Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-12-30
Emotional
49, Miss Tttlly.


She was supposed to earn her own liv-
ing, but no one in the house knew her
occupation. She usually went out
about o'clock in the morning and re-
manned most of the day, but there was
nothing regular either about her going
or her staying. Sometimes she would
remain in the house for several days
at time, and sometimes when she
went out in the morning would return
before noon and not go out again.
There was good deal about Miss
Tully that interested me. She was
never for long period in the same
mood. One day she would be merry as
a cricket, the next in the depths of
despair. Then she would be subject
to fits Of anger, when no one cared to
approach her. Any sensible person
may judge from this that Miss Tully
was not likely to make good wife,
but 1 have noticed in young men dis
position to neglect the girls who are
especially fitted to make homes COM
Portable for those who are so consti-
tuted as to make a husbands life
burden. At any rate, became fasci-
mated with Miss Tully's moods. At
our first meeting there was q girlish
gladness about her that was simply
delicious. A few days later she met
Inc with an imperious look on her face
that well nigh froze the marrow in my
bones. The next week my pity was
excited by melancholy that was no
less becoming than her sprightliness
or her regal dignity.
1t was not long before l was madly
in love. But, realizing the folly of
making a life partner Of girl who
was not only changeable as the wind.
but whom l knew nothing about-in-
deed, whose mode Of support was
MYSTERY fought against my passion.
All to no purpose. / was caught in a
mesh and unable to extricate myself
One evening Miss Tully and | were
sitting in the drawing room-the board
ers, seeing my infatuation, had by this
time come to give up the apartment to
us-side by side ON a sofa. 1t was in
the spring Of the year, and Miss Tully
was like the season, light hearted, ex-
uberant in spirits and, it seemed to me.
willing to listen to loves young dream.
Little by little turned my words upon
that dream, which by this time had en-
thralled me. Miss Tully saw my drift
and seemed to yield to a pleased Ian
guor, listening eagerly to what | said
say, leading up to proposal. when she
stopped me and said ecstatically:
''Say it all again."
confess | was puzZled-indeed, tri-
fe put out. To repeat my glowing
words was not to my mind. Fortunate
ly my embarrassment was relieved by
a maid entering with a note for Miss
Tuuy. She opened and read 1t. From
that moment she was changed. Her
light heartedness disappeared and with
it her apparent interest in what / had
been saying to her. Smarting under
this sudden Indifference. | left her.
The next evening at dinner l noticed
that Miss Tully appeared to have some
thing ON her mind of an exasperating
nature. Her teeth were set, and her
eyes were filed with flashes, coming at
long intervals. like heat lightning on
summer night. After dinner ! was 60
ing up to my room when she passed me
in the hall, gave me glance | did not
understand and went into the drawing
room. | followed. We were alone
there, and, turning on me like a fury,
she began to accuse me Of some uneX-
pressed crime. working herself into
very demon. In vain | begged her to
tell me what | had done. Without
Bleeding me she talked on, or, rather,
stormed on, till at last, seeing no pros
swaying to the east to the west. any
where, everywhere In accordance with
its unbridled passion. left the room.
The next morning made an effort
to escape from this mad creature.
took an early train. For a week
IciudiuCo away, lucu. PtOAcociuS W
myself to feel confident Of my ability
to resist the fascination. returned to
the house and Miss Tully.
At our first meeting l saw upon her
face the most engaging sadness. She
gave me reproachful look, which l
took to express pain that / had kept
away from her l longed to take her
In my arms; but, with muflled moan,
she went up to her room.
saw nothing Of her for week.
Then she was plain Miss Tully, neither
happy nor miserable nor angry She
gave me smile, put out her hand to
me and, intimating that she had some.
thing to say to me, led the way into
the drawing room.
II owe you an explanation" she said,
'and / am going to reveal to you that
which no one else In this house knows.
I am an artists model. / never pose.
however, except In proper clothing and
only for artists who wish to catch an
expression Of some one of the passions
They have found me very versatile In
this respect. and l have been success
full. The secret Of my success is that
! can at any time work myself into
any required mood, and this gives the
- II n.