The Red Cloud chief., 1913-09-25
MEDDlEsOME OLD Man
BY ooRoTHeA ruoMpsoN.

out being Jailed for forgery II would
speak we'll for my home training.
However that IL. had a knack of
copying to nicety any signatures or
addresses that ] picked up. used to
do II for the fun OF the thing. but
never. even In school-boy crises when
q note from home would have worked
wonders with hard.hearted teacher.
did use the gift to my own ends. Be
yond. that is. making the boys eyes
pop at the way could reproduce their
crude boyish signatures or the more
flowing and Howery ones OF the teach.
ers. I'm nm old man now. and com.
fortably enough OF, but what I have
has come to me honestly. have won.
dered. sometimes. whether the accom-.
plishment was still at my fingers
ends. butt still is!
Next 10 my little four.room bache.
1or apartment is It's twin. n rear fiat;
and not 30 many months ago II was
taken by two girls-gentle and well.
bred, or I'm no Judge of character.
The older OF the two ! had no love
for--a quiet. dark girl. too sober by
far for her years hut the young one!
] could hear her singing through the
paper'thin walls of the cheap nat.
and Grew to distinguish her voice In
the indistinct murmur when they
we're talking. She was as full OF
songs and thrills and sheer light-heart.
edness as bird
The first time I saw her thought
TO myself that she deserved better
than to be cooped up In a four.room
flat with sister who would probably
be Just as happy without her. But
there ] was mistaken. Her sister
adored her. However. I discovered
before long that was not alone In my
opinion OF her deserts. and many Is
the time I've heard her laughing voice
In the hall answered by a masculine
one. and not always the same one. at
that
But she had her favorite. I could
hear the note OF real welcome In her
voice for one of them-a fine lad, as
deserving OF her as ever a man was
or a woman. Tall and strong and
wellborn, her choice was easily my
choice. too. ] used to pass them in
the hall often on their way to some
merry-making. and she had ever
bright nod and word for me. And
then. when they came back. many's
the time I've caught the note OF ten.
derness In her voice as she said good.
night to him at the door. And he
adored her-One look at him when
they were together would have told
that.
In the snatches Of their conversa.
tion ] got as they passed through the
halls--anything said in the halls was
common property to all four nats-I
learned several things about them.
For one thing, there was real sympa.
thy between them. understanding that
was surprising. considering their
youth. Another was that each Of
them had not little pride. which.
but for the love between them, might
have caused trouble OF no common
sost.
Going through the halls one day I
found a scrap Of paper. n note. folded
In half. but with no address on It. |
opened and read II rather shamefaced.
ly. II was In French. and said that
the writer had gone out, would be
back In an hour. and please to wait
Then little sentence OF affection.
that old as ! arm made my heart beat
faster In sympathy. 1t was signed
Mercy" and Mercy was the name of
my young favQrite. ! turned 1t over.
and saw. what had escaped me before.
that II had three initials on the out.
side-B. l.. G. ! remembered u sen.
tence Of laughing remonstrance once
why, Bert Carter!" Undoubtedly
she had tucked the note behind her
mail.box for him to find II he came
over Unexpectedly. I put 1t back
guiltily. Bless the babes, Did they
thinkf that no one else in the city
spoke French? Still, I reviewed our
fellow flat.dwellers. and decided that
save for me they would have been
safe.
In winter came time when my lit.
tie Mercy was sick, A light case OF
scarletina. her sister said-told me
through the door. Really nothing at
ell dangerous. only too contagious to
her school.teaching, or even through
the halls, So got into the habit OF
bringing up their mail to them. and
every morning there was a letter for
Miss Mercy Judson In the same hand
writing. was rather interested In
that handwriting; II I had been un.
able to class the boy before that writ.
Ing OF his would have helped me- 1t
was unadorned. and rather smaller
than the average masculine hand.
writing, but II carried with It a sense
Of absolute reliability. Foolish. per.
haps. but I have always thought that
my gift carries with II the ability to
read character In writing
When Mercy recovered the spring
came on as II by q signal heard the
boys voice again In the halls, and met