Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1914-06-26
HIGHER PRAGMAT|SM
Story Of How a Diffident Lover
Got Out of the Amateur
Class.
ey o. HENRY.

city park. Anyhow, that was the
amount he asked me for when | sat
on the bench next to him. He was q
musty, dingy, tattered magazine, with
some queer stories bound in him. was
sure. He turned out to be a scrap
book
Il am a newspaper reporter" ! said
to him. to try him. I have been de-
tailed to write UP some of the expert
ences of the unfortunate ones who
spend their evenings in this park. May
ask you to what you attribute your
downfall in"
I was interrupted by laugh from
NY purchases laugh so rusty and I'M
practised that was sure 1t had been
his first for many day.
"Oh, no, no. said he. you amt a
reporter. Reporters don't talk that
way They pretend to be one of US. and
say they've just got In on the blind
baggage from st. Louis. | can tell a
reporter on sight Us park buns get
to be fine judges of human nature. We
sit here all day and watch the people
60 by. l can size up anybody who
walks past my bench In a way that
would surprise YOU
We'll" / said, ego on and tell me.
How do you size me up?"
Il should say" said the student Of
human nature with objectionable hesi-
tation, that you was, say, in the con-
tracing business-or maybe worked in
q store-or was a sign-painter.
frowned gloomily.
But, Judging again" went on the
reader of men. I'D say you amt got
q wife"
NO. said I, rising restlessly. No,
no, no. amt. But | will have. by the
arrows of Cupid That is, If"
My voice must have trailed away
and muffied itself In uncertainty and
despair
Il see you have story yourself"
said the dusty vagrant-impudently, it
seemed to me. Suppose you take your
dime back and spin your yarn for me.
I'm interested myself in the ups and
downs of unfortunate ones who spend
their evenings In the park"
Somehow that amused me. l looked
at the frowsy derelict with more in
terest l did have story. Why not
tell 1t to him? / had told none of my
friends.
Jack said l.
Mack" said he.
Mack, said /, I'm tell you"
n ha "A 1.oa oh In Il
vance?" said he.
/ handed him a dollar.
THE dime said |, was the price
of listening to your story"
Right ON the point of the Jaw" said
he. 60 on"
And then, incredible as il may seem
to the lovers In the world who conflde
their sorrows only to the night wind
and the gibbous moon. laid bare my
secret to that wreck of all things that
you would have supposed to be in sym
patty with love.
told him Of the days and weeks and
months that l had spent In adoring
Mildred Telfair. spoke of my despair.
my grievous days and wakeful nights.
my dwindling hopes and distress of
mind. ! even pictured to this night
prowler her beauty and dignity.
why don't you cop the lady out?'
asked Mack, bringing me down to
earth and dialect. again
| explained to him that my worth
was so small, my income SO minute
and my fears so large that hadn't the
courage to speak to her of my worship.
/ told him that in her presence could
only blush and stammer, and that she
looked upon me with wonderful, mad
dening smile Of amusement
Now that reminds me of my own
case. I'll tell you about it." said
Mack.
was indignant, but concealed it.
Feel my MUSCLE said my compan-
ion, suddenly hexing his biceps. I did
SO mechanically. The fellows in gyms
are always asking you to do that. His
arm was as hard as cast iron.
-Four years ago" said Mack. Il
could lick any man in New York out
side OF the professional ring. Your
4
from the West side-between Thirtieth
and Fourteenth won't give the num-
Der on the door l was scrapper when
] was ten, and when | was twenty no
amateur in the city could stand up four
rounds with me. S a fact You know
Bill McCarty? No? He managed the
smokers for some of them swell clubs.
Well, ! knocked out everything Bill
brought up before me. / was middle
weight, but could train down to a vel.
ter when necessary. l boxed all over
the West side at bouts and benefits
and private entertainments, and was
never put out once.
But, say, the first time put my foot
in the ring with a professional / was
no more than canned lobster. dun
no how ii was-I seemed to lose heart
guess got too much imagination.
There was formality and publicness
about 1t that kind of weakened INV
nerve. never win fight in the ring.
LiQhkweights and all kinds of acr,,hs