Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1914-05-15
A Strange
Meeting
II Proved an EventfuI One
By ARNOLD TREAT

Of us who are pleasantly situated are
like one In a garden from which there
Is no egress unless be chooses to step
Into a Jungle to be devoured by wild
beasts. Women are more subject to
this confinement than men. because
they have not the same physical
strength.
] Will illustrate by a story--a story in
which I bore a subordinate part.
I was I'm my younger days a pedes-
TRAN globe trotter. ! presume that II
the bicycle had then been invented !
should have travelled on q wheel or
later on a motor. but at that time no
n had heard OF either OF these modes
Of conveyance. and. being fond Of
walking, / walked. At the time OF my
story l was making a pedestrian tour
in Germany. The country is thickly
settled, and there are many towns
quite ear together; consequently ]
found my method Of progression easy.
pleasant and healthful.
! started one morning from Dresden
on the road to Leipzig and was tEudg-
ing along merrily when ! met on the
road a girl about twenty years old
whose appearance struck me the mo-
ment l looked at her. She was Of the
German type-hair very light. eyes
very blue. Her apparel wal that Of a
lady, only very much worn and soiled.
Her shoes scarcely protected her from
the ground, certainly not from the
dampness. On her face was a look
weary and sad. Indeed, she was a pic
ture OF afluence turned to poverty. !
addressed her. taking care to do so re-
spectfully, with my hat in my hand.
and alphabetically. Evidently she
had not been used. at least not recent
ly, to being thus addressed, for she
took my speaking to her kindly.
Good morning. fraulein," / said 10
her. 1T seems to me that you should
be riding rather than walking"
"Alas, herr. l have not the means to
pay for riding"
Have you far to GOT"
81 am going to Dresden"
She seemed to need sustenance-
There could be no improperly in my
Offering her food, and l had, besides the
leather bag strapped to my back, a
basket satchel slung to my waist con-
tanning n luncheon.
~ have come from Dresden this
morning." 1 said. land the distance is
at least i've miles. o cannot do
that without being fortified"
! unslung my lunch basket, opened
it and saw by the eager look In her
eyes TINT she was very hungry. Look
ing about for a seat, l espied a fat
stone by the roadside and led the way
thither, the girl following me half re-
luctantly. There l took out the sand
witches. sausages, cheese and such 9th
err articles as are provided at a 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 | took
a sip only and insisted on her drink
ing the rest
During her refreshment / gave her
every opportunity to tell me the story
which l felt sure was connected with
her being 30 far out Of her natural
sphere, for not only her dress and APP
pearance but her language bespoke
the lady. This l was able to judge,
for l 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
municative. 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
q living.
II can suggest an employment" ]
said, "by which l think you can earn
money. You have a very beautiful
head. neck and shoulders There are
artists in Dresden who would pay you
to pose for them"
"DO you think soT' she asked. quite
interested.
eff my artistic ~perceptve faculties
are OF any value they surely will"
This seemed to encourage her. When
we had finished our luncheon and she
had been also fortified by the wine
she said 10 me:
THE only way l can make a return
for what you have given me is to sing
for you"
"NO return Is needed, but 1 should
be happy to hear you sing"
She sang for me a German ballad.
Her voice was without cultivation and
came out 80 to speak, by fits and
starts. now ineffective. now gushing
forth like a spring OF abundant clear
water. At such times / was aston
lshed at its volume. When she had
finished I said to her:
"Fraulein, II Is not as a model you
should spend your time. but as a stu
dent OF music. You have a voice that
II cultivated Will make much more
money for you than posing for artists"
why do you say thatf' she asked.
looking at me eagerly.