The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1913-06-21

Blinker. "Mayn't we see Coney
together? I'm all alone and
I've never been there before"
It depends" said the girl, ION
how nicely you behave. I'll con-
slider your application until we
get there"
Blinker took pains to provide
against the rejection of his ap-
plfcation. He strove to please.
He, learned she was twenty, and
her name was Florence; that she
trimmed hats In millinery
shop; that she lived in a fur
nished room with her best chum
Ella, who was cashier in shoe
store; and that a glass of milk
from the bottle on the window
sill and an egg that boils itself
while you twist up your hair
makes a breakfast good enough
for anyone. Florence laughed
when she heard "Blinker."
WELL" she said. ct GER
tainly shows that you have i'm
agination. 1t gives the Smiths
a chance for little rest, any
how"
They landed at Coney, and
were dashed on the crest of a
great human wave of mad pleas
ure-seekers into the walks and
avenues of Fairyland gone into
vaudeville.
With a curious eye, a critical
mind and fairly withheld judy
ment Blinker considered the
temples, pagodas and kiosks of
popularized delights. Basket par
ties bumped him; sticky chill
dren tumbled, bowling, under his
feet, candying his clothes. The
publicity gentlemen with mega
phones, each before his own stu
pendous attraction, roared like
Niagara in his ears. But what
held Blinker in awful fascination
was the mob, the multitude, the
proletariat shrieking, struggling,
hurrying, painting, hurting itself
in incontinent frenzy, with I'M
abashed abandon, into the ridicu-
lous sham palaces of trumpery
and tinsel pleasures.
In the midst of his disgust he
turned and looked down at Flor
ence by his side. She was ready
with her quick smile and up
turned happy eyes, as bright and
clear as the water in trout pools.
The eyes were saying that they
had the right to be shining and
happy, for was their owner not
with her (for the presently Man,
her Gentleman Friend and holder
of the keys to the enchanted city
of fun?
Blinker did not read her look
accurately, but by some miracle
he suddenly saw Coney Alright.
He no longer saw a mass of
yulgarians seeking gross joys. He
now looked clearly upon a hun
dred thousand true idealists.
Counterfeit and false though the
garish joys of these spangled
temples were, he perceived that
deep under the gilt surface they
Offered saving to the restless hui
man heart. Here, at least, was
the husk of Romance, the empty
but shining casque of Chivalry,
the breath-catching though safe
guarded dip and flight of Adven-
tnre, the magic carpet that trans
ports YOU to the realms of fairy
land, though its journey be
through but few poor yards of
space. He no longer saw a rab-
BILE, but his brothers seeking the
ideal.
i Almost humbled. Blinker roll
ed up the shirt sleeves of his
mind and joined the idealists.
you are the lady doctor" he
said to Florence. How shall we
go about doing this Jolly con-
glomeration Of fairy tales. incor-
porated?"
I'VE will begin there" said the
Princess, pointing to fun pa
CODA on the edge of the sea, land
we win take them all in, one by
one"
They caught the eight o'clock
returning boat and sat. filled
with pleasant fatigue against the
rail In the bow. listening to the
Italians fiddle and harp. Blinker
had thrown off care. The North
Woods seemed TO him an unIn-
habitable wilderness What a
fuss he had made over signing
his name pooh! he could sifn It