The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-11-12
Mr.. Smithers, Bachelor.

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copyright, 1905. by T. c. McClurel
One June morning Mr.. Smithers.
bachelor, sat looking out Of the viii
dow as he smoked his after breakfast
cigar. In an open window across the
street a girls face suddenly appeared.
She had birdcage in her hand, and
she looked all around for a nail to
hang it on. While she was looking for
the nail Smithers was looking at her.
He saw a vision of loneliness, aged
about twenty, and while the bird was
hopping about on its perch Smithers'
heart was hopping about in his bosom.
Even before the girl had disappeared
in search of hammer and nail he
realized that he was close to that state
termed "goneness."
The girl began operations with the
hammer with a great show Of conf
dence In her innocence she supposed
that nail could be driven into brick
as easily as into a hunk Of putty, and
she paid for her innocence by pound
ing her finger. When she uttered
cute howl of pain and dropped the
hammer to the sidewalk within an
inch of q pedestrians head and then
stuffed the bruised digit into her mouth
to suck away the pain the bachelor
fairly groaned in sympathy. After a
moment she disappeared. but his heart
went with her. The idea came to him
to run across the street, introduce him
self and pour out his sympathies, but
after comblng his mustache and put
ting on his hat he decided not to.
However. he set himself to watch
for her temperance, and, though it
was three long hours before he caught
sight of her again with white rag
around her finger, he did not feel that
he had wasted his time. She looked
across at him, and he thought he saw
longing for sympathy in her face.
he therefore waved his hand. 1t was
in no sense an act Of Irritation on his
part. His sympathies went with the
wave. 1t was the same as If he said.
poor little orphan girl. but l pity
you" The girl drew back, and Smith.
ers blew her kiss. Not the slightest
idea of flirting entered his mind. He
was simply conveying by signs what
he couldn't put into words and yell
across the street-"Never mind. little
girl, you'll be happy yet"
That afternoon the girl and the fin
ger and the rag walked out together.
So did Smithers and his sympathetic
heart. After being charmed with a
view Of the young lady's back they
passed her and were still more charm
ed with view of her face. That face
was ethereal, tender. affectionate. 1t
had the longing look that comes to tue
face of girl left all alone in the
world and two weeks behind on her
rent to hard hearted landlady. Smith
ers might have found excuse to raise
his hat and say something about the
weather. but peanut man pushed his
cart against his knees and sent him
sprawling. and all romance was driven
out of his soul for the next three OF
four minutes.
That same evening as Smithers sat
by his window smoking the same
would have to pay waiter in a res
taurant to write an ode entitled 1.-The
Sore Fingered Angel the girl appeared
at her easement. She sat down ant
looked up at the starry heavens and
leaned her sore finger on the sill tt
rest it. She didn't see Smithers a
first. but when he thought he detected
tears in her eyes and a quivering o.
her chin he thrust himself forward tt
let her know that there was at leas
one human being in this world wht
felt for her.
The same rag and the same fnge
and the same girl walked out mex
day. Smithers was on the watch. ant
! he walked out too. Nothing was fur
Their from his thoughts than "mashing'
or flirting. That was something HI
had never done in his life After fol
lowing the girl four or five blocks ant
thinking up just what words of sym
pathy to address her with he over
hauled her and raised his hat an,
was about to get off his little speed
when a big, lusty fellow without tn
least romance in his soul took hin
by the scruff of the neck and ad
dressed him for moment in word
Of fervid eloquence, while the gil
with the sore finger stood by with
pleasant and expectant look on he
face. Her expectations were realize
that is. Mr.. Smithers was shaken til
his teeth bit his tongue Then he wa
made 70 perform strange antics wit
his heels. while his legs would kink IL
and then straighen out again in a wo1
derful way. Before the big man wa
through with him his collar and ii
We're torn off. his coat ripped beyon
repair and his hair badly mussed w
: he could not afterward swear that b
was also kicked and cuffed, but b
felt reasonably sure Of it. What hui
: him more than the kicks and cuffs.
| he got them. was the pleased an
cOmnlacnnt Look IN tho oirl,c Pooa dr,