Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-07-21
AN ATTRACTIVE ALIEN.

-ltHtC VI ttS ~ ~ Va -
to me with irresistible force that it
was time for a smoke, and i laid down
my brush with a yawn. How exquisite
ly cool it looked under the trees. If
only
Afternoon. sir. Very 'ot day, sir
1t was Miller, park custodian and
old acquaintance of mine.
Hot l sighed. miller, can you
tell me why I'm not allowed to sit
under a tree?"
Miller reflected. Couldn't say, sir.
Don't seem no manner of sense in it,
he admitted frankly. But it's the
committees orders, sir.
"But even committees l protested,
must have reasons for their actionsy'
Miller appeared to doubt it. well,
it's like this, SIR he said confidentially.
They calls a meeting up in the city,
and p'raps there amt much to discuss,
all going pretty regular in such a park
as this. as l need 'ardly tell you, sir.
But committees don't like to feel as
they amt ADDING anything, sir, an
that's where we get such rules as this.
Seems like as if they'd make rule to
close the park rather'n go home without
doing nothing, when nothing don't
want doing Look to them like not be-
ing a committee. that would
With a casual glance under the trees
in my vicinity he went his way. A
minute or two later a girl turned the
corner of the path, and came slowly
toward me. When she reached little
group of chairs almost opposite me she
paused, hesitating. Her eyes travelled
to the cool, Swallowed grass beneath the
nearest tree, and l smiled; it was easy
to guess her thought. Then she clos
ed her sunshade with a little snap of
decision, tucked it and her book under
one arm, and with her free hand
dragged one Of the iron chairs into the
shadow of the tree.
1 watched her enyiously. 1t was a
In all probability Miller would not re-
turn for half an hour or so, and how de-
sirable was half an hour of shade on
such day! / stif1ed an ungenerous i'm
pulse to speak to her of park commit
tees. and turned back to work. But L
could not forget her--could not help
looking at her. What were the gaudy
splashes of color in the rhododendrons
compared with the delicate, elusive
charm of her face-the lips humorously
curved. contradicting the gravity of her
eyes-the firm line of her chin at war
with the soft oval Of her cheek? By
the time l heard Miller's step on the
gravel again my only desire was to
shield her from observation. l entered
into rather garrulous conversation with
him. but it was useless; her white dress
Every sorry, Miss" His voice, though
firm. was not uncompassionate. It's
against orders to take the chairs under
the trees"
The girl was reading; she did not look
UP.
Miller quilted the path for the grass.
''Sorry to disturb you, Miss" he said
IL. I,,,fJ o,, fN,,4 N1cCn
chairs amt allowed to be moved"
The girl gave little start, and her
book fell to her lap. She shook her
head. and made a futtering gesture
with her hands. smiling a little.
Miller looked perplexed and turned to
me. Looks as though she was deaf
and dumb" he suggested.
I was too much shocked at the idea
to answer. and watched the girl anx-
iously. Her lips parted, and l motioned
to Miller. :,
'She's going to say something" I
murmured.
Miller turned.
"Not-Eengleesh," came from her lips
painstakingly.
Miller considered. Don't look like a
parleyvoo, neither" he threw over his
shoulder to me- Then he crossed the
grass to her. From behind my easel
watched discreetly.
Miller tapped the back of her chair
and pointed to the path. 10y. re.
She nodded emphatically repeating his
movements in explanatory fashion. But
she did not move.
Miller scratched his chin. 81 don't
mean" he said. very distinctly, where
did you take the chair from. miss, but
where it's got to be took back"
She smiled disarmingly, reminding
him by little hesitating movement
that she could not understand. 1t, was
certainly awkward for Miller. l Won
dered what he would do.
What he did do was to go back to the
path and beckon her to follow. | adj
mired his resourcefuness.
The girl obeyed his obvious. wishes
wonderingly, and then Miller, hurrying
back. returned with the chair and plant
ed it firmly in its place.
'.There you are" he said, triumph
antly. "Now | reckon you understand
The girl smiled again. making cour-
teous gesture of apology.
Miller left her, swinging down the
path past me.
soon get used to making 'em under
stand" he explained. with modest pride.
The girl meanwhile had not sat down.
She was examining the chair curiously
and with puzzled look = turning 1T
about, feeling the seat and back. Pres
emily with a shake of the head, she left
it, and walked to the next one. But
she did not sit down on it, and share
with me the sultry heat of the shadow
less path. Before MY astonished eyes
she picked it up, and returned with it
to the same spot under the same tree.
l smiled delightedly behind my easel,
as the explanation dawned on me, and
awaited Miller's next appearance.
Another half hour went by; then | saw
'sWell, I'm blessed broke from him
as his eyes rested on the girl.
81 say, Miller, it's all right!' l called,
rather anxiously. ''She didn't under
stand. you know-thought you meant
the chair wasn't safe, or something. So
she took another"
"P'raps you'd like a chance of rub
bin up some of your foreign languages,
sir" be suggested maliciously. IF
you'd be as good as to mention in
double Dutch an 'eathen Chinee about
sittin' under the trees, I'm sure I'd be
obliged to you"
I went reluctantly toward him, con-
scious of my little German and less
French.
ssMadamoiselle, c'est defendu"
began. but stopped abruptly at the
look Of blank incomprehension on her
face.
tPolizeit verboten,'I hazarded.
She shook her head.
An obvious solution of the difficulty
occurred to me. Bending down, ! tried
to read her book But, with quick,
defensive movement her hands covered
it-g AS well as / could by signs, | pro-
tested the purity of. my motives. and
was SO far successful that she appeared