THE COURIER.
BOHEMIA.
i Martha. Louis, Bismark, "Precious"'
and I sat together in the'alcovoof Louis'
etudio, watching the crowd in the hot
"and narrow street below, and passing
remarks on it over cold drinks. Louis
had a mandolin which ho tincered
vaguely, bringing forth faint and musi
cal murmurs.
ftUl at once he straightened up and
began to sing, improvising the words to
"the tune of an old hunting on;r:
-. -v
'
"Oktihe rose, red rose has blown.
if Svr Love, then pluck it while it lasts,
.ratThe wine. reA win in th -..
f'-StTh wine, red wine is in the cup,
V SJ?' ' "" ceiore 11 passes,
'p.TKe.summer is but three months
! tt old when autumn turns the grasses,
K Then sing your summer songs,
f- dear love, before the summer's past."
We softly clapped our hands.
'J?rcio1ft" fell back in his chair, and
the frown that had lined his oun; foro
feghiM all the afternoon relaxed, for
'- Louis' voice was b west. He closed his
X. x'ejei. Louis went on:
j&i
'Ok the rose, red rose ol life,
Love, is blowing out its lease,
'The wine; red wine of life is poured,
men reich with eager lingers,
Our life is short as summer, love,
and summer never lingers,
So sing your roundelay of life,
before your life shall cease."
This tima wo wre silent. Liuis low
ered the mandolin to the floor and rilled
his glass. Juet then tho door opened
and in came Viola.
She looked rather tired and rather
warm. Directing an imperious gesture
toward Bismark who had occupied the
sofa, and now reluctantly resigned it to
her, she flung herself down with a sigh.
She was naturally pa!e, and now her
brown hair had become loose about her
face and lips. Her lashes were droop
ing with weariness, so that on the whole,
as she lay there sb.9 looked very young
ana pathetic.
"What was that you were singing?"'
6he asked presently. And then, with
out opening her eyes or waiting for an
answer, she said, "Sing it again."
Louis sang. Outside you could hear
the banana vendors and the Italian
children playing and the carters shout
ing at their donkeys. Inside we were
all quiet. All at once Viola sat up.
She clasped her hpnds about her knee
and leaned forward.
"That's our credo, you know," she
said, her big eyes going from faco to
face "You've struck it well, Louis."
Louis half nodded. Viola's eyes ran
on to the face of "Precious" and stopped
there.
"Precious," she said after a while.
Her voice was low, but "Precious'"' eyes
swung round to hers irresistibly. They
sat staring at each other in silence, very
white. Then Viola 6lowly spoke again.
"Are jou going?" she asked.
He Btarted. Tho room was quiet.
Bismark reached carelessly for Martha's
hand but she jerked it away, not taking
her eyes from tho pair.
"Precious won't go,"' she cried.
"Precious can't go!'
And still he did not answer.
Viola rose, laughing still.
"We'll have a trial. You may be the
judge. And jou'er to try the life we
live, you know. You've heard the evi
dence, against. Such t lings as these
" she swept her hand toward the
empty glassee, toward Martha's careless
attitude, "such things as this." she
flung an empty purssjupon the table,
"they've all spoken. Now hear me!
For 1 shall plead today."
"Five artists! Well, we're honest
ones. We make the most of life. We
paint when the sun shines, and sing
when the rain falls, and if we're poor,
we're free. There's Bismark, his coat is
Bhiny, and his manners aren't over nice,
no they're cot, Bismark-but bis pic
tuiellgoinallthe same. And who of
raffle
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SulphoSaline Sanitarium, Cor. Ittlx and M
All Kinds of Baths Scientific Masseurs. A Deep Sea Pool, 50x142 feet.
Shaving1 Hairdressinjr. . Drs. Everett, Managing Physicians.
NO DUST
AI L COMFORT
VIA
ooe
1 SEE
ooooo
Chair cars, buffet, library and smoking
cars, Pullman palabo and tourist
cars; alsh those elegant dining cara
with meals on the European plau
All by the
BURLINGTON
ROUTE
G. W. BONNBLL. G. P. & T.A.
Lincoln, Nebr.
jou works like Martha? And who of
you sings like Louis? Oh we're not
very proper, but we're kind! We're a
shabby, oul-at-the elbows lot, but we
know tho beautiful!"
"Think, 'Precious.' You'll go back
home to the whitesheep, and keep with
in the fold. You'll read your law, and
you'll go to the 'bops," aod jou'll llirg
jour palette into the waste basket and
your brushes to the winds. But you
can't keep back tho memories. You
can't forget. You'll remember the old
studio and the alcove and the songs and
the work and the ways. You'll remem
ber the Rue l'Argenton and the French
moon climbing up over tho house tops
and the music floating over from the
cafe and the smell of spring jessamines
rising from the stalls."
"You'll remember Martha and Louis
and Cummings and Bismark and me,
and the days we've loved together and
the days we've starved together and the
work we've done. You'll remember the
outings in tne woods and in the meadows
when we painted under the open sky,
and drank warm milk from tho pails,
and eat with the peasants before their
peat fires and ate of their salt and bread.
You'll remember, but jou'il be there
alone and we'll be here."
"Precious, we've loved you well. We'll
pay your passage home and forgive you,
but we can't follow. Why," she paused
a second to draw a breatn.
"Martha will you go?"
Martha tossed back tbe
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132 South Tenth St. Phone 581.
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Jewelry and JtiiJttiiesse Goods
New IVInii.
Stores
f Goods, S
5 Price-.
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preparation, including her celebrated Hair Kestorer. C'actic's Hair Grower, Cu
cumber and Elder Flour Uream,nd variouj facial remedies. Vit-it th DEM
ONSTRATION there this week. Free treatments and freo applications given,
also free samples and booklet "How to He Beautiful-" Special exhibit of Mrs.
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PALACE BEAUTIFUL
Near Oliver Theatre. 121 so 13th
"Go?" she said.
from her little face.
Then she laughed.
"Bismark, will you go?"
Go," be said, I'll go to the devil!"
"Louis, will you go?"
"Go," he said. "When I've forgotten
how to work and how to laugh and how
to sing, then I'll go."
She turned. Her eje3 were shining
like stars, and she held her head high.
"Precious," she cried. "Precious, will
you go?"
Her voice rang hishand clear through
the studio. "Precious" got up and
walked to the window, and stared across
the roors and the emoke toward the
clouded west. 1 here were tears in his
eyes. After a while he turned around
and came back to us.
"You're right," he said simply, stretch
ing out his hand to the pale Viola.
"You're right, and I can't leave it. I'm
obliged to you." He stopped abruptly.
"Give us a song, Louis, old boy, ho
finished.
Ahd Louis sang.
Edith L. Lewis.
3 Douy was tremaieu.
ts the devil!
GREAT
ROCK
ISLAND
ROUTE
Low rates on our peraonally conducted
tourist excuisions.
Leave Omaha every Friday via Colo
rado Springs and Scenic Route.
These excursions cars are attached to
fast passenger trains and their popu
larity is evidence that we offer the best.
Write fjr handsome itinery which
gives full information and new map,
Bent free. For complete information,
rates and berth reservations, see your
local ticket agent or address E. E. Mac
Leod, A. G. P. A ., Topeka, Kan.
JOHN SEBASTIAN. G. P. A.
Ch'-Hgo, III.
rsr
!
u J.
S
