Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1913-08-01

When Judge Menefee - sanctioned to
the act by his gray hair and wide
spread repute-had introduced himself
to the lady passenger, she had hersel1
sweetly breathed name in response
that the hearing of the male passengers
had variously interpreted. In the not
unjealous spirit of rivalry that eventu-
ated. each clung stubbornly to his own
theory. For the lady passenger to have
reasseverated or, corrected would have
seemed didactic, if not unduly So
licitous of specific acquaintance.
Therefore the lady passenger permit
ted herself to be Garlanded and Nc
Farlanded and SOlomoned with equal
and discreet complacency. 1t is thirty
five miles from Paradise to Sunrise
City. Compagnon de voyage is name
enough, by the gripsack of the Wan
dering Jew, for so brief a journey!
Soon the little party of wayfarers
Were happily seated in a cheerful arc
before the roaring fire. The robes,
cushions and removable portions of the
coach had been brought in and put to
service. The lady passenger chose
place near the hearth at one end or
the arc There she graced almost
throne that her subjects had prepared.
She sat upon cushions and leaned
against an empty box and barrel, robe
bespread which formed a defense
from the invading drafts. She extend
ed her feet delectably ShOd, to the
cordial heat She ungloved her hands,
but retained about her neck her long
fur boa. The unstable flames half re
vealed, while the warding boa half
submerged, her face-a youthful face,
altogether feminine, clearly nodded
and calm with beauty's unchallenged
confidence. Chivalry and manhood
were here vieing. to please and COM
fort her. She seemed to accept their
devoirs-not piquantly, as one courted
and attended, nor preeningly, as many
Of her sex unworthily reap their hon
ors, nor yet stolidly, as the OK receives
his hay, but concordantly with ma
lures own plan-as the lily ingests the
drop of dew foreOrdained to its re-
freshment.
Outside the wind roared nightly,
the fine snow whizzed through the
cracks, the cold besieged the backs of
the inundated six. But the elements
did not lack a champion that night
Judge Menefee was attorney for the
storm. The weather was his client,
and he strove by special pleading to
convince his companions in that frigid
fury box that they sojourned in bow
er of roses, beset only by benignant
Zephyrs. He drew upon fund OF
gayety, wit and anecdote, sophistical.
but crowned with success. His cheer
fitness communicated itself irresisti-
bly,. Each one fastened to contribute
his quota toward the general optimism.
Even the lady passenger was moved
to expression.
II think it is quite charming" she
said in her slow, crystal tones.
At intervals some one of the passen-
gers would rise and humorously ex-
plore the room. There was little evil
dence to be collected of it's habitation
by old man Redruth.
riously for the ex-hermit's history.
Now, since the stagedriver's horses
We're fairly comfortable and his pas
sengers appeared to be so, peace aud
comfy returned to him.
"The old didapper," began Bildad,
somewhat irreverently, Infested this
here house about twenty year. He
never allowed nobody to come nigh
him. He'd duck his head inside and
slam the door whenever a team drove
along. There was spinning wheels up
in his loft, all right. He used to buy
his groceries and tobacco at Sam Til
ly's store on the Little Muddy. Last
August he went up there dressed in a
red bedquilt and told Sam he was King
Solomon and that the queen of Sheba
was coming to visit him. He fetched
along all the money he had-a little
bag full of silver-and dropped it in
Sans we'll She won't come says
old man Redruth to Sam, if she knows
I've got any money
GAS soon as folks heard he had that
sort of a theory about women and
money they knowed he was crazy, sc
they sent down and packed him to the
foolish asylum"
"WaS there a romance in his life that
drove him to solitary existence?
asked one of the passengers, a young
man who had an agency.
"No," said Bildad, mot that I ever
heard spoke of. Just ordinary trouble
They say he had had unfortunateness
in the way of love arrangements with
q young lady when he was young, be
fore he contracted red bedQuilts an6
had his financial conclusions disqual
flied. l never heard of no romance"
"Ahw exclaimed Judge Menefee i'm
pressively. "a case of unrequited af
lection, no doubt"
"No. sir" returned Bildad, "not a
ALL She never married him. Marina
duke Mulligan. down at Paradise, seer
man once that come from old Red
ruth's town. He said Redruth was {
ane young man, but when you kicked