New Ulm review., 1921-02-02
Lady
Bountiful
00
By JESSIE E. sHERWIN
(Copyright. 1919. by the Western News
paper Unton.)


paper unton.)
1t was a matter Of no small won
derment when, after a mysterious alb
sence from his accustomed haunts,
Derby Dan. reappeared attired respect
ably and with money to treat his
friends royalty. IL ].
"Left a legacyy' "Struck q new
lay? Found a pocketb book7' 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 eonfided his secret to Baldy.
"Tell you, partner . he recited, Il
struck a queer snap. "A young fellow
made a 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 Baldy
skeptically.
"Oh, how we fellows Of the tomato
can and the rope belt live. Human in
terest information, was the way he
put it. I told him all I knew. One
day he says::tI guess we will cancel
the engagement, Dan, 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"
"He's story writer, or tries or
hopes to be. He was looking for real
experience and characters"
II see, I see" nodded Baldy mus
ingly. "Say, Dan, if ever we run
across him point him out, will your"
1t was about a week after that
when Dan suddenly seized Baldy's
arm and pointed to young man cross
ing the street.
That's him." he spoke quickly. 4
Leave the rest, to me-" directed
Baldy, and. put off on the trail of
Merrill Hoyt with the hall: Mister,
can I have a word with you?''
SCIIdluly, uOuucu MSIIlll.
II heard you're one Of those guys
who write for the papers," projected
Baldy. 81 guess, too, that you want
to dig under the surface and get a.
thriller with lots Of pep in it, hey?"
"You seem to have surmised what
I'm trying to find" answered Merrill
with a whimsical smile
well, amt much up in litatoor,
but i suppose you are after heroes and
sheros. know one good and beauti.
full as an angel. She came to the ten
ement where I used to live before my
wife died and I 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 and pay the
rent for a sick washerwoman. Say, /
believe there's 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.
face and ways in movie picture
would make a whole play of itself."9 y
Badly furnished further details and
Merrill bestowed fye-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 fa-
nous, you'll blow me to an extra ten,
eh o. t
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
Baldy that she was indeed "good and
beautiful as an angel" "A week spent
in close proximity. to herself and her
humble neighbors proved a revelation
to Merrill. There was not a 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 loveliness 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
Lisle to assist her in caring for the
delirious patient. 81 4
"And OH" she said, 'how you rayed,
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.'' .5.
And, flushing from self-conscious.
ness, Alice Lisle entered. the room. Il .It
was the beginning Of a pleasant asso-
citation mutually y, cherished, and al few
weeks later well and strong again,
Merrill told his love and all the story
Of his object in coming TO- the tene-
ment,
IS eve will have to- wait till my book
brings in returns" he told the recip-
rocally happy girl, who smiled strange.
Nv md added a. hewil OR; n q. ,n,,fi