Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-04-10
he Was DIFFERENT
BY RUBY DOUGLAS.

-
dime and would have passed inside
but for some one obstructing the en-
trance.
The conductor handed Billy nickel
in change, but Billy pushed on inside,
saying, Two-rm paying for two"
There was no other passenger
whose fare was unpaid, but a detail
murmured something about the fact
that he should worry and went on ma
king change and registering fares.
Billy's one eccentricity, the only
thing that made him different from
any other good-looking. prosperous
young man was this habit he had &C
| quired of always paying for two
Sometimes he was considered little
bit non compos mentis, but this was
not often. In every other way he was
| perfectly regular.
Never to pay one fare, never to buy
one theater ticket, never to order cne
meal was Bills eccentricity. If he was
with companion there was no need
| of displaying his mania. But alone
| he always exhibited it.
Billy had conceived the idea when
he was not more than voting age. In
a moment of introspection he discov
| cred that he was just like every other
man of his age; he was scarcely an in
dividual, he was so perfectly normal
To be sure he had much to tolerate
| in the way of chatting from his friends
but even that made him topic OF
| conversation. Fortunately, Billy had
the money to pay for companion on
| all his jaunts.
For more than three years he had
been airing his eccentricity and today
| as he sat on the Crosstown car il
! came to him suddenly that it was g
rather foolish way of trying to be dis
| tinctive among his fellow men. Was
his brain so shallow, were his talents
so meager that he must depend on sc
sense1ess habit to make him stand
out as a man with a personality? And
| yet, he argued, it gave him many g
moments good fun.
AT an odd little eating house behind
a building on the cross street, Billy
this day, halted, alone.
Coffee Cup Inn,' was the sign over
the door and it was place frequented
by persons who had little to spend or
what they ate and yet were choice in
what that little paid for. A few news
paper reporters, few art students
from the academy nearby, few mu
| sicians and now and then group ot
! girls who would be Bohemian ant
with Bohemians mingle. we're the
patrons of the shop.
Billy slid back the great walnut
| door and sought table for two in ct
obscure corner of the dimly-lighteC
room A waiter handed him a caro-
| detailing the menu and left him to his
selection.
To-day" declared Billy, 81 will no
| only pay for two, but | will order fol
| two and have it served. Perhaps" he
added, in his mind, I'm really getting
cracked as the fellows say. 1t might
| get to be monomania-this dua
stunt of mine. And even that thought
is paradoxical. If I'm not careful III
be long-haired genius myself-a hu
morist, perhaps"
With this comforting prospect. Billy
selected two luncheons and ordered
! them, letting the waiter infer, as he
! told him to set this and that dish op
posite. that there was some one else
to join him.
He was about to attack his frs
! oyster and immerse it in the cocktail
sauce that accompanied the shell f1sf
when young woman sat down oppo
site him. She was reading a manu-
| script and had not noticed that the
/ table was set for some one; neithel
had the waiter observed her-waiter.
in the Coffee Cup Inn being too few t.
! have much time to stand around fol
mere observation.
Presently the young woman foldet
the manuscript r apparently having
finished it-and looked casually a
| Billy. Then, as she sought place
for her bag and gloves, she observed
the half dozen blue-points before her
'Oh-really, l beg your pardon,
she exclaimed, rising.
Billy. too, arose. "Don't-the plac,
is not occupied-nor will it be unless
you occupy it-I-"
The girl was looking about for al
empty table. There was not plac,
in sight. But you have ordered TO
some one," she said. perplexed.
Mono, assuredly not. Sit down
will explain and--people begin t.
look at u.s." Billy demonstrated, step
ping to the other side of the table. an,
assisting the girl to remove her coat
"It is the only way to be inconspicu
GUS now," he urged.
| The girl sat down. Billy had eater
one oyster. She took up her fork
Very well-but, I assure you, it i
most irregular"
| Billy laughed and the girl knew tina
she liked him, regularity or no regu
larity 81 have no argument to refut
that statement he confessed. TT /
irregular-quite, but you are in n
way to blame. There is no other seat
the luncheon is ordered-and partl
served. You sit before it; you are ez
pected to eat it and-there you are!
concluded Billy.
For a moment nothing happened bu
the material dipping of oysters into
reddish concoction; but the girl wa
thinking. Likewise, Billy Robinso
was thinking. How far could he carr
this situation for the mere sake O
studying the girls behavior in sal
situation? She was well bred; he ha
gathered that at once. If he had not, b
was now convinced of it. for Billy
B0LERO SURE TO BE W0Rl