. shall be up thi
afternoon to see you."'
Forester thanked her gravely. anG
when she had gone he reached up anc
pulled Billy's scrap of an ear, and said
"You have fine taste, I must say, old
chap. i should have picked her myself
out of thousand ! Did you notice her
eyes ?-crystal clear, twilight gray, and
steady as the north star Tall, isn't shei
And what voice Say, Billy, she's all
right, she is Gave me quite shock
when opened my eyes and saw her
standing there. Do you know, Billy, she
reminded me of dawn, not too dazzling ;
| clear, soothing, good to tired eyes. I'll
call her Madragarda, that is Spanish for
dawn, and we'll have that secret all to
ourselves, old chum."
When Miss Payton called that after
| noon she found Forester stiffiy propped
with pillows, writing in nervous haste
that must have made very hard work for
the compositor. She Immediately took
grave possession OF pen and ink and paper
which she placed on little cleared space
on the table. eff you will be good
enough to dictate to me l will write it out
OF charity to the editor" she said quietly.
mo use rebelling at present. 1 am &C.
customed to having my own way with
my patients. When you have drank
this hot lemonade we'll begin. Billy,
your dinner is on that chair-beefsteak,
for change"
Forester drank the tumblerful OF hot
decoction while his nurse unrumpled the
pillows and placed little package OF
medicines where he could reach them
conveniently. There is dose of qui.
nine and few gripsules, which you will
please take according to direction before
you settle down for the night. l shall
see you every morning until you are able |
to 60 out, and after that you'll be your
own master again. Now we will finish |
the copy if you like"
On the third morning after Forrester's
Billy called at the studio
with large and overfowing basket of
fruits, with note tied to the handle.
"MY DEAR Miss PAXTON will YOU
please permit Billy to express his thanks
for your surprise party of few days ago,
and oblige,
Yours gratefully,
EUGENE FORESTER.
Billy" she said gently, "I'm sorry
you took it that way. l wish we could
be real friends" She took two long
roses from vase and placed
them carefully in the empty basket and
bade Billy goodbye summarily.
Forester WINGED when he saw the
flowers. ''Some other fellows gift, most
likely" he said. "Of course she has
admirers, scores of them, such a woman
Is bound to have more attention than
'he wants. She - ak, or she
would take more hc.l1s quarters
and wear smarter clothes. Did you
notice, Billy, that she wore no rings or
But what's the use OF talking?
A poor scribbler has no business even
with dreams"
Forester stopped at the studio the fol-
owing Sunday afternoon to thank Miss
Pay ton for her kindness and the flowers,
md she invited him within to look at her
work which he did not in the least un-
lerstand, being unfamiliar with the inn
oressionist order Of art which she affected.
She was painting posters for magazine
;overs." she informed him, displaying a
number OF very lurid, daringly uncon-
designs in water color. After
ward she made tea for him and while she
;hatted, Forester noticed that her studio
vas rather bare as to furnishings, and
'ery unlike the sumptuously decorated
lens of the artists he sometimes worked
or there we're few water colors on the ,
walls, one or two Gibson pictures, and
lalf dozen unfinished posters of the Z,
5eardsley type, very much out of draw
ng to Forrester's mechanical eye.
Poor struggler like myself" he said
IS he mounted his attic stairs. Il Won
her whether she really sells enough of
hat stuff to pay her way? Oh, Billy, II
is an eternal shame, for woman like
Ter to fall into that grinding, weary life ,
where only one out of every thousand I
ucceeds. To wear out her youth and
oveliness in fruitless struggle when she Q
ould make home heaven to some good !
nan Billy this world isn't all sunshine +
nd roses, by any means, We know that, v
lon't We old man! But what pity that g
he must know the stony, uphill climb p' /
After that Billy frequently left flowers /
t the studio, inexpensive, roughly f
clusters of carnations and wood /
iolets with which the artist frightened q
p her somber gowns to the great satis- 8
action of Forester, but for all that the O
after grew very respondent the dis 1
ouraging tone of his condolences de- 0
ressed Billy a good deal, chiefly because d
e failed to detect the cause of his mas 8
sr's trouble, being rather better housed t,
nd fed than usual, and still in possession
the attic room with its supplementary s
lretch OF roofing where Billy took his il
irings and beyed at the electric lights /.
,stead Of the moon; and in spite OF the
isibIe signs of success FORESTER grew d