The bee., 1908-08-06
She Was the
One Girl

pretty sure that II she had loved me
II would have been different. She
would have given a rose-colored tint
to the universe.
four room fat with her would
have been equal to a palace OF jas
per and sard-whatever that is-ahd
brown stone. A canary In the front
bay window would have been equal To
a grove Of nightingales. Twenty dol
lars down to an instalment house
would have given me all the luxurious
velvet piled rugs, pictures, statuary,
bric-a-brac, tapesteries and hangings
that | needed. A half pound Of cold
ham. a dimes worth OF Saratoga
chips and a bottle Of milk In the Ice
box on the porch would have been a
worthy equivalent Of the lardera; csl-
lars and 5000 chefs Of the rich and
great. But nowi %
She strung me- She did IL to the
queens taste. She made me think
was all the table condiments and
the after lunch mints. She did this
for months. Then the little gong on
the top Of the clock breaks loose, and
wake up and rub my eyes.
II wasn't me- Not at all. l was re-
garded In the light OF very dear
friend-who was willing to fall for the
price most any old evening. Billy
Chandler was the real bales Of costly
merchandise. Billy!
It was her eyes and her hair--just
hnEo--knp louoh ~ hA oh
moved that got me razsle-daszled.
There's somewhere in the neighbor-
hood OF 'steen billion girls floating
around loose. but there isn't anything
just exactly like her. That's what's the
trouble with me.
Well, I've got to buck up and bear
Il. Guess I'll go around to the drus
store and get a cigar and then stroll
down to the sad lake waves aud think
some more large thoughts. A fellow
can't think with ragtime playing in
the room below. Not the kind OF
thinks I'm having.
Three days gone by I'm still alive,
but didn't expect to do the frog act
anyway. It's going to simmer down
to a dull ache after a little. I'll have
feeling like the parquet at five-thir.
ty on a matinee afternoon, according
to the best authorities, and that will
stay with me for the rest of my days
l wonder what that is they're play
ing now! It's a new one to me Yes,
it's going TO be one great goneness
for Willie Some of these days when
! can bear the pain | shall chase my
self around to where Mrs. Chandler
lives and see golden-haired little
child skipping the rope on the pave
meht outside or tripping measure to
the strains Of the piano organ. She
will have her mothers eyes.
shall say: Little one. tell mamma |
that an old friend would like to see |
her." And she'll come down looking |
as IL she's just about all In and with
only a pathetic suggestion. of her for |
mer beauty. After awhile she viii I
say: And you never married?"
Never once" 1 shall say. There
was only one woman In the world for
me-" Then she'll blush and r
guess l do not know what that is,
too. They seem to be whooping It up
down there. / wonder II I'd be con
sIdered fresh II / kicked In? was to
have the privileges Of the parlor with
the other boarders, SO don't see why
not Those drug store cigars are
pretty bum.
Wonder IL that Miss Kessick isn't
In the bunch. She isn't real horrid to
look at, anyway.
Il doesn't cut any Ice with me. of
course. but she certainly Is the real
Michigan specially. sun-ripened and
Just as good with the red mosquito bar
OF as with 1t on. If l had only met
her about six months ago there's no
telling. But I'm spoiled for anything
else now. The dull ache has set in,
and unless I'm thinking of something
Else, 1t stays right with me, just like
Miss Libby says.
Kessick! Funny thing | never took
my particular notice of her until last
week. / guess l must have been tol.
srable busy since | came here. She
isn't like the factory made
lrticle, isn't little Margaret There's
to her. She's mixer, all
light, and she'll stand for a joshing
md not linger at the come back.
And, while you're talking. that girl !
las got eyes that somebody ought to ,
,ut smoked glass over in the interests ,
4 the public safety. I've seen eyes
iefore butt don't suppose ought .
o buy her candy on a short acQuaint-
nee, but the candy money I've been
avlng the last week or two certainly
ught to have an outlet somewhere,
.fter a short while. when the bunch
cts together, | must spring myself
Or ice cream at the drug store as
ind OF starter. I've got to do some
hing evenings.
That drug clerk 10 a wise boy He's :
n 10 his job. all right mo. we
aven't any of that In stock We don't