Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-13
Seuen Keys to Baldpate
BY EARL DERR BlooERs
Copyright by Bobbs- Merrill Coz

but here's what I see when you say
that word to me: It's the night be-
fore election, and I'm standing in the
front window of the little room in
Main street where the boys can al
ways find me- Down the street hear
the snarl and rumble of bands, and
pretty soon | see the yellow flicker of
torches, like the flicker OF that can
die, and the bobbing of banners, and
then--the boys march by. All the
boysl Pat Doherty and Bob Larsen
and Matt Sanders-all the boys, and
when they get to my window they
wave their hats and cheer. Just q fat
old man in that window, but they'll
go to the pavement with any guy
| that knocks him. They're loyal.
| They're for me; and so they march
| by-cheering and singing--all the boys
| --just for me to see and hear. Well
-that-that's romance to me-"
Power" translated Mr.. Magee.
Yes, SIR" cried the mayor 81
know I've got them. All the re-
formers In the world can't spoil my
| thrill then. They're mine. guess
old Napoleon knew that thrill.
guess he was the greatest rornancer
| the world ever knew. When he
marched over the mountains with his
starving bunch--and looked back and
saw them in rags and suffering--for
hin--well, [ reckon old Nap was as
close to romance then as any man
| ever gets"
1T wonder" answered Magee. II
came to him suddenly that in each
| peprson's definition of this intangible
thing might lie exposed something OF
both character and calling. At the
far end of the table, Mrs. Norton's
lined, tired face met his gaze. To
her he put his question.
J Welh'' she answered, and her voice
| seemed softer than its won't, 81 amt
thought much of that word for a good
many years now. But when | do
| say, | seem to see myself sitting ON
our porch back home--thirty years
ago. I've got on a simple little muslin
dress. and I'm slender as Elsie Janis.
and the color in my cheeks is--well.
It's the sort that Norton likes. And
my hair--but-I'm thinking OF him, of
| Norton. He's told me he wants to
| make me happy for life, and I've
about decided I'll let him try. l see
him--coming up our front walk.
4 Coming to call on me-have | men
toned I've got a hgure--a real sweet
figure? That's about what romance
means to me-
Youth, dear7" asks Miss Norton,
| gently.
That's 1t, dearie.p answered the
older woman, dreamily. Youth"
For a time those about the table sat
in silence, picturing no. doubt the
slender figure on the steps of that
porch long ago. Not without a
humorous sort of pity did they glance
occasionally toward the woman whom
Norton had begged to make him
happy The professor, Of Comparative
Literature was the first TO break the
silence.
"The dictionary" he remarked aca-
demically, would define romance as
a species OF fictitious writing, orig
inally composed in the Romance dia-
lects, and afterward in prose. But
the dictionary is prosaic--it has no
soul. Shall tell you what romance
means to me? will see a
man toilings In dim laboratory.
where there are strange fires and
stranger doors Night and day
he experiments. the love of his kind
In his eyes, q desire to help in his
heart. And then--the golden moment
1.-The great moment in that quiet
dreary celi--the moment of the discov-
cry. A serum. a formuia-what not.
He gives it to the world and a few OF
the sick are well again. and a few OF
the sorrowful are glad. Romance
means neither youth nor power to me.
It means service = ,
Ha5bent hia diusold eyss on his food