The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1913-03-25

foh DlINNEh Ihlo EN ENlNG
WITH PIGGY"
We no longer groan and heap
ashes upon our heads when the
names of Tophet are mentioned.
For, even the preachers have be-
gun to tell us that God Is ra-
dunn, or ether or some scientific
compound, and that the worst we
wicked ones may expect is chem
ical reaction. This Is a pleasing
hypothesis; but there fingers yet
some of the old, goodly terror
of orthodoxy.
There are but two subjects
upon which one may discourse
with a free imagination, and
without the possibility of being
controverted. You may tald of
your dreams; and you may tell
what you heard parrot say.
Both Morpheus and the bird are
incompetent witnesses; and your
listener dare not attack your re-
cital. The baseless fabric of a
vision, then, shall furnish my
theme-chosen with apologies and
regrets instead of the more limit
ed field of pretty Polly's small
talk.
l had a dream that was so far
removed from the higher criticism
that it had to do with the ancient,
respectable and lamented bar-of-
judgment theory.
Gabriel had played his trump;
and those of us who could not
follow suit were arraigned for ex-
animation. l noticed at one side
a gathering of professional bonds.
men in solemn black and collars
that buttoned behind; but it
seemed there was some trouble
about their real estate titles; and
they did not appear to be getting
any of us out.
A fly cop-an angel policeman
flew over to me and took me
by the left wing. Near at hand
was a group of very prosperous
looking spirits arraigned for
judgment.
do you belong with that
bunch?" the policeman asked.
WHY said he, they are"
But this irrelevant stuff is TAX
ing up space that the story should
occupy.
Dulcie worked in a department
o. CHI cold IL a Iar
ing, or stuffed peppers, or automo-
biles, or other little trinkets such
as they keep in department stores.
OF what she earned, Dulcie re-
ceived Sc per week. The re-
mainder was credited to her and
debited to someody else's account
in the ledger kept by c. Oh,
primal energy, you say, Reverend
Doctor-Well then, in the Led
ger of Primal Energy.
During her first year In the
store, Dulcie was paid IS per
week. 1t would be instructive to
know how she lived on that
amount. Don't care? Very well
probably you are interested in
larger amouns. Six dollars is a
larger amount. I will tell you
how she lived on Sc per week.
One afternoon at 6, when Dull
Gle was sticking her hat-pin with
In an eighth of an inch of her
medulla oblongata, she said to
her chum, Sadie-the girl that
waits on you with her left side:
"Say, Sadie, I made a date for
dinner this evening with Piggy"
"You never did" exclaimed
Sadie admiringly. ''Well, ain I
Iyou the lucky one? Piggy's an
awful swell; and he always takes
a girl to swell places. He took
Blanche up to the Hoffman House
one evening, where they have
swell music, and you see lot of
swells. You'll have a swell time,
Dulce."
Du1cie hurried homeward. Her
eyes were shining, and her cheeks
showed the delicate PINK of life's
real life's-approaching dawn.
1t was Friday; and she had so
cents left of her last weeks
wages.
Dulcie stopped In a store where
goods were cheap and bought an
imitation lace collar with her so
cents. That money was to have
been spent otherwise--15 cents
for supper, 10 cents for break.
fast, 10 cents for lunch. Another
dime was to be added to her
small store of savings; and
cents was to be squandered for
licoriee drops-the kind that
made your check look like the
toothache, and last as long. The
licoriee was an extravaganza
almost carouse-but what il
life without pleasures?
Dulcie lived In a furnished
room. There Is this difference
between a furnished room and q
boarding house. In a furnished
room, other people do not know