The herald., 1913-03-13
PRIZE SHE DIDN'T GET
BY CECILIA HAMBURG.

Amt il something fierce downstairs?
You'd think every living, breathing |
woman owned a millionaire husbana
from the way they're fighting TO puy
things at this sale
I'm not feeling any bettern you
are" said the young woman from the
neckwear, cheerfully brushing stray
lock of hair. Somehow, life doesn't
seem as cheerful as 1t did yestldday
at this time. You know Harold and
me were going to a hard times party
last night-did l tell your
"Sure!" said the girl from the rib
hons with interest. You said you
knew you'd take the prize as the
couple nearest to the real thing. DID
you?"
did we?" echoed her friend, drop
ping disconsolately upon the coucn.
Well. I'm not quite sure yet in my
own mind what we did take. Ihat
how you look at it.
Harold and / worked hard over
those costumes, tell you," went on
the girl from the neckwear Il said
to him right at the beginning, 'Har-
old | said, If we are aiming at the
prize we must be careful to be artis-
tic and not overdo it. We must make
ourselves look just as much like
pair of tramps as we can without
looking like vodeveel caricatures,' l
said.
"And he agreed with me. That's
one nice thing about Harold-he most
Senerally lets 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 me and l had IL
small children to support and only
"a cents to my name, and long, cold
winter coming. Sort of pinched and
haggard l made my face up and l
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 it in the alley one day
and brought it home as a curiosity
Harold was the same, only more
pronounced. He was more ragged
and dangerous looking, but honest,
was proud of us BOTH l could see
that silver toilet set that cost S25 be
ing handed over to me by the presi'
dent of the lodge just as plain, and
Harold getting the gold headed cane!
Harold blew himself for a cab, too
on account of our looks. There's
nothing small about HaroM.
"We hadn't driven eight blocks be
| fore a taxi hit us and smashed uI
our horse, and there was nothing fol
us to do but get on a street car OF
be late for the grand march. l was
so excited about the wreck / kinC
of forgot our looks, till woman / sa'
down next to sort of sniffed and go
up and took another seat at the enc
Of the car.
There was a man next to Harold
and he dragged his overcoat away
and said something mean, and every
body stared so that we went out OF
the platform to feel more comfort
able. The conductor scowled at us
Where you hoboes bound for| ask
ed a smarty boy with cigarette, VIII
was standing there.
"Tll punch your face for that! say
Harold. He's dreadfully quick ten
pered. is Harold.
"'None of that!' says the condut
tor.
Then Harold, who was mad, sal
he'd punch him, too. and that no lad
/ friend of his was going to be insulte
by a couple Of dubs like them.
"I'Il throw you off'n the car! say
the conductor. Who do you think 20
are-Reggie Van Astorbilt"
} "The boy with the cigarette laugh
ed, and after that things happened s
: fast that kind of lost track. Whe
the conductor got separated froI
Harold and yelled for policeman
. saw something must be done.
. Don't you touch my friend!'
, said to the policeman. We're jus
going to a party!'
Then all the crowd laughed lou
| and scornful and they bundled Ha
, old into the patrol wagon, him f1ghtin
like a demon. l was explaining
, everyone and wringing my hands an
; a man says, says he, Poor woman
7 Tied up to a brute like that, and ha
!. ! starved, too!' And he slipped a dc
= lar bill into my hand before knew
! well, when got around to the p
I lice station Harold was as limp as
T rag, it had taken so much energy
convince the sergeant he was a r
spectacle shipping clerk instead
: a tramp with no visible means Of su
port
, THAT Is a great joke!' said Il
o sergeant, when he finally understoo
:. mopping his eyes.
n "'You may think so,' said, tartlik
q but the grand march was over 6
9 hour ago, and where do we get of
to the prize we've lost?
4 "'Sure, you'd a-got it, all right Il
y sergeant admitted. You two, for III
h like limitations, have got an old cloth
shop beat a mile. You might no
up the couple that did get the prize
\ and I'd agree to have the policemi
n on the beat look the other way, ju
for an apology!'
/, But of course, Harold was +
: much Of a gentleman to do anythil
=, like that. ONLY I feel sort of diss