Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-11-13
The Trouble
Listener
-
by r. RAY BAKER

of slender build, and allowed his cane
TO swing repeatedly against the wall
( that embraced the terrace. Beneath a
small dGnfied mustache his lips
+ tWitched neryously, and his black eyes,
set in pale, almost emaciated face,
roamed reStIessly over the throng that
was enjoying a late afternoon siesta.
From his position at the gate he
could see two old men smoking corn
cob pipes contentedly. chatting aimless-
~ as they rested on a bench, against
which a pair of crutches leaned. Near
by was "A languid young woman with
yellow hair shielded by Il red parasol
gazing dreamily into space and now
and then calling methodically: Ed
ward, come here" to bare-legged
youngSter romping, needless Of her adj
monitionS, on The lawn in the vicinity
of keep or sign,
A grimy laborer, clamping his jaws
placiily on plug and carrying a denied
dinner pail, his shoulders hunched for
ward and his feet dragging after him
slouched into the park and paused near
the entrance, where the wind had sep
arated an abandoned newspaper into
it's several foios and scattered them
over the grass.
The laborer glanced furtively about,
stepped gingerly on the lawn, and a
moment later moved out of sight along
the walk whistling listlessly no tune
In particular the newspaper folded
compactly and protruding from a coat
pocket.
Two girls passed near the observer
with the cane. one was chewing Vi
ciousy on gum, punctuating her re-
marks with frequent smacks of the
lips. The other evidently had been
weeping for there were traces Of tears
in her eyes and She carried wilted
handkerchief.
I'D tell I'm whore tub get off at"
snapped the gum chewer Don't let
i'm put anything like that over on
yuh. The idear dockin' yuh whole
dollar jos cause yuh busted one meas
~ III tift'-cent vase Well, goohy. I
gotta hurry home n get fed"
She hurried off through the park,
while the other girl walked on down
the street, soaking up more salt water
with the tiny lace-fringed square of
linen. All this ceased abruptly at the
next corner, where she was joined by
a young man and ripple of laughter
fioated back.
The man with the cane smiled
somewhat grimly and adjusted the
stick on his arm.
"The inhabitants of this old world
certainly do have their troubles" he
sighed, and ms he turned he coHlded
with a tall, thin, blond young woman
clad in pink.
Pardon" he murmured, and then ms
he recognized her;
"Oh, hello, Evelyn. This is sur
prise. What are you doing, that you
can't see where you're going? Study
ing astronomy"
Evelyn smiled sadly and took him
by the arm.
You're Just the man need" she as
serted. I'm In awful trouble-and it's
all on account of my no-good husband.
Joe, / wish I'd married you. Come In
the park and I'll tell you all about II,
and maybe you can advise me"
With an air of resignation he al
lowed himself TO be piloted along the
park walk. They were just in time to
see and hear the amiable discussion OF
the two old men with corncob pipes
break up in an angry, suffering argu-
ment over the effect of the peace treaty
on the map Of Europe, or the high
cost Of living, or the batting percent
age of the major league catchers
As the man and the girl passed the
young woman with the yellow hair. the
youngster who had been romping on
the lawn came running up to her, split.
ting the air with shrieks.
The young woman manifested great
annoyance, stopped gazing at distant
nothings, seized the bare-legged child
by the arms and dumped him uncere-
moniously on the bench beside her.
Now, what's the matterY1 She de-
manded angrily Can't have n min
ute's peace' What are you roaring
about9"
Il bit my finder" he walled and |
let loose another torrent Of tears.
shut up" She commanded. and |
gave him a Slap across the face. He /
became silent Immediately. except for /
some half-suppreSSpd spiffIes evidently.