Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1912-08-23

30 SlInpl6I
Simplel Dash simple people-never
could stand theml Thing I admired
was brains Aloud I SAID gently-al-
most humbly
$50 glad you like him, don't you
know-did like, meant"
did like2 l do stilll"-her tone
lifted In earnest protest-"I love to
think Of brave, dear Arthur and his
knights-so few, and yet SO full OF
love. of gallantry and daringl"
SO his nights were like that! BY
Jove, ! was devilish glad then that
they had been so few-that was some
comfort, dash it! wondered If the
beggar was dead. But what difference
did 1t make now, after all? She was
mine now and she knew l knew 1t;
that was why this sweet, ingenious
child was laying bare to me her past
the darling!
Really, ought not to let her go on.
Never mind them now" l urged
soothingly. And needless of the win
dows, | hitched wee bit closer.
That's all past and gone and you and
/ will yet see as good nights as they
ever were" spoke with assurance.
Don't you think so?" added. softly.
She sighed. II don't know-I hope
so!"-she fingered dubiously over it,
looking away again. the while her
hand put back the fieecy. golden
what-you-call-it that was smuggling to
her eyes. looked at the goddess
Go Oh q
bow, where it slipped from sight un-
der the roll of sleeve and thought of
that night in my apartment when she
had made me feel OF her biceps, don't
you know.
You don't know" l repeated with
gentle reproach. "Oh, l say, you
know! You know you know you
know!" BY Jove, that sounded rather
rum, but knew she knew knew she
knew-see?
She looked at me sidewise, her
slender foreflnger pressing the half
parted lips slowly shaping in curve.
Then her little teeth flashed, jewel
like-regular jolly pearl setting in the
frankest, sweetest smile!-and then
her glorious arm and wrist arched
suddenly toward me.
"Yes!" she said contritely, and with
the most delightful, kindest infection
and laugh-such a laugh!-a laugh
gurgling melodious-oh, dash 1t,
yes; l mean just that!-like the flute
notes in the overture to what's-his-
name-that sort!
That's the way / love to hear a
man talk!" she said warmly. Il think
it takes an American to stand up for
his own place, his own times-please!"
And gently, but with a lovely smile,
she withdrew her hand that had
folded close in mine. let 1t go, for
| saw her look toward the house, and,
Of course, understood-joliy careless
OF me not to have remembered-but
she would know from my nod and
shrug that l comprehended.
sighed, and my deep breath
brought her gaze back to me and her
flashing smile as we'll.
And so." she said, lifting her little
chin, you think there are just as
many knights now as there used to
be?"
| almost laughed at the child-hke
| question-but l didn't! Dash 1t, no,
wouldn't have done 80 for the world.
Just looked at her seriously and an,
swered her in kind:
| Perfectly sure of 1t, don't you
know!"
And, by Jove. was! Knew,if there
had been any change, some newspa'
per-reading chap at the club would
| have mentioned it-that was safe; es'
pecially one silly ass who was always
reading of some jolly comet that was
coming He would know about the
nights.
"Yes-Oh, yes. there are just as
many!" l affirmed positively, and add
ed quickly: More, you know!" Fol
| suddenly / remembered 1T was leap
year, and l knew there was some jolly
rhyme about leap-year gives us one
day more-so, of course, there'd be
another night!
You don't know how glad / am tt
hear you say that" she said musingly
There are just as many knights, yor
mean, but the conditions have
changed-the man is changed-is thai
it?"
should say the man was changed!
"Oh. dash it, yes!'' blurted. BY
Jove. l hoped there wouldn't be an
other change.
You mean"-with a little, chal
longing, puzzled smile. she leaned for
ward, her elbow resting upon her knee
like sculptured. Grecian pillar; hel
fiower-like curving fingers supporting
her chin like a Corinthian what's.its
name, you know. the sort of thing the
ancient what-you-call-'ems Away.
added to top off their stunning mar
BILE columns-you know!-well, like
that-"you mean we may find knights
not only in the field. but in the shops
upon the streets-even in the slums
or In the hospitals. In the church ol
upon the bench-that Is your idea?"