Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-02-07

as IS characteristic of the work-girl
class, but ,stngularly attractive in their
neat black dresses and dainty low-cut
shoes. There was also much in evil
dence another type of female, whose
extravaganza of costume and holiness
of manner loudly proclaimed her an
Gent profession
II On either side of the boulevard were
shops and cafes, mostly cafes, with
every now and then a brasserie or
beer hall Seated in front of these es-
adjustments, taking their ease as If
beer sampiing constituted the only real
interest in their lives were hundreds
OF students, reckless and daredevil,
and suggesting almost anything except
serious study. They all wore frock
coats and tall silk hats, and some of
the latter were wonderful specimens of
the aatter's art. A few of the more
eccentric students had hair down to
their shoulders, and were baggy. peg
top trousers of extravagant cut, which
hung in loose folds over their sharp
pointed boots. On their heads were
queer plug hats with fiat bri1ns.
Shirley laughed outright and regret
ted that she did not have her kodak
to take back to America some idea of
their groresque appearance, and she
listened with amused interest as JEFF
ferson explained that these men were
notorious poseurs, aping the dress and
manners of the old-tims student as he
f1uorished in the days of Randolph and
Mimi and other immortal characters of
Murger's Bohemia. Nobody took them
seriously except themselves, and for
the most part they were bad rhyme
sters of decadent verse. Shirley was
astonishad to see SO many of them
busily engaged smoking cigarettes and
imbibing glasses of a pale-green bev-
erage, which Jefferson told her was
absinthe
when do they read?" she asked.
when do they attend lectures?"
Oh laughed Jefferson, "only the
old fashioned students take their stud
les seriously. Most of the men you
see there are from the provinces, see
ing Paris for the first time. and having
their fling. incidentally they are
studying life. When they have sown
their wild oats and learned all about
life-provided they are still alive and
have any money left-they will begin
to study books. You would be sur
prised to know how many of these
young men, who have been sent to the
University at cost of goodness knows
what sacrifices, return to their native
towns In a few months wrecked in
body and mind, without having once
set foot IN lecture room, and, in fact,
having done nothing except inscribe
their names on the rolls"
Shirley was glad she knew no such
men, and il she ever married and had
a son she would pray God to spare her
that grief and humiliation. She her.
self knew something about the sacri-
fees parents make to secure college
education for their children. Her faith
er had sent her to Eassar She was
a product of the much-speered-a high
er education for women, and all her
Il life would be grateful for the advan-
tases given her. He. liberal educa-
ton had Eroadened he:' outlook on life
and enabled her to accomplish the lit.
tie she had. When she graduated her
father left her free to follow her own
inclinations. She had little taste for
social distractions, and still she could
not remain idle. For time she thought
; OF teaching to occupy her mind, but
she knew she lacked the necessary pa
tience, and she could not endure the
drudgery of it, so. having won honors
in English composition, she determined
, to try her hand at literature She
wrote number of essays and articles
on hundred different subjects which
, she sent to the magazines, but they all
came back with politely worded ex-
, cuses foc their rejection. But Shirley
/ kept right on She knew she wrote
we'll; it must be that her subjects were
n q la 70 Oh.
tactics, and persevered until one day
came letter of acceptance from the
editor Of one Of the minor magazines
They would take the article offered
sketch Of college life-and as many
more in similar vein as Miss Rossmore
could write. This success had been
followed by other acccptances and 9TH
!. er commissions. until at present she
was 4 weli-known writer for the lead.
ing publications Her great ambition
had been to write a book, and ."The
American Octopus" published under
, an assumed name, was the result.
The cab stopped suddenly in front of
; beautiful gilded gates. 1t was the
Luxembourg, and through the tall rail.
ings they caught a glimpse of we'll
kept lawns, splashing fountains and
!. richly dressed children playing. From
the distance came the stirring strains
of brass band.
The coachman drove up to the curb
and Jefferson jumped down, assisting
! Shirley to alight. In spite of Shirley
protest jefferson insisted on paying.
: "Combien?" he asked the cocher.
. The jehu. surly. thick-set man with
a red face and small, cunning eyes like
a ferret, had already sized up his fares
:. for two sacre foreigners whom it would
$ be flying in the face of Providence not
9 to cheat, so with unblushing effrontery
s he answered:
dix francs, Monsieur!" And he
J. held up ten fingers by way of illustra
t ton.
). Jefferson was about to hand up &
J. ten-franc piece when Shirley indignant
b ly interfered. She would not submit tt
; such an imposition. There was regu
e lar tariff and she would pay that ant
IyNt to-, ~