The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1913-03-14
PRIZE SHE DIDN'T GET
By CECILIA HAMBURG.

my Eoodness!" exclaimed the girl
from the ribbons as she dropped gasp
ing into q chair in the rest room.
Amt II something fierce downstairsf
You'd think every living. breathing
woman owned millionaire husband
from the way they're fighting to buy
things at this sale" A-~-
TIN not feeling any better'n you
are" said the young woman from the
neckwear. cheerfully brushing stray
lock Of hair. "somehov, life doesn't
seem a. cheerful as 4 did, yestidday
1T this time. You know Harold and
mo were going to q hard times party
last nisht-did I tell your '...
"Sure!" said the girl from the rib
bons with interest. You said you
knew you'd take the prize as the
couple nearest to the real thing. Did
you?"
did ove?-r echoed her, friend, drop
ping disconsolately upon. the couch.
Well, I'm not quite sure yet In my
own mind what we did take. That's
how you look at 1t. '-
Harold and I worked hard over
these costumes, tell you." went on
the girl from the neckwear. II said
to him right at the beginning. 'Har-
DID, said, II we are aiming at the
prize we must be careful to be artis-
tic and not overdo 1t. We must make
ourselves look Just as much like a
pair OF tramps as we can without
looking like vodeveel caricatures,' I
said.
"And he agreed with me. That's
one nice thing about Harold-he most
generally let's me boss things.
"You ought a-seen me, Carrie, when
I was fixed! You'd a-vowed an de-
clared ! was Mrs. Shapowlski from
back Of the yards and that my hus-
band had deserted mo and I had II
small children to support and only
81 cents to my name, and long, cold
winter coming. Sort of pinched and
haggard / made my face up and I
wore neat but threadbare old black
things with an occasional torn place
for the high lights.
my bonnet was a dream. My small
brother found 1t in the alley one day
and brought It home as a curiosity.
Harold was the same, only moro
pronounced. He was more ragged
and dangerous looking. but honest, I
was proud of us both! I could see
that silver toilet set that cost $26 be-
ing handed over to me by the presi-
dent Of the lodge just as plain. and
Harold getting the gold headed camel
Harold blew himself for a cab, too,
on account of our looks. There's
nothing small about HaroN.
I'VE hadn't driven eight blocks be-
fore a taxi hit US and smashed up
our horse, and there was nothing for
US to do but get on q street car or
he late for the grand march. I was
80 excited about the wreck / kind
of forgot our looks, till a woman I sat
down next to sort Of shifted and got
up and took another seat at the end
Of the car.
There was a man next to Harold.
and lie dragged his overcoat away
and said something mean. and every
body stared so that we went out on
the platform to feel more comfort
able. The conductor scowled at US.
Where you hoboes bound for? ask
ed a smarty boy with a cigarette. who
was standing there.
18TH punch your face for that says
Harold. He's dreadfully quick tenn
pered, is Harold.
"'None of that says the conduc-
tor.
"Then Harold, who was mad, said
he'd punch him, too, and that no lady
friend of his was going to be insulted !
by a couple of dubs like them.
"T1l throw you off'n the car! says
the conductor. Who do you think you
are-Reggie Van Astorbilt?'
THE boy with the cigarette laugh |
ed. and after that things happened SO
fast that kind of lost track. When
the conductor got separated from
Harold and yelled for a policeman I
saw something must be done.
Don't you touch my friend!' I
said to the policeman. We're Just
going to a party!' ..
Then all the crowd laughed loud
and scornful and they bundled Har-
old into the patrol wagon, him fighting
like demon. was explaining to
everyone and wringing my hands ana
a man says, says he, Poor woman!
Tied up to brute like that, and half
tool And he slipped dol
lar bill into my hand before l knew 1t.
We'll, when got around to the po-
lice station Harold was as limp as a
rag, 1t had taken SO much energy to
convince the sergeant he was re-
spectacle shipping clerk instead of
\ tramp with no visible means of sup
port.
That Is great joke!' said the
sergeant, when he finally understood,
his eyes.
"'You may think So said. tartlike,
but the grand march was over an
hour ago, and where do we get of as
o the prize we've lost?'
Sure, you'd a-got 1t. all right the
Iergeant admitted. You two, for life