Evening journal., 1908-12-31

skeleton"
$50, indeed, you called 1t Billy7 And
who put the cigarette between its
jaws and said. Don't smoke, Billy; it
isn't allowedY"
"Oh, you must have been told this
yarn by some mean, contemptible"-
mot a bit Of 1t. No one told me-"
"Then how did you get on to IT."
'Never mind that. Was It neces-
sary that you should put a nickel be-
tween the horrid things finger bones
and say. Here, Billy, pay your fare
like a mann"
did we do that7"
"Yes, you did"
''You mean Dick did IT,"
at doesn't matter which Of you did
It. You were both acting like ghouls.
And If you didn't do it you did some
thing equally frightful"
''What was that?"
''You said: Billy. you ought to have
worn your overcoat. You'll catch cold "
IL was thinking of the real person
the skeleton was before he died.
"Oh, ycu werel Then why did you
laugh when Dick said He slipped out
the back door and got away from his
poor old mother, who was chasing him
with his rubbersT"
did I laugh at thatI"
"You know very well you laughed at
IT,"
ut wasn't funny at all, was itT''
"Funny! It was shocking"
"Well, Dick, he'-
"Oh, yes; it's always Dick, he
That's the way you crawl out Of
everything. Whose hat was on the
things head?'
Il put my hat on it, but only for a
minute"
"And said, There's too much draft
for a bald head"
"That wasn't funny either"
ut was revolving"
A pause
/ II wish you'd tell me how you goi
on to all this"
perhaps you don't remember n gir
who got into the car with a thick vel
over her face TO protect her from the
storm and hung on to a strap. The
thing was sitting on your lap
'Oh. my
"And you sald-what did you say?"
II don't remember"
Don't remember, You said. Get up
Billy, and give the lady your seat"
A pause-a dreadful pause.
And the girl was"
zone who had often sat on your laI
and felt your arms about her and you
kisses. To think that / should hav,
been forced 10 listen to such words
and see that awful thing sitting in m!
placel can't bear the thought Of it,
Another very long pause.
"What did you dog
"What did 1 do? l know what
wanted TO do. ! wanted to tell tn
conductor TO let me get off. but Jus
then a gentleman-a real gentleman
{ such as always supposed you TO be-
. arose and gave me his scat. I shut m,
eyes to keep from looking at the grin
I ming ghost opposite. but I kept M
t ears open 10 hear what next the maj
= l have loved would say" (Weeps)
= A pause. in which the young ma
5 looks at the ceiling, the floor tn
walls, anything. everything except th
girl; then he gulps sorrowfally:
81 suppose it's all over between us?
Il should think So"
This evening VI not have you b
: me. as usual. YoIll not sit on my laI
my hearth not beat against your
III sit alone IN my room, with no oil
9 to comfort me except
A pause.
- who'll comfort you?"
I "None but Billy"
you don't deserve any one-I mea
anything else,
'Itn be awful lonesome sitting the.
3 that way"
Il "What wayT'
with nobody but Billy"
N An ominous pause.
Suppose I promise never to do 5
any more"
No answer.
Il you know I've always loved 20
" never any one else in the world. II
e pretty hard to have no real person
"a love. only a.
No encouragement.
: "Goodby"
He takes her hand, and she makes
ceint at Withdrawing il.
Just one kiss before we part"
Not n single one"
III never. never do any hing to G
= md you again"
ii silence.
N Won't you forcive me? II 60
IA lat awful room with that awful thil
Hcre I do believe TIL blow out II
u rains"
De He draws her down into his iap.