Evening journal., 1908-12-07
Mr.. Smithers, Bachelor.

bachelor sat looking out OF the win
dow as he smoked his after breakfast
cigar. In an open window across the
street a girls face suddenly appeared.
She had a birdcage in her hand, and
she looked all around for a nail to
hang It on. While she was looking for
the nail Smthers was looking at her.
He saw a vision Of loveliness, aged
about twenty. and while the bird was
hopping about on its perch smithers
heart was hopping about in his bosom.
Even before the girl had disappeared
in search of a hammer and nail he
realized that he was close to that state
termed 'goneness."
The girl began operations with the
hammer with q great show of conf
dence. In her innocence she supposed
that nail could be driven into brick
as easily as into a hunk of putty, and
she paid for her innocence by pound
ing her finger. When she uttered a
cute howl Of pain and dropped the
hammer to the sidewalk within an
inch of pedestrians head and then
stuffed the bruised digit into her mouth
to suck away the pain the bachelor
fairly groaned in sympathy. After
moment she disappeared, but his heart
went with her. The idea came to him
to run across the street, introduce him
self and pour out his sympathies, but
after combing his mustache and put
ting on his hat he decided not to.
However he set himself TO watch
for her temperance, and, though It
was three long hours before he caught
sight of her again with white rag
around her finger, he did not feel that
he had wasted his time. She looked
across at him, and he thought he saw
a longing for sympathy in her face.
He therefore waved his hand. 1t was
in no sense an act of Irritation on his
part. His sympathies went with the
wave. 1t was the same as If he said,
Poor little orphan girl, but l pity
you" The girl drew back, and Smith
ers blew her a kiss. Not the slightest
idea of flirting entered his mind. lie
was simply conveying by signs what
he couldn't put into words and yell
i
girl. you'll be happy yet"
That afternoon the girl and the fn-
ger and the rag walked out together.
SO did Smlthers and his sympathetic
heart After being charmed with a
view Of the young lady's back they
2 passed her and were still more charm
ed with n view OF her face. That face
was ethereal. tender affectionate. II
had the longing look that comes to the
face Of a girl left all alone in the
world and two weeks behind on her
rent to a hard hearted landlady. Smith.
3 ers might have found excuse to raise
his hat and say something about the
weather. but a peanut man pushed his
cart against his knees and sent him
sprawling, and all romance was driven
out Of his soul for the next three OF
four minutes.
That same evening as Smithers sal
by his window smoking the same
brand and wondering how much he
q would have to pay n waiter in res
4 taurant to write an ode entitled eth,
!. Sore Fingered Anger the girl appeared
at her easement. She sat down anC
looked up at the starry heavens ant
leaned her sore finger on the sill &
{. rest 1t. She didn't see Smithers a
=. first, but when he thought he detected
.. tears in her eyes and a quivering o.
. her chin he thrust himself forward t,
; let her know that there was at leas
one human being in this world wh'
felt for her
The same rag and the same fnge
: and the same girl walked out mex
- day. Smithers was on the watch. an,
|, he walked out too. Nothing was fur
; ther from his thoughts than 'mashing'
= or flirting. That was something h
had never done in his life. After fol
= lowing the girl four or five blocks an,
thinking up Just what words of sym
pathy to address her with he over
1 hauled her and raised his hat an,
| was about to get of his little speecl
when a big. lusty fellow without tn
l. least romance In his soul took hin
by the scruff Of the neck and ad
dressed him for a moment in word
OF fervid eloquence, while the gil
with the sore finger stood by with
pleasant and expectant look on he
face. Her expectations were realize
that is. Mr.. smlthers was shaken I'll
}. his teeth bit his tongue. Then he wa
S made 20 perform strange antics wit
e his heels. while his legs would kink u
! and then straighen out again in a woI
derful way. Before the big man wa
through with him his collar and Il
We're torn of. his coat ripped beyon
repair and his hair badly mussed NJ
Tie could not afterward swear that h
was also kicked and cuffed. but h
felt reasonably sure of it. What hui
him more than the kicks and cuffs.
he got them. was the pleased an
complacent look on the girls face dui
ing the continuous performance an
the words OF the big man when h
had finished toying:
"There. you weazened faced. 10
a. shouldered son OF gun. If you eve
dare to look at my wife again l.
break your neck like a pipestemw
- But Smithers looked again. Th
"girl" had come closer. and he sa'
that she was woman of forty. wit
B freckles on her face and two moles o
q her chin. and that there was no loo
of longing in her face and no tears {
n homesickness in her eyes.
a a.