The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1920-01-22
Lady
Bountiful
By JESSIE 3. sHRRw1N
(CeDyRi6ht, 1919. by the Wsstsra News
paper Unio0.)

paper Unio0.)
It was q matter Of no small won
derment when, after mysterious alb
sence from his accustomed haunts,
Derby Dan reappeared attired respect
ably and with money to treat his
friends royalty.
Left 4 legacy?" "Struck a new
lay7" Found a pocketbook7 and like
expressions hailed Dan, but he only
smiled wisely and, as his money finally
gave out, ceased to be an object Of
comment and interest to all except
Badly Moss, who was his chosen chum
in famine and plenty alike, and one
day Dan conflded his secret to Badly.
"Tell you, partner" he recited, II
struck a queer snap. A young fellow
made bargain with me at three dol
lars day to keep sober, report at his
room every evening from seven to nine
and answer his questions?"
about what?' propounded Badly
specifically.
"Oh, how we fellows of the tomato
can and the rope belt live. Human in
terest informal ton, was the way he
put it. told him all knew. One
day he says: I guess we will cancel
the engagement, Dan, I must confess
to being disappointed in you. It's the
pathetic and pitiful, the real struggles
and misery of the poor and unfortu-
nate I have been looking for"
"Why, whatever was he after"
Hes story writer, or tries or
hopes to be. He was looking for real
experience and characters"
II see. see," nodded Badly mus
ingiy. Say, Dan, if ever we run
across him point him out, will you?"
It was about week after that
when Dan suddenly seized Baldy's
arm and pointed to a young man cross
Ing the street.
That's him." he spoke quickly
Leave the rest to me-" directed
Badly, and put of on the trail Of
Merrill Hoyt with the hail: mister,
can 1 have 4 word with you?"
Certainly" nodded Merrill.
4 heard you're one of those guys
who write for the papers," projected
Badly. II guess, too, that you want
to dig under the surface and get
thriller with lots Of pep in it, hey?"
You seem to have surmfsed what
I'm trying to hnd," answered Merrill
with 4 whimsical smile.
well, I amt much up in litatoor,
but suppose you are after heroes and
shesos. know one good and beauti-
ful a. IN angel. She came to the ten
eme1t where used to live before my
wife died and went to pieces, and
started in to help the sick and needy.
Say, that girl has worked all day in
the factory and uses every cent she
can spare for others. They call her
Lady Bountiful, but her real name is
Alice .Lisle. Last week she pawned
her neck chain to buy a baby buggy
for little crippled child oand pay the
rent for sick washerwoman. Say, l
believe there's a mystery about her,
too, and that's what you want in
stories, don't you? She isn't no COM
mon clay, that's sure, and her pretty
would make whole play Of ITSELF"
Badly furnished further details and
Merrill bestowed a five-dollar bill upon
him, but Baldy's final words were: II
say, mister, if Lady Bountiful turns
out to be princess in disguise and
your story about her makes you ia
nous, you'll blow me to an extra ten,
eh?"
One week later Merrill Hoyt became
a room tenant of an old woman on the
same floor where Miss Lisle was To-
Gated. The first sight he had Of the
young lady carried out the claim of
Badly that she was indeed good and
beautiful as an angel" A week spent
in close proximity to herself and her
humble neighbors proved revelation
to Merrill. There was not woman
or child in the old tenement that had
not some story of kindness to dis
close. Then Merrill was introduced
to Miss Lisle by his landlady. Day
by day he learned more and more to
estimate her royal worth and night
after night he wrote upon "his great
book" which her loneliness and help
fulness inspired.
Merrill fell i'll and never knew who
had aided in nursing him until he was
back to normal. It was his landlady
who told him Of the visits of Miss
Isle to assist her in caring for the
delirious patient.
"And OH" she said, "how you raved,
and all about her, and how you were
going to write her In a lovely story.
And she blushed so beautifully when
in your fever you began to talk about
love, and how she should be your own
when you sold your book and-and
here she comes now"
And, flushing from self-conscious-
ness, Alice Isle entered the room. It
was the beginning Of pleasant asso-
citation mutually cherished, and a few
weeks later. well and strong again.
Merrill told his love and all the story
Of his object in coming to the tene-