The Washington herald., 1912-09-15
E1E@ COMES Up SMILING y sIzEIES SHEEslzl

eral. sayly, never long forgetful of hi
meals.
4TeIl me- begged Henrietta, -wha
| would father say?"
Grace" said the Watermelon.
The general, as he informed Henri
eta at the first roadhouse they cams
to, and at which they stopped fol
breakfast, was full of the old Nick. Hs
felt that there might be no limit to hi!
daring; he might 60 as far as to ROT
an apple orchard, and make no attemp
to repay the owner; that was. If the
apples were ripe, Henriettas own spir.
its were rising. One never realizet
what liberty was until one threw aside
conventionality honor, but con
ventionalify the silly, foolish laws oi
senseless ages. Billy. as usual laughed
at every remark. while the general, the
tramp, and the financier grew fairly
brilliant beneath the spur of two pretty
women's laughing eyes.
The Watermelon, in his silk socks
his soft Panama, and fine linen. was
too much in the habit of taking fate
as he found II, without wonder or pro-
test, to marvel now at his change OF
fortune or to be disturbed or embar-
rassed at the unexpected society in
which he found himself. Between him
and Bartlett was only the difference of
a few millions both lived by their wits,
and If one preferred to walk while the
other rode it was merely a matter of
enoice-no sign Of inferiority between
man and man.
They stopped that evening at a small
town in the north of Vermont, as far
from railway and telegraph Office as
Bartlett could bring them. He had
watched .Batchelor carefully for signs
OF restlessness, but the young man ap-
pesred entirely absorbed in the present,
with no thought of anything but the
moment and Billy and Henrietta.
After supper they loitered a while on
the porch. The night was dark and
warm. Across the road and over the
fields the frogs in a distant pond were
eroaking, and the air was thick with
hrefiies
isn't it dark and still?" said Billy.
her hands thrust into the pockets 81
her linen coat. her feet slightly parted.
as boy would stand. her small head
thrown back,
The Watermelon watched her covert
ly from the cigarette he was rolling,
the clear oval Of her dainty profile, her
slender throat and well-shaped head,
with its coronet of braids.
Dark as misery" said Henrietta,
dreamily
In the day one sees a world" quot
ed Bartlett, standing beside her where
she leaned, slender figure, against the
post of the porch. In the night one
sees universe" And he waved his
lighted cigar vaguely toward the N.Y.
riads OF stars above them.
Wh3f good does that do?" asked
the Watermelon, seeing a universe?
It's miles away and can't help you
any
"Ah, but its beautiful !" cried Hen
rietta, who had never had much ex-
perience with misery. 1T teaches one
10 look up, the nighttime does"
. The Watermelon lighted his cigar
.tte in the cup of his hands and tossed
lis match away. IF you are trying to
walk in the dark" he objected, trying
o get out Of your troubles, say, ard |
Tot standing still in the same old plate.
'ou can't look up"
You have no beauty in your sou,.'
declared Henrietta. Il think the idea
besutIful-seeing a universe"
When you are down and out, you
lont take any pleasure in looking at
Universe" said the Watermelon. "A
loilar,. or even a quarter, will look
armed sight more beautiful"
Il wouldn't like to be poor" said
BILLY. 1T must be so terrible to have
10 motor car, for one thing
1T is" agreed the Watermelon, who
'ould have agreed to anything Billy
aid. It's simply awful"
What did you mind most" asked
lilly. when you were a newsboy."
LET'S go look at the universe" sug-
ested the Watermelon hastily. we
an see it much better down the road
bit
Billy consented. and they stroiled
way in the dark. The general, who |,
1ought he was talking politics, was
lying down the law to the hotel clerk.
nd Henrietta and Bartlett were left
lone. They fingered moment on the
orch and then quietly disappeared up
le road in the opposite direction from
lat taken by Billy and the Water
lelon
Bartletts desire was to reach Maine
soon as possible and get lost over ,
but TO avoid every city and {
rger town on the way and to hurry
Y the smaller places where there might ,
, telegraph or telephone connections. ,
Out of touch of the world for 4
eek" he was fond of repeating; no !
tiers, no papers, no worries, and no c
.rves."
And his desire was the Watermel- {
IS. The more they avoided towns, c
e better the youth liked it. Tele- /
'aph and telephone stations were zeal
isly Stunned. He would have liked 3
have seen a paper, so as to Judge
hat the police thought in the case Of c
eft of the wealthy young stock v
.okers' car, provided Bachelor had v
lowed the thing to become public,
nich he very much doubted, from the S
tie he knew of the mans character.
was hardly an episode one would "