The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1910-07-20
A Pair of Green
Glasses.
BY Olive Edens.

The Fourth of July celebration in
Glenham came abruptly to close.
The sky darkened. The balloon men,
conspicuous on such occasions, hur-
ried for shelter. High above their
heads they held the gay-colored toy
balloons, blurred floating mass OF
color, shaken by the first hollow
sounding drops of rain.
Women in white dresses crowded
for places beneath the awnings of the
sidewalks. The ragged end of the par
ade FASTENED down the street without
its usual patriotic ostentation.
Everyone started for home-every-
one but Mortimer. 1t was two hours
vet before his six o'clock train. Be
sides he took rather peculiar pleas
ure in walking slowly down the street
which has caused him no end of
amusement all day, and which had
now changed into a sad moving process
sion of umbrellas and disappointed
people. The Fourth is so apt to end
disappointingly.
Suddenly there came dancing be-
fore him a happy group of children.
They all wore vivid green glasses.
They laughed up into his face. They
peered at each other They passed by.
He met others, alone, in groups, some
standing on corners, some in the mid
die of the street, but all buoyantly
happy, all wearing vivid green
glasses.
At the corner Mortimer had to wait
to allow the float bearing the Goddess
of Liberty to pass. The rain had
played sad havoc with the goddess.
Her hair was hanging in strings. The
paint had run in streaks across her
face. Her gown, once wonderful
creation of tinsel and crepe paper,
now hung shockingly close to her thin
form. She stood up and bowed and
waved to the crowds of children who
surrounded the wagons and applaud
ed her.
Some one touched Mortimer's hand.
He looked around. No one was MOTTO
ing him. All eyes were on the dedrab-
bled lady with the paper dress. He
felt his hand touched again. Then
he looked down straight into the eyes
of child. They we're blue eyes, of
peculiar wistfulness, and belonged to
about the littlest bit Of humanity
Mortimer had ever seen alone in such
q crowd.
Masterpieces get one for me-"
The voice just reached his ear, and
carried with 1t pathetic and helpless
babyish lisp.
Get what for you?"
"A pair of green glasses" Each
word was lisped distinctly clear.
The float had passed and left an
easy passage in the street. Mortimer
seized his chance. 81 can't, sonny"
ne called back. 81 haven't time. Get
some other kid"
Then realizing he was apologizing
to an unknown child he laughed lit
tie at himself and hurried on. But
there was no reason why he should
hurry. In fact, he had time to waste.
There was almost two hours yet be-
fore his train left.
But why should he get some foolish
glasses for an unknown child? Other
children seemed to get them for them
selves. Why not this one? If the
child was to be of the street he must
learn the ways of the street.-the
sooner the better.
He walked slower. He kept meet
iHg them still-these laughing groups
of children, so boisterously happy. One
laughed up into his face, one child
alone with it's father.
"It's all so wonderful and different
Everybody and everything looks green
It is like new world" The child
passed on.
Mortimer whirled back suddenly.
"If seeing green makes them happy,
why, I guess he can be happy, too
He's the only sad one I've seen today"
He walked back quickly to the place
where the child had stood. The crowd
had noticeably thinned. A man stood
On platform in the street and sort
cd out dozens of pairs of green glasses.
He was the usual type Of street fakir
bold, fiashy, and wore a thousand
signs of decayed gentleman.
Among the struggling few that were
left Mortimer looked for the child. He
felt his hand touched as before and
heard the same babyish lisp.
@Quick, mister, quick-please get
me some"
Eyes, I'll get you some. Only what
do ! do?"
Just take me with you and say Pm
your little boy. He won't give 'em
to boys alone without their father or
mother-and then he'll give you some
green glasses. Please, mister, quick
he's leaving, and I've waited all after
noon"
Mortimer lifted the boy high on his
shoulder and walked boldly up to the
vender OF green glasses
xx.sx. 80