The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-11-05
ME writer is not q stylist. Nei-
ther is he qualified to tap even
gently at the door of that sanct-

TINE writer is not stylist. Nei-
ther is he qualified to tap even
gently at the door of that sanct- !, !!
uary wherein silence accentu-
ates deformity. Yet he happily con-
fesses that as tinkerer he dares to
approach the portals of any exclusive
ness aud signal loud and long for the
towering of the draw.
Not many years ago stood stran- |
ger In one of the main thoroughfares
of city. 1t was at that hour when
great drifts of humanity surge and
rock and interuse with hurrying
sense of destination full upon them.
Being stranger of course was spared
or deprived the lust of the contest, but
as a spectator nothing material was
denied me. For sometime l watched
the writhing, changing multitudes in
blurred sense of istlessness-hardly
sense-just an apathy. But 10! the
throng had shrunk imperceptibly yet
certainly, for stationary things could
be seen more frequently and settling
tuli had begun to deepen. Presently l
found myself fairly awake and nova
ble, and l had an Impressions con-
fused impression. Bewildering to me
was the mere idea of that heaving
mass of notified human molecules, and
said to myself: where do they come
from? Where do they 60? What is their
meaning2 This sIab-foOted pedestrian
with a hiatus in his trowsers, blot on
his nose and cutting CLEAN in his
eye-wbat is his missiOns That hair
aess-headed, portly gentleman-what
can he want? What is he for2 And
over there is spindie-limbed fOp pu-
issant in his resemblance to dwarf
Gated toothpick. Is he an agent, what
is his agencyp Whence and where, l
ask of him. Aud there lOll two lan-
guild females over an exhibition. Sure
ay some antecadency, some destiny at
taches to them. All passed from my
sight. New samples came crOwding
iu. Then something real happened-
immediately was al altered mail--ac-
ve-alert-curiOus. Like the fOrma-
tiOn of sand dune it came. The
ominOus rumbling lirst-then the gust
in the name of the old Egyptian
mother goddess Mut-the gust. Yet
there Was 10 wind. The rising pile
that mounted around and over me was
Smade up of rushing, head-cracking
hard-breathing human beings. What
did it mean? was the query that flick
cred across my daZed consciousness
Now came the revelation. Freakisf
in its naturalization, yet wi!hal thu
true source. saw a woman, and al
extraordinary woman sbe was, in some
respects. AT a radius of some 10 OF l;
feet around her circled a nOisOme bel
lowing rabble, but none dared cross tn,
danger line of that circumference
Three or four patrol men were tloun
dering aud grasping among the mob il
vain attempts To quiet and disperse il
10 get out of the vortex seemed yer.
difficult undertakiug-tO maintain M
position in it seemed equally ardnous
yet | assumed the latter course, and
desire to see the sight was the deciG
iug impulse.
The lady carried gentlemah's WALK
ang stick and supported a monocl'
Tho not in strict accordance with tn
Piccadilly, yet in permissible fashion
She wore no hat. And indeed d ha
were useless. Her headdress in al
pearance resembled fair-sized Xms
tree with all its trappings and trim
mings. Queen Anne style believe
possibly not. Her cheeks and lips an
forehead were we'll fertiIized wit
rouge and powder and black velve
Her garments were hyphenated at O.
cry convenient parallel, and aroun
each ankle were two copious bows {
blue ard yellow ribbons. At the rigl
knee glittered hugh cut steel buckl
which the uusOphisticatedm might ha,
believed was silver heirloom, filche
by some enterprising ancestor from tt
court Of Louis XIV.
With the hauteur of Hecate 81
7sauntered along leisurely surveyir
the heavens and the fifth story cas-
ments, apparently eblivions to the lo
tling crowd about her. "Non comp