Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-02-04
ANNEXING AN ECONOMIST.

And sitting in Mrs Peamint's parlor,
whence all but they had fed, she snug
| gled back in a fortunate easy chair
and looked at him from under the eye
lashes in an earnest manner, giving
him the glance of solemnity and ex-
hortation, the look of reproach and the
manner of a most resigned superiority
81 would regard the modern drama"
she replied, las an anachronism, did
not see in it an all too pathetic in
dication of the times"
And as she snuggled back still fur
Their let us look once more at that
fortunate easy chair to which refer
ence has already been made. Very
we'll then; it was a high, broad, deep,
sturdy, stout old piece of furniture,
with a back so high that it peeped
over her head in satisfied sort or
way. Substantial legs and feet it had,
too, not spindly little things such as
are far too often seen in stylish and
modern example of art, and most
capacious lap. And as for its arIES,
they were arms, not sticks, but arms,
so that if you came into the room
when it was nearly dark you mlstook
the chair, perhaps, for stout Old gen
tleman with a longish back, sitting
On a hassock with his hands on his
knees and his elbows turned out. And
speaking in a significant manner |
will conclude by saying that even as
every piece of furniture has it's In
dividual character, this easy chair OF
ours was a waggish old member and
no mistake.
Il would regard the modern drama"
she replied to him, 'tas an anarchron-
ISM did not see in it an all too pa
thetic indication of the times"
And as he looked AT her, wondering,
| marveling, thrown off his balance for
the moment, that lucky old easy chair
| seemed to wink at him over her head.
And indicating what, Miss Lower"
he gently asked her.
And ruling passion of the age!" she
| cried. Extravaganza"
And as she sat still further back,
that lucky old easy chair fairly seemed
to hug her, meanwhile looking at our
hero in a droll and waggish manner
| which seemed to whisper in a hoarse
and husky wheeze, BLESS you, she's
yCung!'
You are fond OF fiction, Miss
Lovee?" our hero asked her then, sit
ting forward in his chair with the alert
air Of a player whose first card has
| been dealt to him.
Too frivolous' she said ooh, c6o
| banal."
"You are interested in art?' he ask
ed, taking up his second card
I'm interested in nothing" she an
swered, chat will interfere with my
life's work."
"And that is?"
ITO help combat this growing spread
of Extravaganza" she gently answer
ed him, and then, almost in whisper,
ITO help regenerate mankind!!"
And as she made a gesture with her
| hand. her eyes sparkling, her face
rosy, her expression rapt and yet
satisfied, as though contented with the
amplitude Of the plan laid out, our
| hero looked at the chair as though to
say, I'll play these and, arising he
slowly walked away from her and
slowly walked back.
"Ah, Miss Lovee," said he, you
have hit it! Consciously or unconNl-
ously you have gone straight to the
greatest evils of modern lines EXtraV-
agance. Yes. 1t exists j all classes,
in all ages, in all degrees, from the
millionaire to the millhand, from seven
| to seventy from dukes to domestlcs
No one is free from it, except perhaps
an occasional great heH"t and clear
mind to whom it has been given 10
see the light No one else can get
away from it; they are hound helpless
chained like slaves! And 1nowest thou
whv9 All. knOwest thou why? 1t is
because they can find no one to help
them in their fight-no .! And hu-
man nature is weak, Miss Lo"ee! Ana
| the temptation Of extra l8ance IS
strong, Miss Lovee! Al, II you out
| knew how I have tried to light THIS
cruel demon of extravaganza, MISS
Lovee-how [ have tried-how l have
| failed-ah, failed, failed, failed! NO
one to help me! No one to give me a
kind word, or kind lock even when
I have needed help, SUPPORT or even
heaven knows!-a little pity"
And as he walked G1o~Tly away
from her, and slowly lack TO her
again. his words outpOu.-.oS, his face
unt1Irned and eloquent, re looked at
him with a growing ave- and grow
inc pride at having aroused him thus
"a nride that slowly turned to pity,
that gentlest of all the emotions with
the exception of only one.
"Ah, Miss Lovee," he whispered,
stopping before her then, you are
going to regenerate mankind--where
are you going to begin?' And bending
over. placing his hand on the arm OF
her chair, daring even to place MS
hand imploringly on hers as it rested
on the arm of her chair, he breathed,
''Begin on mel"
But" she objected family, too faint
". enc might think, I'm only here for
two weeks"
"Oh, much progress" said he, can
De made in two weeks"
And still he bent over for her an
swer, and still he dared to keep his
hand imploringly on hers.
But" she objected still again, 7
| hardly know how to begin
'Teach me- said he, ito be econom1-
1;+41o +l,i,, Nnu look at this