The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-08-30
Ao~o@oAoAoAoAeo@ono@oMo@o 90.
FACES ON THE WALL.
By Rob NJ. cuFYNE

My friend Topper is inclined to obesi
ty not to that cool self possessed obesity
that marks the man of the world, not to
| that good natured, rotund fullncss OF per
son that knows it cant hurry with com
fort and so is content to stand serene in
the throng of nervous humanity breaking
out in perennial smiles of complacent in
diligence on all the fuming little world
around. not TO well groomcd portlincss,
but rather to the nervous, self conscious
type of adbosity that characterizes the
woman with the market basket one sees
on street cars. Topper. in other words,
is both fat and fussy.
We. Topper and !, have an unspoken
understanding that brings us together
every Monday night In the back row Mt
the Grand Opera House. ! was a little
early last Monday night, but crossing to
tho aisle nt the left of the house. found
Topper In his usual place. May my
friends never have the pain my foes the
pleasure, Of seeing me In such state as
l found Topper. His chin on his breast,
his hands deep in his trousers pockets,
my fat friend, the picture of abject mis-.
cry, sat staring at the wainscotng of ala
baster counterfeit running around the
walls of the audience room aud lobby. !
forced my way past him, since he seem.
ed in no way inclined to move, and sit
ting down il. my accustomed place,
awaited his tale / know his moods, and
this one was sure TO have a tale.
For some moments he sat motionless,
except for the heaving of his shirt bos-
ON, which rose and fell with his labored
respiration like the Nancy Lee anchored
at full tide, his starchcd linen creaking
ominously as ii strained on his gold stud
buttons. Surprised Mt his long silence,
and more at the faint odor | detected of
high balls gone by, for Topper rarely in
dulgcs, ! was about to speak, when Top
per turned. Laying his hot, fat hand
impressvely on my wrist, he moaned in
a sepulchral tone, WELL Bob, it's all up
with me-
/ waited to hear whether 1t was n visit
from his wife's mother or a lost bet,
when. to my great surprise, he continued:
eyes. Bob, this intcmperance is ter
rble thing Cut il all out, old man. be-
fore it's too late"
"Pshawr' exclaimed. "Why. you old
fat fool. when Il comes TO bibulosity
you're not even energetic let alone nmbi-
tious."
This was actually the first time ! had
known him to take anything for a month.
81 know | don't often touch II, and
even today don't think ! was in on the
last round, but it's got me--got me dead"
Got your
My friend edged over like some foolish
young thing and in Mortified whisper
exclaimed:
81 see thngs!'
This. coming from my superabstemious
friend was certainly dry humor. and only
the helpless expression on his face over
came my desire to laugh. 1t was evident
Topper was serious.
There" said he, laying his finger on n
spot on the marble Dashboard of the
wall, 81 know you'll say I'm fool, but |
can see a face there just as plain as
though it had been drawn by an artist"
And 30 it has" laughed, for Il striS-
ing likeness of II young girl, decollete and
charming, smiled out ut me from the
maze of lines beneath his finger.
"Has whatY' he inquired languidly.
HAS been drawn there" ! replied. 81
can see it; any one can see it,"
The faint smile of relief this assertion
brought him faded away as he moaned:
YES but see dozens of them. Did
some one draw faces all over these walls
and pillars and everything else? Here
and here and there and herel Don't you
see them?" All this time he was thrust
ing and stabbing eXcitedly with his fore
finger There's man, and here's in
old woman with a hooked nose, and
there's a baby with a little hood on its
head, and here's'
"Sit down. commanded, for in his
enthusiasm Topper had risen and was
following the marble Dashboard across
the back of the house toward the lobby.
Topper sank down in despair, the tide of
emotion in his troubled breast still
threatening the moorings of his shirt bos-
ON.
My mind was working on a tactful
scheme for drawing my friends thoughts
away from these forms of his imagina-
ton, when, my eye resting on the mar
bic, the face of an old man met my gaze.
Slightly Disconnected, looked away,
and, pillar of this same material com
ing within the circle of my vision, was
confronted by two faces in profile, back
to back like the mythical Janus. ! felt a
strange sensation down the seam of my
coat collar and looked again toward the
slab on the wall. There was the old
mans picture, unaltered. rose, certain
that it would fade away on my approach
| To my surprise, 1t bore the closest scru.
tiny and returned my questioning stare
with the mildcst affablity.
spoke to Topper who stood eXpectant
at my elbow, and we walked into the lob
by, where we could continue our search
away from the curious stare of the now
rapidly gathering audience. 1t was the
same there-faces of every possible con
ception, formed by the multifarous lines
veining the composition of those slabs
around the lobby. stared and grinned and