Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1906-07-26
With Claudia's
Assistance
BY INA WRIGHT HANSON


From the doorway Fitzgerald looked
lnoodily at me s'om in front of the
dresser. | looked moodily at Fitzger-
aid
''She refused me- he said.
"I've got to go to Mrs. Writings dim
ner,' answered.
Fltz nodded and threw himself heav-
lily into chair.
Il wouldn't 80, YOU know, after Mrs.
Writings niece refused me, so she had
10 rustic up you
top drawer.
Seems u me. in the interest OF hui
mainly. you might have staved or
your old proposal till after the dinner.
I've got to take Miss Whiting in. What
shall say TO her? I'm no society
man.
"You might talk about me. Its
darned strange She refuses me-" fitz
responded modestly. "Of course I'm
Eat, but what Of that? Look at my
money?
| turued from ley hair brushing and
regarded l'itz with.suiprise.
shes different from other girls" he
went on mournfully. You never know
| what she is going to do or say next.
| She said If she ever found the man she
wanted to marry ana he didn't ask her
she would propose to him. You say a
| word for me. old man, and maybe she
will change her mind about it,
"An right" SAID and started for the
| internal dinner. If | had been left in
peace could have translated q few
| more pages Of that Latin work | was
| on.
! Why ! should have Qiguratyely of
coursey fallcn on ny face and wor-
SHIPPED Claudia Whiting the moment 1
saw her | dent know. That amy man
| could help adoring HEREAFTER he came to
| know her is incredible. but | think l
| began before ever she said word to
me. 1t couldn't be because her eyes
| We're the bluest | ever saw or her hair
| crinkled sunshine suppose 4 poet
| would describe it better--or her lips
| red as the roses she wore in her belt
| something about afiinities. 1t may be
| that mysterious word holds the reason.
What we talked of l., vaguely relnem-
| bered l know that l walked home
| ward carrying with me a vision of
| sweetest seriousness, for that describes
| Claudia as she appeared that day.
| When | turned the corner, beyond
| which were my lodgings, | saw F'itz-
| gerald at my gate, his broad back to-
| ward me. | remembered my forgotten
promise and fed incontinently.
| couldn't face him. Later | stole into
| my room like thief in the night
Next day | went to call on her and TO
make my peace with Fitz, who had in
| terviewed me that morning. She was
| i'll the garden, and | stated the object |
| of my call at once.
IF you knew him better you would |
| appreciate him MORE | said and
| launched forth at some length into his J
| peculiar graces and virtues. Claudial
| listened, and when | had finished shell
| leaned toward me, smiling roguishly.
and didn't you care about coming
| to see me? If it had not been for Mr.. ]
| Fitzgerald you would have come any-s
way, wouldn't you
To think that she should have looked |!
| straight into my heart and dscoveredi
| my perfidy! | almost let go of my Sc
| cret | almost answered. II came be-
| cause | love you" And this on the
| second meeting.
! Then because | must talk, and there
| were some things | must not say, 7 j
| began talking of myself-my college
life, my failing health, forcing me to
! live for years in the pine forests; then
| when my health was restored how the
woods still held me with their soll- |
tudes, so that l was unhappy and i'll at
| ease In society. 1
| Il have quite pretentious cabin
there" | said I'm it are my books
and my violin Back Of it flows 9.
clear stream with trout waiting for ME
to catch them for my breakfast Moth
ing is wanting there TO make me en-
tirely comfortable"
My face grew hot for all at once
| realized there as q want-a void-to
be filed. That if | went back to my
cabin now 1t would he as lacking as
the body whose soul is not within.
II was born and bred in the woodsr'
exclaimed Claudia "The stars look
| closer and bigger than they do in the
cities of the lowlands Up there in the
mountains are ferny hooks and man
zanita: there is wafer cress which
makes me hungry this minute oh. |
know about the woods Her blue eyes
were shining like the stars of which
she spoke
Then she asked me about my books.
ana ! told her of my published ones
and those in contemplation--dr old
iomes-why should I have supposed
that they would interest young crea-
ture like her?
Bat | ramblel on, lost IN her sweet
companlonsh'F, till the sun suddenly
dropped out Of sight, and saw her
SILVER In the breeze that stirred the
poplars. Then i remembered Fitz
do give him another chance" 7 said
nerfunctorly as | rose to go She look
ed at me seriously. but made no an
swer.
For the greater part of a month l'itz