The Harrison times., 1914-10-17


''No; what?"
81 was thinkin' what a cinch it would
be to just push aside that canvas thing
there by the steps and try what the
newspaper accounts call jumping into
the night Say, if I'd had on my other
lawnjerie I'll bet I'd have done 1t,
Into Emma McChesney's understand,
ing heart there swept a wave of pity.
But she answered lightly; rs that
supposed to be funny?"
The plump blonde yawned. ut de-
pends on your funny bone, Mines got
blunted. Pm the lady that the Irish
comedy guy slaps in the face with a
bunch Of lettuce. Say, there's some
thing about you that makes a person
get gabby and tell things You'd make
swell clairyoyant,"
Beneath the comedy Of the bleached
hair, and the 6accid face, and the
bizarre wrapper; behind the coarse
ness and yulgarity and ignorance,
Emma McChesney's keen mental eye
saw something decent and clean and
beautiful. And something pitiable,
and something tragic,
81 guess you'd better come in and
get some sleep" said Emma McChes-
ney; and somehow found her hand
resting on the woman's shoulder So
they stood, on the swaying, jolting
platform, Blanche LeHaye, Of the Sam
Levin Crackerjack Bellies, looked
down, askance, at the hand on her
shoulder, as at some strange and in
teresting object
"Ten years ago" she said, that
would have started me telling the
story OF my life, with all the tremolo
stops on, and the orchestra in tears
Now 1t only makes me mad"
Emma McChesney's hand seemed to
snatch itself away from the womans
shoulder
you can't treat me with your lifes
history I'm going In"
wait a minute. Don't 80 away
sore, kid On the square, guess
liked the feel Of your hand on my
arm, like that. Say, I've done the
same thing myself to a strange dog
that looked up at me, ptiful, You
know, the way you reach down, and
pat m on the head, and say, Nice dog.
gle, nice doggie, old fellow even II It
Is street cur, with a chawed ear, and
no tail, They growl and show their
teeth, but they like 1t, A woman
Lordyl There comes the brakeman,
Lote beat It, Amt we tho neryy old
hensl"
The female Of the species Ns she 10
found IN sleepIng.GNr dresslngroom8
had taught Emma McChesnoy to rise
betimos that she might avoid contact
with certain frowsy shapoless beings
armed with bottles Of milky liquids,
and boxes Of rosy pastes, and pencils
that made archcd and inky lines; be-
ings redolcnt Of bitter almond, and VIC.
let toilet water; beings in doubtful cor.
sets and green silk potticoats perfect
as 20 accordonplatcd nounco, but
showing BlIts and tatters farther up;
beings joNlously guarding their ton
inches Of mirror space and eonsontIng
TO move for no one; ladies' who had
come all the way from Texas and who
insisted on telling about II, despite u
mouthful Of harpIn8i doubtful sisters
who called one dcNro and required to
be hooked up; distracted mothers with
three small children who wiped their
hands on your shirt waist,
So Il was that Emma MeCheBnoy
h0ttod and yoilod by 5'd5, saw the cur.
tNlnB Of the berth opposite rent agun'
der to dIGclo8o the rumpled, 0hapelog3
figure Of Miss Blanche Lollaye The
queen Of burloBQuo bore IN her arms q
couglomorato mass Of shoes, corset,
purple SKIRT baG aud Erocnplumod
hat She paused TO stare at Emma Me-
Choanoyg trim, cool preparedness
"You must have started to dress as
eoons you como In last night ] never
alep' a wink till just about half hour
ago bet | amt got more than eleven
minutes to dress In, Aint this a
Bcorchori"
When the train stopped at North
Bend, Emma MeCheaneS on her way
out, eollIded with a vision In q p0ngee
duBter foBeeolofod chiffon veil, cham.
oils gloves, and plumed hat Miss
Blanche Lollaye had made the most Of
her eleven mlnuto8, Her baggage At'
tended 10, Emma MeChoHnoy climbed
into q hotel bus, II bore no other pas
eehgers, From her corner IN tho vehicle
she could see the queen Of buflo8Que
8t9ldIng In tho oonlor Of tho depot
platform, surrounded by her company
II was u tawdry miserable, OlmoBt
tragic group the mon undersIzed be.
diamondtd, their skulls oddly shaped,
their clothes satire on tho fashions
for men, their chlna unHhoyon, their
loose lIpa curved oonDontodly over ogs
nrpttpHi the women droudully unreal
with the pitilesa light Of the early
morning sun glafihg down on their be.
di8ened faces their spotted, gafBh
cloths, their rundown heels, their
vivid wells, their matted hair They
WpFp uuurPpllup nmOnp thpmuplyug.