The Democratic advocate., 1908-09-11
The Kings
English.
BY George ~. "A. Cain.
Copyrighted, 1908, by Associated
Literary Press.


two distinctions above the other pretty
girls who sold everything conceivable
from the counters Of the big store on
Sixth avenue. The first Of these dis
tinctions was that of being the clever
est manipulation of the latest slang.
The second was that of being Michael
Maloney's "steady company"
When Mike had arrived from the
Emerald Isle and had been made a
clerk in the branch of the AmalSa-
mated Tea Stores company all on the
same day he had been easily persuad-
ed by some friends who had preceded
him into the land of freedom to attend
dance of the Moonlight Athletic as
sociation in the evening. There Nellie
had seen him and, seeing, had been
well, impressed.
"Who's the new harp?" she had
whereupon she was duly presented to
"Mr. Maloney, just over from Dub
lin
Perhaps it was the unconventional
ty of her conversation that attracted
the young Irishman from the start.
Perhaps it was her fresh, young beau
ty. Perhaps it was the snap and go
that marked all she said and did.
At all events, Mike and Nellie were
"steadies" from that evening forth
In another sense Michael Maloney
was as steady q young man as ever
became a citizen of New York, and
when he was promoted to the position
Of manager in the branch store being
his sweetheart became real distinc-
tion for Nellie.
But shortly after Michaers promo
ton Nellie acquired a new distinction
which entirely eclipsed one of her old
ones and certainly went far toward
finishing the other. 1t all began inno-
Gently enough No one would have
suspected the results when she Dor
rowed one of her favorite authors
novels. There was no sign of danger
until she had got well on toward the
end of the book.
In fact, at the middle of the second
page the girl had handed the volume
back to its owner, with the comment.
II can't dope out this talk" But the
other had urged perseverance, assuring
Nellie that she would get used to the
''swell guy talk" of the story and that
the tale itself was 'somepun grand"
And, sure enough, at page 223 Nellie
was shedding real tears over the sor-
rows of the heroine. She nearly forgot
to wait on customers, SO absorbed had
she become. The worst of 1t was that
she had become fascinated with the
"swell guy talk itself. At the end of
the book she began anew to study the
lofty phrases of the empty conversa-
tions, for she had been converted to
the idea that really nice people used
that sort Of language instead Of the
very lucid style Of her past colloquies.
She instituted process of self refor-
nation. She suddenly forsook the
dances of the Moonlight Athletes. She
went to night school classes in Eng
lish. She attended lectures on English
at the settlement house. Her progress
In the improvement Of her converse
tional style was thing to delight the
hearts Of the settlement workers.
In two weeks she had got so far that
instead Of remarking that it was q
"swell day" she impaired to Mamie
shed his Illuminating rays unimpeded
by nebular obstacles"
Mamie promptly admonished her to
"come off the roof" One by one her
old friends forsook her and left her
to the society Of pocket dictionary
and grammar-and more of her au-
thor. Her little brothers and sisters
took to spending their evenings on the
sidewalk beyond her correcting infiu
ence-and palm.
Her father and mother openly sighed
In relief when she sailed forth to at
tend her classes. But all these things
only added zest to her earnestness by
giving it flavor Of martyrdom. She
had the makings Of q real reformer.
1t was when she undertook to re-
form Michael that she waded in the
waters Of real sacrifice to principle.
Michael did not yet know how to WELD
the east side slang, but he had a
brogue that could be cut only with an
AK, and that brogue was incompatible
with Nellie's new ideas Of the refine
ment that must mark her future home.
At first she explained her lofty am
bitions to her lover. He assented rath-
er vaguely to the proposition. He even
agreed to help her upward move, but
his interest began to languish when
she corrected his pronunciations.
For awhile he would repeat his
words a second time with solemn ear.
nestness. Then he merely said "all
right" to her Interruptions of his dis
QUESTIONS and went on with what he
was saying. He was hard hit by Gu
pids arrows and was willing to stand
for a good deal.
But on the evening when he had
screwed up his courage to the point of
asking that their relation as STEADY
company" be changed to that of real
betrothal, i'll spite Of his misgivings
about the recent changes in her make
up, she made fatal mistake
"DoI,'t call me 'swatehear-rt,' she
said petulantly. ''It should be pro-
nounced sweetheart His whole dec
laration of unbounded love had been
given In language very different from
that Of similar declarations in the
works of her favorite, and she felt dis
appointed.
His response to her correction must