Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-04-11

! only thing that drew him unconsciously
into it was the fact that here were
! benches upon which he might rest
without being expected to pay for any
/ thing. He was tired and hot, and, APP
palling fact hungry: moreover, he
noted with aversion that every lounger
, upon every bench bore the same atti-
tude OF hopeless detection as himself.
He had a bad quarter of an hour. in
which a great many of his impressions
of the corresponding relations Of hu-
man beings to each other underwent
a radical change For one thing. he
began to estimate his actual value.
considered merely as two hands and a
brain, if thrown upon the immediate
market, for it looked as il the great
railroad king would have to hunt a
job at unskilled labor
As he sat dejectedly bumped over.
his elbows upon his knees and his
hands clasped idly together, he noticed
that a brown skirt-with a draggled
bit of braid at the bOttom-that twice
had slowly passed him, now stopped
directly in front of him. Naturally he
glanced up and found a very good
looking girl gazing fiXedly down At
him. The moment she met his eyes
her face lighted with a smile OF de
light, and she came toward him.
Il just knew it was Mr.. Cash" she
began vivaciously. My, this is long
way from Broadway. isn't it,"
No sound had ever rung more
agreeably in his ears than his own
name pronounced at this moment For
the last couple of hours that magic
word had completely lost its power.
and he began to realize how few
people knew him after all: 1t was
with sense of positive gratitude that
he answered this girl, whom he could
not place, but whose face seemed
pleaslngly familiar
Indeed it is" he assented. rising
and removing his hat. II expect | am
stupid, but really ! cannot seem to
place you. Miss"
Bessie Williams. but you don't
know the name" she returned. 81 used
to manicure you in the Hotel Bel
weigh, don't you remember? You've
had your mustache shaved off. but,
goodness, I'd know those hands with
the mole on both little fingers if |
found you down in Africa stained with
walnut juice. ! guess you'll think
I've got nerve for wedging in this
way. but honest, anybody that was
ever nice to me in little old New York
looks like long-lost brother"
He remembered her perfectly now.
and he smiled with amusement as he
recalled her vivid personality. She
was a girl who had struggled up from
the most squalid section of the East
side. and was noted on Broadway. not
only for her own uncompromising rig
idity of conduct, but for the number
of other girls she had saved from
making fools of themselves" More
especially. however. she was known
for the picturesque slang which had
chung to her as the only mark of her
origin, and for the originality with
which she used it. In the present juno
ture he was surprised to find her sud
denly hesitate and show a bit OF en-
barrassment
II feel somewhat in the cold my
self" he admitted. to put her at ease.
What brings you out here so far?'
I'm my own lemon she replied.
y-j1-c Of
rafting on with the greatest sang
froid, once she had plunged into the
main topic. Say, Mr. Cash. I'm go
ing to be real open-faced with you
about my troubles. because know you
don't make any mistakes in the dark
and you don't keep the small change
glued down. Every time 7 ever saw
you there was a circle OF tips rolling
away from you in every direction, and
once when a bell-hop got his leg broke
| saw you peel off a fifty before any
body could ask IL he had a mother
It's this way with me. I'm so stony
broke that ten-cent piece would look
the size of the full moon coming up
out of the water at Rockaway beach.
and IL you will just ship me back ;
among the tall buildings I'll manicure /
the whole Cash family for a year"
Il wish | could" he said sincerely. /
but | haven't a penny upon which | |
can lay my hands. I'm as hard up as
any loafer in this park"
II beg your pardon" said Miss VIII !
Iiams with more dignity than he had /
expected to find in her. Il am very |
sorry that I made such q mistake"
And she turned to go.
He could see that she was both hurt /
and mortified; that she had instantly |
come to the conclusion that he did |
not care to help her.
wait a minute" he called after her.
his sympathies wonderfully quickened |
by his own disagreeable experience |
Come back here and sit down. | was
perfectly honest when rsaid that /
am in as much trouble as you are"
She was still incredulous, but he
was so earnest in his insistence that
she reluctantly came back and allowed
him to seat her upon the bench beside
lim He explained to her in careful
letail precisely what had happened to
him, and his unshaven face and soiled
collar were sufficient confederation.
She laughed at his somberness when