The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-08-09

over and over again on his cleverness
He had laid plans, sly old dog that
he was, and was to meet her at the
little back entrance OF d local nickelo-
dunn through the kind and very disin-
terested offices of a third party. He
was TO meet her at last, Five whole
days she had chirped and pirouetted
from her eminence on the meagre lit
tie platform. She sang badly;
Brown knew that, even # he hadn't
gone in for shows very much during
the last ten years of his married life.
Happy ten years they had been. too,
according to the occasional musings
OF the man-but then a fellow needs
dash of life now and then, he reas-
oned to himself; a man couldn't afford
to tie himself down for a life time,
Why of course not,
Brown strOlled up and down the
now deserted street He had been
strolling for several hours, in fact,
If he remembered rightly. When
would that performance be over, any
how? He had stood the stuffy atmos-
phere of the theatre to the limit of
his endUrance-being a fastidious man
he had his shortcomings.
Brown half wished he was over the
whole affair. Pshaw, Was he losing
his nerve, or did the thing really lack
interest? Somehow, he couldn't get
Mary or the children out of his head.
We'll, why should he, anyway" he
reasoned resentfully with himself.
Wasn't Mary as fine an old girl as
ever breathed, and wasn't he the faith
er of a pair of boys that could beat
the whole town and then some2 Ger
tainly they had nothing to do with
his meeting a lady in order that he
might congratulate her from an artis-
tic point of view.
Still he paced. BY George, 1t was
getting late. They had said at half
after ten, but he wasn't going Quitting
in" around any five-cent show without
first knowing his ground. Not he
Where was Green, anyway? Wasn't
he going to show up in time for the
Introduction part of the program?
Hang it all for a nuisance, anyhow,
Mary, he ruminated, was probably
at that very moment keeping silent
company with his favorite meer-
schaum and his easy slippers; the
light was probably burning low and
the children tucked safely IN bed
Suddenly the side entrance of the
garish little theatre opened, and Mad
anne Fantana, arrayed in the same
flowers, with smile cracking
through a layer of second rate grease
paint appeared in the light which
came streaming out The particular
brand of "Johnnies" who attended her
either failed to possess the wherewith-
all or the gentlemanly instinct where
the ordering of carriages is con-
| cerned, and madame was forced to
walk
On she came with her tawdry make
up, her blondined hair and her court
of pecuniarily embarrassed youth. who,
however, struggled alJ&,st visibly TO
keep up appearances. Brown knew
full we'll
Suddenly she f1icked A cigarette
from one of her companions. Drown
abhors a cigarette)-and with a few
well directed professional appearing
puffs, the divinity grasped the arm of
her escort. RECALLING the crowd mean
time with the choicest bits of Bowery
slang. Brown skunk back into the
| friendly shadows of a convenient door
way and the little crowd passed on
Il can't seem to tell you tonight
how glad I am 10 be home with
you and the children" Brown an
nOunced a half hour later to q very
sleepy woman who had watched for
his coming for hours. She might. be-
ing a very clever woman, have had her
suspicious, but again being a clever
| woman, she fOrbore to gre them ex-
preston, and smiled a cOnteuted little
smile as darkness finally settled over
a peaceful household.
u had a funny dream the other
night announced the Pensacola man