The newspaper., 1909-09-24


sort of life since they did for my sis
ters- No, I'm not going to rake that
up again. I'm only trying to give you
an idea what it means to fellow to
be with a lady like you. Maybe it
isn't polite to tell you all this, but it's
just what l feel, and 1 never did
amount to shucks as liar
II believe 1 understand you, Mr.
Blake, and l really feel highly COM
plimented."
NO. you don't, any such thing, Miss
Jenny. Own up, now. If I met you
tomorrow on your papa's doorstep.
you'd cut me cold
Il should if you continued to be so
rude. Have you no regard for my
feelings? But here we are, talking
nonsense when we should be going
rs 1t nonsense?" he broke in.
What does life mean, anyway? Here
We can be true friends and comrades
real, free living people. 1t can't be
that you want to go back TO all those
society shams after you've seen real
life AS for me, what have I to gain
by going back to the everlasting
grind? l don't mind work: but when
man has nothing ahead to work for
but a bank account, when it's grind,
grind, grind till your head goes stale
and all the world looks black, then
there's no choice but throw up your
job and go on a drunk, = you want to
keep from a gun accident. Maybe
you don't understand IL. But that's
what I've had to go through, time and
again. Do you wonder l like to fancy
an everlasting picnic here, with
little partner who wouldn't let me
come within shouting distance of her
in the land OF lavender-trousers and
peek-a-boos -
Mr.. Blake really you are most un-
Just, ! could not be $3.50 migrate
full. after all your kindness. I've
should certainly be glad TO number
you among our friends
Drink and all, eh2'
"A man of your will-power has no
need whatever to give way TO such
habit"
Course not. IL he's got anything
in sight worth while. Guess, though,
my folks must have been poor white
trash. never could go after money
just for the fun OF the game. No
family, no friends. no-what-you-call-
K. it?-culture- What's the use? l
have a fair head for figures; but all
the mathematics that know I've had
to catch hot of the bat. It's true l
erubbed my c. f. out of a corre-
spondence school; but a fellow has to
have an allround. crack-up education
20 put him where its worth while"
You still have time TO work up.
I You are not much over so"
"Twenty-seyen.-
'Twenty-seven, should have
thought What hard life you must
have had"
Hard work? Wen. suppose Pana-
ma did do for me some. But it wasn't
so much that. Few fellows could hit
up the pace I've set and come out at
all"
4 do not understand"
Just what YOU might expect OF a
fellow in my fix-all kinds OF gamble
and drink and-the rest OF H."
Miss Leslie looked away. visibly
distressed. She had not been reared
after the French method. Young as
she was. she had fiuttered al will
about the borders OF the garden OF
vice. knowing well that the gaudy
blossoms were lures TO enuce one into
the pitfall. Yet never before had she
caught so clear a glimpse OF the Shiny
depths. d.
That's it," growled Blake. Throw
me down cold just because I'm square
enough to tell you straight out You
make me tired, I'm not one Of the
work-ox sort. that can chew the cud
all the year round and cork the blood
out OF their brains. I've got to cut
loose from the Internal grind once in
a while. and barring 4 chance now and
then at opera. there's never been any
thing but n spree"
oh. but that's so dreadfully shock
ing. Mr. Blake!"
And then like all the other little
hypocrites. you'll so and marry one
of those swell dudes who's made that
sort OF thing his business. and every
body knows it. but it's all politely un-
derstood to've been sub rosa, so it's
all right, because he knows how to
part his name in the middle and"
Please. please stop, Mr.. Blake
You don't know how cruel you are"
Cruel? Suppose 1 told you about
the millionaire cur that Oh, now.
don't go and cry, Please don't cry.
Nfiez