River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1909-07-15
Ar AYTP ACTIVE ALIEN.

| my brush with yawn. How exquisite
II cool it looked under the trees. Il
only
Afternoon, sir. Very 'ot day, sir.'
1t was Miller, a park custodian and
Old acquaintance of mine.
''Hot?' / sighed. Miller, can you
tell me why I'm not allowed to sit
under a tree?'
Miller reflected. "Couldnt say, sir.
Don't seem no manner Of sense in it"
he admitted frankly. But it's the
committees orders, sir.
"But even committees" / protested,
must have reasons for their actions?'
Miller appeared to doubt it. We'll,
It's like this, SIR he said contdentially.
They calls a meeting up in the city,
and praps there amt much to discuss,
all going pretty regular in such park
as this, as I 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 il they'd make a 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 committee. that would.
With 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 | 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.
| watched her enviously. 1t was
of fbo bliss.
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! / stifed an ungenerous I'M
pulse to speak to her of park commit
tees. and turned back to work. But
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 | heard Miller's step on the
gravel again my only desire was to
shield her from observation. / entered
into rather garrulous conversation with
him. but it was useless; her white dress
caught his eye, and he crossed the path
very 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
civilly, in a slightly louder Tone These
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 little.
Miller looked perplexed and turned to
me. "Looks as though she was deaf
and dumb" he suggested.
| was too much shocked at the idea
to answer. and watched the girl anx-
iously Her lips parted, and ] motioned
'she's going to say something"
murmured.
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 dscreetly.
Miller tapped the back of her chair
and pointed to the path.
She nodded emphatically, repeating his
movements in explanatory fashion. But
she did not move.
Miller scratched his chin. 81 don't
H.
did you take the chair from, miss, but
where it's got to be took back"
She smiled disarmingly, reminding
him by q little hesitating movement
that she could not understand. 1t was
certainly awkward for Miller. / 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 resourcefulness.
The girl obeyed his obvious wishes
wonderingly, and then Miller, hurrylng
back, returned with the chair and plant
ed it firmly in it's place.
There you are: he said,, TRIUMPH "a,
antly. "Now / reckon you understand"
The girl smiled again, making cour-
teous gesture of apology.
Miller left her, swinging down the
path past me.
"a rare lot Of foreigners we get here;
soon get used to making EN- 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 it
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 1t, and share
with me the sultry heat OF the shadow
less path. Before my astonlshed eyes
she picked it up, and returned with 1t
to the same spot under the same tree.
I smiled delightedly behind my easel,
as the explanation dawned on me, and
awaited Miller's next appearance.
Another half hour went by; then saw
him coming.
'Wen, I'm blessed" broke from him
as his eyes rested on the girl.
~ say, Miller, it's all right!' I called,
rather anxiously. "She didn't under
stand, you know-thought you meant
the chair wasn't safe, or something. So
she took another"
tsP'raps you'd like chance of rub
bin up some of your foreign languages;
SIR he 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.
The girl raised wondering eyes to
mine.
aMadamoiselle, c'est defendu-"
began, but stopped abruptly at the
look Of blank incomprehension on her
face.
.sPolizeit yerboten," / 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. AS well as | could, by signs, / pro-
tested the purity of my motives, and
was so far successful that she appeared
to absolve me of a desire to steal it, and
removed one hand I bent down.
Ia che OOrtI non son