Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-02-28
The Daily Story
A STRANGE MEETINa-BY ARNOLD TREAT.
Copyrighted. Associated Literary Bureau.

4
ike one in a garden from which there
J Is no egress unless he chooses to step
into a jungle to be devoured by wild
| beasts. Women are more subject to
| this confinement tl.an men. because
they have not the same physical
strength.
1 will illustrate by story-a story in
which / bore subordinate part.
! 1 was in my younger days pedes-
trian globe trotter. I presume that IL
the bicycle had then been invented 1
should have Travelled on a wheel or
later on a motor, but at that time no
one had heard of either of these modes
Of conveyance. and, being fond OF
walking, I walked. At the time Of my
story I was making a pedestrian tour
! in Germany. The country is thickly
! settled, and there are many towns
/ quite near together; consequently
found my method of progression easy,
| pleasant and healthful.
1 started one morning from Dresden
on the road to Leipzig and was trudg-
| ing along merrily when / met on the
road a girl about twenty years old
whose appearance struck me tile mo-
ment looked at her. She was of the
German type-hair very light, eyes
very blue. Her apparel was that OF
lady, only very much worn and soiled.
Her shoes scarcely protected her from
the ground, certainly not from the
dampness. On her face was look
weary and sad. Indeed, she was pic
ture of aff1uence turned to poverty.
addressed her, taking care to do SO re-
spectfulIy, with my hat in my hand,
and alphabetically. Evidently she
had not been used, at least not recent
~, to being thus addressed, for she
took my speaking to her kindly.
Good morning, fraulein," I said to
her. "It seems to me that you should
be riding rather than walking"
"Alas, herr, have not the means to
pay for riding"
Have you far to go?"
81 am going to Dresden"
She seemed to need sustenance.
There could be no IMPROPERLY in my
Offering her food, and had, besides the
leather bag strapped to my back, a
basket satchel siung to my waist con-
tanning a luncheon.
"I have come from Dresden this
morning. said, land the distance Is
at least five miles. You cannot do
that without being fortified"
I unslung my lunch basket, opened
it and saw by the eager look in her |
eyes that she was very hungry. Look |
ing about for a seat, I espied a fat |
stone by the roadside and led the way |
thither, the girl following me half re- |
luctantly. There I took out the sand |
witches, sausages, cheese and such 9TH
er articles as are provided at Ger
man inn and offered them to her. She
ate as though she had had no food
for some time. In the basket also was
a pint bottle of wine, of which 1 took
a sip only and insisted on her drink
ing the rest
During her refreshment I gave her
every opportunity to tell me the story
which l felt sure was connected with
her being so far out of her natural
sphere, for not only her dress and APP
pearance but her language bespoke
the lady. This I was able to judge, |
for 1 had studied at Heidelberg and
spoke German quite readily. But she
disregarded my hints and could not be
induced to speak of the past.
AS to the present she was more COM
She told me that she had
been a member of a little strolling
band that gave performances, her part
being TO sing. But they had taken all
the contributions of those before whom
they performed to themselves and
gave her nothing. She had only just
left them and was going to Dresden to
look out for some other way of making
a living.
II can suggest an employment"
said, "by which 1 think you can earn
money. You have very beautiful
head, neck and shoulders. There are
artists in Dresden who would pay you
to r>~e for them"
do you think SOP? she asked, quite
interested.
"If my artistic perceptive faculties
ire of any value they surely will"
This seemed to encourage her. When
We had finished our luncheon and she
she said to me:
THE only way ! can make a return
'or what you have given me is to sing
Tor you.'
mo return Is needed. but I should
'e happy TO hear you sing" I
She sang for me a German ballad. I
Ter voice was without cultivation and |
anne out, so to speak. by fits and I
tarts, now ineffective, now gushing {
orth like a spring OF abundant. clear '
Eater. AT such times l was aston I
she'd at its volume. When she had 4
nished I said TO her: {
"Fraulein. it is not as a model you (
hould spend your time. but as stu
ent of music. You have a voice that z
cultivated will make much more A
honey for you than posing for artists" h
why do you say that:" she asked. \
,oking at me eagerly. ii
Because there are both richness and n
olume in your voice" n
But" she continued after a thought.
VI silence. ITO study music nuder the /
asters requires money. and thar