Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-03-07

III report YOU they yelled, ''for
insulting a lady"
Eloise turned sick. She pushed out
of the excited crowd, past the two
emaciated, imperturbable old China
men behind their little trinket counter
and fed to the balcony overlooking the
main street of the Chinese quarter.
1t was horribly low She shuddcred
at the thought of where she was and
under what protection as she gazed
down from the lantern hung balcony
into the street crowded with Chinese
in their native dress-their pig faces,
long cues and long nailed fingers hold
ing paper bags filed with vegetables.
"Eloise!''
She jumped at the sound Of her
name and a mans step on the balcony
and pressed back against the wall of
the house, staring with wild eyes at
the man before her.
What are you doing here?" he de-
manded. why, you have never been
out like this! What does it mean?'
She gathered her forces suddenly for
retaliation.
What if l haven't?" she said, some
what breathlessly 81 am old enough
to do as I choose-and-it is not in the
least your affair what I dor'
She pushed past him into the incense
laden interior to have the conductor
present her with a package Of joss
sticks and a slip of paper covered with
Chinese characters
"a fortune" he said CALAMITY. ASK
your Chinese laundryman to read it
for you
II haven't a Chinese laundryman,"
she exclaimed passionately, land I
! never will have onew
She ran almost blindly down the
stairs and into the street, trusting to
her instinct for locality to guide her to
the nearest subway station. The ORR
; entails fell back in wild establishment
at sight of her fleeing figure, and few
fat old fellows said unintelligible
things to her which caused a roar Of
laughter.
Her cheeks were burning, her breath
was coming in gasps, as she came into
| the little square marking the one time
wickedest place in New York. All at
once she felt that she was being fol-
! lowed. Quick, light footballs were
coming behind her, were keeping pace
with hers, and terror clutched her
| heart. A few drunken men sprawled
on the park benches. To return was
impossible. She could never find the
''rubberneck" party. There was moth
ing to do but keep on as best she
|, could
She emerged from the park ready to
drop with exhaustion and was obliged
to slow down to get her breath To
her relief she found the steps had
| stopped, and no one was in. sight She
went on and on through the better
streets Of the wholesale district and at
last saw the twinkling lights of sur
face cars ahead. She reached for her
purse. It was gone.
She stopped stock still on a corner
frozen with horror. Alone at II O'Clock
at night on a deserted street, with no
money and home miles away! The ills
of her guarded, pampered life showed
uppermost in this dilemma. A less ia
vored girl would have known what to
do. She stood there dazed, helpless,
till the sound Of rapidly approaching
footsteps startled her into action. She
sprang forward.
''Eloise!' A mans voice echoed her
name commandingly among the sky
scrapers.
She collapsed all in heap on the
curbstone.
"You-you-lovable girl" he said,
looking down at her limp person strug-
Cling for breath.
''Oh. George" she painted, 81 didn't
know it was your
He sat down on the curb beside her.
II thought you did," he said.
I "And there wasn't any real danger :"
she asked. wide eyed. ''Oh, what a
simpleton"
''None at all except from the ogre
me-" he laughed shortly.
sob, George, you are simply finer
"You didn't think SO last week this
/ time" he said relentlessly.
"But you didn't insist" she pouted.
"a girl likes to be convinced
ooh, yOu-you-I will say it-foolish
girl" he said, with adOring eyes