Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1907-06-13

Lonesome. stranger" A woman
asked the question in a voice of such
exquisite sweetness that / looked at
her with surprised interest.
oh, so so" | replied, I'm accus-
toned to being alone"
Mining" she asked.
No" ! replied.
Punching cows" / shook my
head.
Prospecting" smiling at her own
persistence.
Government work. Surveying.
The new irrigation dam" / replied
somewhat brusquely.
oh" all interest faded from her
| face
Music and light. The sounds Of
harmony were loud and insistent, the
Illumination glazing, even binding,
and in the white, blazing ligh. men
and women danced, talked and drank.
Not a pretty scene; still it satisfied
the crude longing of these rude men
who, for the better part of the year,
herded together in COW and mining
camps, or, solitary and alone, pros
pected in the mountains for the mine
which would make of them rich men,
and enable them to-and there the
dream usually ends. In vague, un.
satisfying way some of the younger
men dream of home of their own.
OF domestic life amid other scenes,
yet II all ends under the white light
with wine, women and cards, until.
the last dollar is gone. Year after
year this goes on with changing act
ors, like the men | watched.
| had been sitting there alone, ut
terly alone, in that / knew no one, and
like many other homeless strangers |
fingered under the glare while the
hours of the evening passed. The
music had no charms for me- the deal
ers invitation: Make your game,
gentlemen" held no temptation
though fortified by the sound of the
ball as it whirred in the wheel, even
the women of the place passed me by
as uninviting until the hours had
grown small, when one threw herself
into the chair opposite me. After sat
isfying her curiosity, she sat watch
ing the throng listlessly.
There's quite a crowd here to
night l remarked
There always is she replied, care
lessly.
Just at this moment a man passed
us to whom my attention was attract
ed by the very charm OF his personal
beauty. While of a reckless, satanic
type, there was so much of the 1.-the
grace and symetry of contour that l
could but admire him; he was as
grand as Lucifer, and as dark and
virile.
Who is that MANI" | asked, turn
ing TO my companion, then shrank at
the expression of her face. ! had
thought her beautiful as she leaned
on the table questioning me, now !
should hardly have recognized her.
Her big hazel eyes were grown black:
her cheeks burned scarlet; her lips |
were two threads of crimson between |
which her teeth cleaned, a line of |
pearl, her full bosom rose and fell |
swiftly, while her hands which lay |
on the table were clenched so hard |
that the knuckles were as white as |
ivory. Her eyes followed the man |
for a moment, then, unseeing, came
slowly back to mine.
Who is hep | repeated. She start.
ed violently, then laughed shortly.
That? oh, that is Bill Tyrone"
she answered. He's a beaut'. isn't
hep"
Certainly very handsome man."
| replied. What does he do?"
"Oh, he's a sport; deals faro for the
house. Say, order something to drink"
she demanded abruptly Having been
expecting the request, / signaled the
waiter.
You don't belong in this country" +
she asked, as she set down her
glass.
mo, I'm a tenderfoot / replied.
II thought So" She sat silent for
4 considerable time, then turned TO
ne with a natural, cheerful smile. and
said: Would you like to hear a
story. one which is to end tonight"
why, des,' | answered, and having