The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-06-03
icatio.n,
Charging the Enemy
BY MARTHA m'c..wILLIAms.

was thc DiBBtSb btOTe III tOWH, tnOuku
not the smartest. Joe Beenam, who
had opened up the spring boiore, Just
across the street, was running old Glib
hard in groceries and hardware and
leaving him out of sight when 1t came
to knlckknacks or dry goods pure and
simple.
A man who half knew looked after
old Glib, then across at the sign Of his
young rival, and murmured half to him
self, "what a pityp Another man
who knew also looked, listened to the
exclamation and answered It, sticking
out his chin as he spoke, Better say,
What shamer"
whats a shame, docT a third said,
coming up behind them. DR.. Waters
smiled half grimly. "I'm not quite
sure. IL seems .tar be the hitch in the
course of true love-" he answered.
Lew Bayne, the man who had spo-
ken first, shook his head energetically.
II meant that poor old fellows legs"
he said. II suppose, doc, it's certain
he'll never walk again"
"Now you've got me-" the doctor
protested aid risk my professional
reputation that fall he got on the sleety
pavement did no worse harm to his
shrunken shanks than bark them up
pretty generally. There were bruises,
Of course, and on the shoulder and side
as well. I told him he'd be out and
about in plenty Of time for the Christ
mas trade, but from the first he stood
me up and down that he'd never take
another steady step, and SO far, I'm
bound TO admit, he was right. There's
nothing on earth the matter with his
legs-nothing at least that or the 9th
er doctors can see. Against that there
Is the fact that the minute he tries to
stand on them they do the joint rule
act--doube under him as though they
hadn't strength to bear up spider.
The trouble must lie In the nerves. II
that's what you meant, agree with
you that It's pity. I thought you
had reference to the trick he's played
on Joe Beenam." s
what is it?' asked Merton, the
third Of the group. "You know I've
been away six months. Tell me all
about it, - ...
"Not much to tell" DR.. Waters said
"You know Florrie Ezell"-
81 ought TO. considering she sent me
| away" Merton broke in ruefully.
"You don't mean Joe Is gone on her
like the rest OF us? l thought ~
/ ha aatd
| did stand out mighty well against the
prevailing infection, but man never
knows what's coming TO him until 1t
hits him square in the face.p
Lord! To think of Joe, the bomb.
proof we called himw Merton chuc-
killed.. How did 1t happen? Tell me
all about It."
Merton, newly evolved drummer,
had given what he would have called
"a comprehensive order" DIR. Waters
| also chuckled as he answered, nodding
his head by way of emphasizing his
points: "Well, you see, It's this way:
The hour struck for Joe when he saw
Fiorrie Ezell swlrllng' around. a blue
tarlatan angel. In a waltz with Bob
Acton at the Patton's party. Florrie's
a pretty girl anyway you see her.
| That night she was particularly fetch
ing. But that wasn't the thing. In
| sist Joe's time had come. He knew II.
Soon as the waltz was over he froze
to Florrie-dldn't get a yard away
from her all the evening"
1T was freezing time, as I,remem
ber." Lew Bayne interrupted, with a
laugh-"Indian summer up to dusk.
then cold rain that turned to sleet
In short order. Say, didn't old Glib get
his fall that very night2" .,.N
"Tm coming to that II you'll wait"
the doctor ran on. II tell you that was
a sleet to remember. Joe, of course,
wouldn't let Florrie walk home, though
the Ezell house Is only six blocks from
the Pattons'. No, stree! He telephoned
for the finest rig at the liver stable
and bundled all that blue tarlatan In
| 1t as snug as you please. / heard Flor
rie protesting that she ought really TO
wait for papa, but we all persuaded
her papa wouldn't think of rlsking
himself upon pavement like glass. We
ought to have known better. Old Glib
always does the thing that any other
man would let alone"
Bet a hat he came" Merton said
chuckling more than ever.
You win--from yourself" DR.. Wa.
ters answered, "He came, he didn't
see his daughter, he went back swear
Ing like trooper, though he Is dea.
con, and he fell right before Master
Joe's fine rig, coming back from leav-
ing Miss Florrie safe at the gate. or
course Joe picked him up and carried
him home. Equally. Of course, old Glib
hates him for doing 1t. by the time ]
got to him next morning he was fully
persuaded Joe was at the bottom OF
his fall. with Florrle as accessory; said
they ran away and left him. hoping
he'd break his neck, so Joe could have
both his daughter and his store. You
know he didn't take overkindly to
competition anyway
'.That he didn't! Why, he even wrote
to our credit man to keep n peeled eye
on joe" Merton interrupted.
"That's like him." DR.. Waters said
"I tell you. bows. nature must work