Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1913-12-11

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their friendly derision at her hnery,
From the porch Mrs. Lindstrom whined
her fright. She was clean upset" by
Aurelie's fortune. But maybe it meant
a job Lord knows we need 1t. John
laid UP with his arm and Albert not
workin' steady. Maybe Aurelie would
get a job in the News office, but Lord
knows what would happen to a girl
who got her name in the paper" She
shifted on to the neighbor woman, and
Aurelie marched On with vast pride
Not all the beauty of the October sun
level from the hills against the fligree
of red n gold hung against the cliff
face could stir this beaten labor woman
Of the cities. Lord knows Aurelie'll
get us all in the papers. Amt my mar
had enough hard luck without this?"
Aurelie went on, a slender scarlet
figure on the leaf-carpeted creek road
She wilfully passed the bridge to cross
Sinstnawa on the messy stones amone
the rushing water. A red squirrel scold-
ed her from the willows n she
charged him laughing1y. her breath
quick In the keen air, her eyes bright
with delightful freedom. And while the
squirrel barked his indignation from q
safe tree. h laughed again, and then
suddenly remembered that she was try
ing to be miserable, and yet rebelline
against it with all her pride.
Of High street the eyes of early house
wives. airing their rugs. caught hel
gypsy figure; they whispered to the
household, and noses f1attened against
the panes to watch her pass. Already
despite Mr.. Curran's effort to hold the
story for the Sunday papers, the town
was buzzing with Aurelie Lindstrom's
rNtnriotu IF u-ad ophoEt If was In.
credulous: but whe. h passed 1t ran
to see and whispered. When she neared
the squar and passed a shop where the
cheerful anvils rang, h was conscious
that the work stopped and the smiths
came out of the blue haze in their
leather aprons to stare after her, and
when q farm wagon came along, heaped
| with frosted corn, h hired man hailed
her, and when she passed the Huh
Clothing store, a dapper clerk called
Hello, Aurelie!" And all the other
clerks and the proprietor gathered open
mouthed to whisper.
She set her shoulders straighter and
marched on into the News office. The
editor arose hastily and stared at her.
Then he sighed and came to her with
his hand out. "Aurehe, I see it now!"
"What?" she asked innocently.
"The~beauty winner! Oh, we're a lot
Of chumps around this old town. Here
you gre" up dluOIlS US dud uSUOuy cVSA
suspected. You're he most beautiful
girl I ever saw"
She sat down perpIexedly. Jim Minis,
the tramp printer. toothleSs and whisky
soaked, grlnned at her yer his case
Aleck, the press boy. stopped his work
Rube Van Hart, the broken down ball
player, stuffng old papers into the
stove, lifted his derby awkwardly:
Morning, Aurelie."
All the world seemed radiant with
friendliness. The editor had her hand
and refused to drop it. His eyes were
bright with eagerness.
Right here in my old shop" he said
us Cinderella"
She looked seriously at him. She had
never known anybody like Wiley T
Curran. He seemed like a man who
had produced a miracle when he mere
ly meant to knock u his pipe. There
it was. the sparks flew, and the fairy
stood on tip toes smiling at him. An
Irishman had to believe in them.
Miss Cinderella" went on Curran
there come the Chronicle men now
from the Parsons house. Those people
sent Max Jerome down to sketch YOU
the topnotch illustrator in the bust
ness"
She had never heard Of him. Two
men came in; one fat, short, busy
looking; the other a lanky youth who
laid down a dat ase Of card papers
and turned a good humored ironica.
face directly on her.
And you're Aurelie Lindstrom?'
he said. well. WE'LL"
The stout little man took her hand
warmly at Curran's introduction. "The
Chronicle wants to congratulate you
| Miss Lindstrom. It's great! Curran
here, has been telling about you"-he
looked hustered for a minute-"and It's
great stuff! But we don't want these
| state papers to get in on this Until we
spread on it Sunday-understand.
you. And we got to make that 11:2t
train from the Junction"-he looked a
his watch-'and Max wants to sketch
YOU. We're going TO run a three-colol
border on the SUI that's a pippin. Wait
till you see that Carmen effect Of yours
in the Chronicle layout. It's going te
make 'em sit up"
She didn't understand a word OF it
She looked appealingly at Mr.. Curran
Then she was conscious that Max, the
artist, was sketching her swiftly, 81.
lently, glancing first at her n Their
at the light in the News dingy win
dows n then at his board.
editor, I'm mighty glad you got it
Miss Lindstrom. You see the Chron-
icle contest was straight was nc
frameup for one Of these show girls
who are always butting in on these
things. I tell you I never was SO pleased
at anything as to find you didn't know
a thing about it."
mot a blamed thing!" cried Nh. Cur.
ram ''till I told her! Why, 1 even for.
! got I ever sent those pictures in. The
most beautiful woman" He stared
| at her, and then broke off ~mournfully:
"Say, Dickinson. the grocer. telephoneG
in this morning with an awful roar
Pulled his advertising out Of the News
and stopped the paper. because I sem
in his girls picture! And she didn',
| get a vol NJ"
The Sunday editor chuckled. Ma,
smiled ironically. He came to Aurelie
with a deft firm touch Of his white
fingers. CA little more to the light
Miss Linstrom. Just that-there." He
stopped thoughtfully and looked dowr
again. Your hair-you couldn't have
done it better on Michigan avenue
can't even buy It" He went back t.
his sketches. There's a curious trick
; about you he began to work, and
then stopped and laid down his pen.
Gil.
What's the matter, Maxi" gruntet
the newspaper mar.
Max was watching her strangely. HI
muttered; h he said, without regar6
to his compaion: Miss Lindstrom, d.
you know Q interest me more thar