The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-06-18

over her desh ana TOOK only q quick loon
at the man.
How LIS your radiator 2" ha
The girl smiled without looking at him.
coolly, and then Mr.. Nudge, who, though
3 not of a very sociable disposition. usually
1 Vent at ev eas to T fbs rsGist he a hadPp ensn,5 to e e
"You needn't touch It," she told him.
It is warm enough in here. isn't 1T
turned on. You don't mind If I let a lit
your"
reading. Really it is quite satisfactory
she said. please let it alone"
Mr. Nudge made a few remarks about
ri az e9Ireme cold and the workings OF
seem to be interested. 4 would have sent
d ddr the agent Il I had wanted to have ii
Nudge blinked at her from his position
On the floor by the side of the radiator,
nay long enough to warm his hands
IN his cheerless room he thought it over.
tbar looked agreeable enough" he
the blue ribbon"
For days Mr.. Nudge went on working
bought c an o Ghe s4ss Office. Then he
When he was not too busy, or too alb
oecugps or r. too co. lazy to light It. 1t never
~ hhl 10 complain TO the agent
ABOUT the lack of heat in his room. There
was a tone of finality In the words Of his
Of his mind. pN' lA0 Aoe" oo'
ne met her again at the studio of a
m VIZ ! "a artist friend in the same building,
VINO had asked Mr.. Nudge to come in for
care much for sociabiuty, went only be-
sS11ease Il was a cold day and the tea party
suggested a way to get warm.
ne found Miss Thislow-tha was the
.fN"AtiC l Ills COl1-haaTtnd naiOlIN- a-l
ne was hurried over to her side and nitro
n Me 10 neT as q. sort of speciality. Peo-
nudge couldn't make out, regard him AZ
q hlsnly desirable social asset. He had a
c norns5y way Of telling the truth and a dis
point. OF view that made people seek him
OUT IN a crowd. Miss Thislow this time
SSne mn her undivided attention, and Mr..
Mu9se told her, to begin with, that his
studio adjotned hers. 49,
II call mine an Office" he said. "be-
cause 1t Is the place where I earn my
oaliy bread making pictures for other peo-
pie to laugh at, but I Judge from what T
nave seen Of you that you call yours a
and mine doesn't." No
when have you seen mine?' she asked
ui ,'dre can a. : see much through the chtnks."
she went on to tell him that her little
studio was only a hobby. She really didn't
90 nuch painting or drawing--tt was just
the city-a quiet spot where her brothers
and sisters couldn't disturb her.
she begged Mr. Nudge SO in%slstently and
NUDGE round her entreaties so effective
that he told her, though he hadn't in
tended to. where he had met her before.
w Why gasped the girl. II thought that
a mechanic, and they are SO annoying the
way they keep coming in to tinker the
pipes and things.
You were certainly not very kind. who
ever I was" said Nudge.
Mr. Nudge and Miss Thislow. by mutual
tact c9nsent, saw much of each other
turned on her radiator full blast, but she
Invited Mr.. Nudge to come to her studio
whenever he chose and share her tea and
cheerful decorations.
Anyhow, Miss Thislow," Mr.. Nudge
told her one day after he had explained
With characteristic honesty that he found
her fascinating, and at the same time a
distraction and a comfort anyhow I am
never going to ask you to marry me, even
chance that you would every say YES, be-
cause / know that some time when you
had got very used to me: and 1 turned up
with my tie on crooked and my hair
rufled, you would treat me the way you
did when. you thought 1 was a plumber.
tinker after all, and you would hand me
another frost and 1 couldn't stand anoth-
er. That first one kept me freezing for
weeks. No, you are in spite Of your pres
ent kindness a snob and an aristocrat.'
Miss Thislow protested, yet Mr.. Nudge
was firm. II am no more a snob than
S'h at, exc Soiu. L KNOW you would do
the same. Suppose your scrub woman
came In some night when you were busy
and insisted on getting in your way. It
isn't a question of democratic principles
at all, 1t is a matter of being bothered"
Nudge was inslstent and the argument
went on for several days. Then one eve
early-she was expecting to meet
him for the theater later in the evening
Nudge sat alone absorbed in work. There
was a knock at his door and he looked up
TO see the cleaning woman stopping in
with her pail Of water. Without waiting
for his permission she began to sop
Nudge said nothing, but drew his feet
under his chair and changed his. position
several times to make room for her.
eent, shabby figure, anxious to see the
face of the woman who aroused his pity.
Il come in early tonight" she said. cause
home,-drunk. and might go for it"
Nudge said nothing and the woman
went on with her tale of woe.
Just az she had turned to leave. Nudge,
who had been debating between the the
alter with Miss Thislow and the perform
ance Of an act of charity, caught her by
the arm and stopped her.
See here he said. slipping IS into her
putting up a good fight. I know the money
doesn't go far. Where do you i've? Per-
haps # come over and talk to your old
done that sort of thing one or twice be-
fore. l had an Engagement or I should
have offered sooner. Hurry along with
the rest of your work and when you are
ready come back and I will go home with
you and see what I can do. You nave a
pretty rough time of it, don't your"
The scrub woman turned her bent figure
away from him for a minute and then
faced him for the first time, dropped the
little shawl that she had worn over her
head and stood up straight in her shabby
clothes.
Nudge" she said, Imply. look at me.
| was Just doing it to prove that you were
a snob. I thought you would hand me a
few dollars with a my-good-woman air
and ten me to go on, just as I or any one
else would have done. You are a dear and
I am not worthy Of you She stopped
quickly, and Nudge took her two soapy
hands in his.
You don't mean-you couldn't ever
mean that you would be willing to marry