River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-02-20
1CoDyrisht, b7 the BObOs- Msrau Company

drama is closest to our everyday az
| fairs.
| l at once determined not to notify
the police; they would only bungle
the matter with the red tape of delay.
l could call them in when the work
was over.
And to think that this rufian's taste
in overcoats was one and identical
! with minei had half notion to tear
off the coat, only it would have at
tracted attention-and, besides, 1t was
cold.
Some men would have shrugged
their shoulders and permitted the
thing to go on. In a great city the
good Samaritan is usually looked upon
as a meddler; and, besides, every one
has trouble enough of his own. The
girl was nothing to me; even her
: name was unknown. / hoped. how
ever, that she was beautiful and
young. My duty lay clear enough. 1t
was possible to save 2 human being,
and that was all there was to the mat
| ter Amy right-minded man would
| have done exactly as l did, though
hardly with the same result. (ThiS is
not to say that I'm not right-minded,
| howeverl) Ii ! should save the girl
| from her prosecutor, | should always
have something to fall back on if by
any chance I myself left the straight
and narrow way. To save life is to
do penance for many sins.
Putting aside all fiippant moraI:zing,
it was an adventure such as invaria-
bly, appeals to me, and it is habit
of mine to pursue things to the end.
1t is a fine and noble pursuit, that of
| research. But sometimes, as in cases
like this adventure OF mine, persons
lacking my sense of the romantic, are
called busybodies.
l do not recollect what street it
was in the eighties that the guard
bawled out, but it was near enough
for my purpose. | hurried out of the
car and down the steps of the ele-
waited. Everybody gets in the way of
a man in hurry; so, for a block or
more, the time was spent in making
apologies to grufftempered persons.
They would get in my way, and they
would demand what [ meant by not
looking where l was going. Finally l
succeeded in Kidding myself of the
crowds, and turned into a quiet and
sober street. The sign on the lamp
post told me that I had arrived on
the scene. 1t was twenty minutes past
eleven. Two things were possible:
either the girl had been killed the
night before or | had half an hour or
so in which to render her the great
est possible service.
The house proved to be fine struc
ture, one of those few dwellings in
the metropolis that boasts of anything
like court or yard This yard was
at the right OF the building, and was
more roadway to the stables in the
rear than anything else. Still, l may
stretch it a point and call it yard.
/ cast hasty glance about. Not a
soul was in sight. l tried one OF the
| gates. 1t was Unattached! This GER
tainly must be the night. / stole up
| the roadway cautiously. The fact
| that / left some fine tracks in the
snow did not disturb me. / was not
guilty of anything wrong. Yes, there
was the bowwindow through which
the rascal was to enter. There would
be a surprise in store for him. A sub
| dued light shone through the half
| closed blinds. Some one was awake;
! doubtless the girl herself, reading.
Everything was working out nicely.
7 hnF
| ance.
/ tiptoed back to the gate, and was
about to make my exit, when | paused,
Mortified, my heart in my mouth.
| Coming airily along the walk was a
policeman. He was whistling popular
| Irish melodies and swinging his night
| stick. The deuce! Suppose he took it
into his head to examine the gatel
hid behind the great stone gate-post,
| breathing with difficulty. Ii there was
anything in the world | did not want
to happen, it was to be arrested in
this other fellows coat Besides the
| policeman wouldn't believe a word
said. He would hale me to the near
| est police station, and all my efforts
" 0ebNO lA0 Sill WOulu CUIu6 10 HOCu-
ing.
The policeman did start for the
| gate, but cat fight across the street
distracted him and he crossed over to
| break up the conflict. | was saved.
After reasonable length of time, /
stole forth. 1t was a close shave.
l dare say that | have omitted the
fact that l am young, still under thirty,
and am q struggling dramatist. after
having been a struggling poet, into
which craft had drifted after having
been a struggling humorist. The main
fault of my want of success | lay to
the fact that do not look the various
parts. AS q dramatist, / lack the
requisite irritability of temper; as a
poet. | have not that distinct disre-
gard for personal appearance usually
considered characteristic; as a humor-
| list, | am totally deficient OF the long,
cadaverous and dyspeptic countenance
and lusterless eye of the typical
writer OF funny fancies. When my
uncle died and left me comfortable
| income, Art received q staggering
| blow, from which it is doubtful she
| will ever recover. A spinster aunt in
| sists that I am more than ordinarily
agreeable to the eye: but. of course,
/ blood is partial to blood That is
enough for the present OF what the
i amiable Thackeray called first per-
son, singular, perpendicular
When once more in the street. /