The Detroit times., 1912-10-28

nee Is like prison to me. A man
loses his soul when he stays all day
bent over desk. He isn't a man.
He's a sort OF up-to-date pianola to
desk. that's all. There's lot or
things to think about that you can't
in an office. l wanted to think and SO
took to tramping. Besides. don't
like work.
Lazy"
YES" snapped the Watermelon.
but a man. love your Billy-my
Billy, and can work for her"
Bartlett nodded indifferently, hardly
hearing what the other said. He
frowned thoughtfully at the floor az
he pondered the situation. II he OBJ
jected to the youth In Billy's pres.
ence, she would stand up for him, al
her love would be aroused to arms
and she would see no wrong In her
hero. II the fellow snapped his fin
gers, she would run away with him
What did Billy, tender, gently-guard
ed Billy, know OF tramps, Of the
rough, unhappy side OF existencey
Nothing. But is she caught glimpse
Of II with her own eyes, saw this
lover Of hers In his true light, dirty
drunk, disreputable, the shock would
kill her love utterly and Bartlett
would not have TO use that authority
OF his which was no authority, which
Billy would refuse to obey. She had
been free too long for any one to
govern her now. The only person who
could effectually break the unfortunate
tangle was the Watermelon himself
Bartlett glanced at the gloomy face
beside him and read IL as he had
grown used to reading men and
events.
The Watermelon was young, hard
| ly older than Billy; he was desper
ately in love, with love that was
pure and true and generous. He was
thinking OF Billy and not OF himself
His opposition to Bartlett was mere
/ ly the anger aroused by Barlett's
sneers. He was in reality filled with
| humility and repentance to q degree
that he would do anything to xii
the love Billy bore for him. knowing
with his mans knowledge that he was
not worthy Of her, and longing with
his youth and love to sacrifice him
self for her best good, seeing through
young, unhappy eyes, only the past
his own shame and profession. For
getting the possibilities OF the future
! he had gone to the extreme OF self
loathing- The one thing he saw was
| his past, that past that was wholly
UNIT for Billy. It blocked the entire
view, crushed him with the weight Of
memorable facts. To the young there
are but two colors, black and white
and the Watermelon was very young
Bartlett looked at him keenly and de
cided that his plan would work, that
he would not have To take a last des
perate and Intellectual stand against
Billy.
See here In August We are COINS
TO our place in Westhaven. It's 8
small town in this state, up the coasI
away north OF Portland. Come to hei
there at the end of August, come Al
you are. a tramp, dirty, shabby
drunk"
Il don't drink, not as the otheri
do"
Come drunk. Let her understand
what being a tramp means, what you
| life has been. II she still wants you
| I hardly see how can stop her
] That's only fair, for what does sh,
know about you and your life? Yo,
know all about her, what she ha
done and been and is going TO dc
Leave her now, this evening Go oil
being a tramp and then come to her
at the last OF August. Come as
tramp, mind. Don't let her think tina
II is a test she is being put 10 or sh
will only laugh at II and us and x
on wanting you Just the same. scorn
ing 10 be tested, TO think that he
love could fail. Give her some excus,
for your going You must see tina
Il IL only fair TO the little girl TO lie
her see what she IL up against"
res, / see. / tried 10 tell her,
agreed the Watermelon gloomily.
IF she loves you through Il all. she
can have you, and I suppose I viii
have 10 consent. ! can aff6td a pen
niless son-in-law and | guess ar
American tramp is preferable 10
European noble"
II