The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-07-19

bow the name mao come TO nsF ictnnlS
rould never explain. Not that she ever at
tempted explanation. The thing was done,
and u wasn't OF much moment. Al least.
not when there were 80 many other mat
tiers crying for attention.
To wit-thnt eternal q~uestion-how 10
NIKE twenty shIllings n week keep you
and dress you. This problem entertained
and hauste Tommy In turns. Each
Saturday the riddle seemed about TO be
solved. while each Monday morning Saw
the answer more remote than ever.
Her hair was golden. Her eyes were
clear. wide and cornnowcr-bluc. Her little
nose was straitish. That In 10 say. IL was
rot really a 'turn-up' but rather an
agreeable compromise. Her mouth WASH
bad at all. without being a cupid's bow,
or anything wonderful and poetic Of that
description. Her teeth were small and
white.
Her face was round and her figure was
round. Tommy was Jolly looking and
pleasant looking, and it did ones heart a
power OF good to see her upon a fine morn
ing-on some summer Sunday when the
eternal question wasn't quite 80 much In
evidence.
Thcn-and. mind you. I am not the only
one who noticed Tommy-she would wear a
sort OF pink silky dress, made with a
round bodice TO suit her general roundness.
The bodice had a clear neck. and the skirt
was long and s~eepy. The sleeves ended
on with the qucerest little bag arrange
msnts. falling over her wrists. and were
bound with lace 10 match the neck. She
had patent leather shoes. and black stock
lngs. and IA wonderful white petticoat. and
n marvellous great big hat. trimmed with
tremendous ostrich feathers. n soft
misty chiffon. She carried n pink parasol,
And Tommy's hair on these mornings
was a symphony In yellow. As she irotted
along. under the bright sun. one might
well feel puzzled to know whether the
glory came from h heavens. or from
Tommy. or whether. like n smaller sun.
Tommy absorbed and reflected the rays OF
the other luminary.
How much going wIthout-lunch-be-
cause-Lm-not-hungry'' did all this repre-.
sont' ! cannot tell YOU. for Tommy never
owned up. IL pleased her TO look pretty
and to be- pleased is to be- happy. To b.
happy h. the aim Of true philosophy.
In her way. Tommy was II philosopher.
She didn't complain Of many things which
would have nightly troubled you and me.
She planned out her weekly income nne-
~: and when. sometimes. the nncness be-
came a deficit. Tommy didn't despair. She
just did without" until things righted
themselves.
SO long as she paid her way and kep,
her Independence. the eternal question
never daunted her. one day IL would DO
answered.: and until then Tommy wrestled
with Il carefully.
She was a~lone-cxcept for the memory
Of twenty years-and the nice
each week of a. many shillings. She lived
Ia Highbury. because II was conyrnien,
and cheap. Her business" was In the
jcwclry line. In Charicrhousc street. wha;
she did from nine until six. In the great
stone building. hcrded with many oth.r
more or less sufficient ''Tommlcs." I never
discovered. Sorted diamonds. mayhap.
from the ruck OF stones?
IL rains sometimes In London. az mos, O,
us have observed. IL IL rains ever so littla
ChartcrhouSc street becomes kecnly alive
to the fact: and more than rises 10 IN.
occasion. hut Tommy kept her temp.r al.
ways. despite the mud and the %lostlinr OF
disagrccabie umbrellas.
Wet wcathcr was peculiarly severe upou
Tommy. for under IL her glory departed
considerably. Her hair had a way. not
altogether uncommon even with the hest
hair. OF going into wisps. and tails" and
curllcss ends at the least suggestion OF
dampncss, And the tip OF her dear utti.
nose would appear pink-as her SUNDAY
dress.
"wrctchcd day. isn't IT." remarked on
We'tliis hHf on just " "A morning. do
you think We shall ever have amy Am.
weather again? IL seems as If"
"Oh, II will bc fine enough bcfor.
twelve Tommy Instantly broke In. paus.
Ing for u moment at my side. "You'II see.
Besides. its not 30 bad when ones young
you know. II IL? Now I do feel that las
rather rough on hat poor old woman al
the corner. She'll get her papers all
spoiled and won't be able 10 either sell OF
return them"
I'm buy up her stock In trade-just 10
please YOU" ! laughed. What a thought
ful little philosopher IL Is. What's the
Natter"
II shall be latc-that viii be the matter"
returned Tommy. moving Oh. Its nearly
mine already. Good by
Shall ! see you tonisht?"
Mol shall be too much OF a sight. I'm
a dry weather bird-my feathers get
dragged when IL rains
Have my umbrcila-yourS Is % no use
gEainNt hAs ran. 1 can easily run through
the wet"
"iou 20 ard spend a penny on the old