Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-12-01
HIS
FATHERS
FRIEND
By PERLEY POORE
SHEEHAN

II -
I SHEEHAN I
Copyright by Frank A. Munsey Co.
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When a man has been pining for the
romantic all his life-a man who Is
going on forty and has an economical
wife and a steady job. man who
stays home evenings and rolls bis own
cigarettes-when man like this has
been yearning for just one weird, scar
let adventure before he Is forever too
old and he Is suddenly confronted with
1t. what happens?
Does he fall for it7
Sometimes, and again There was
the case Of William Q. Johnson!
OF course you may argue that his
case was exceptional in that William
was none other than the son Of Bill
Johnson.
Bill had brought his picturesque ca
reer to close by getting hanged in
Melbourne-an interesting man and IA
nous in his day throughout the south
seas.
But William had never been permit
ted to know anything about his IA
theirs activities. And, as for ships and
things, his sainted mother had brought
him up to shun them rs evil inventions.
On the evening Of his adventure
Johnson came home from the Office, as
usual, at $50, dutifully kissed his wife
and washed himself hurriedly in prep
aration for the waiting soup. He was
visibly preoccupied.
Presently his wife said to him:
"You look worried, dearie. Isn't your
work all right?"
"Everything's o. K" he responded.
but he relapsed into silence.
She didn't question him further. BE
had these silent spells.
Sometimes 1t was dispute with his
chief at the Office. sometimes a stirring
Of old ambitions. sometimes a goading
thought Of his small salary.
1t was never anything worse than
that. His habits were exemplary. and
his wife knew It
Yet the very thing that now held
Johnson tongue tied was something he
dared not confess-something he could
hardly admit to himself without blush
Ing.
It was the memory Of girl!
We should state at once that there
were extenuating circumstances. Not
only was the girl extraordinarily beau
tlful. but the way In which she came
across Williams notice was extraordt-
nary as we'll.
He had seen her just as he was COM
ing up the steps with his latchkey In
his hand. She couldn't have been more
than nineteen or twenty. She was
slim and dark, and her face was won
derfully lovable and alert
For fraction Of second she had
Inclined In his direction-eyes, face,
6gure-with parted lips. as though
about to speak to him.
Then something In his atitude-he
was the most delicate minded OF men
or some second thought Of her own
had made her hesitate.
The girl passed hurriedly on. Will
liam passed into the house.
The oddity Of the experience had not
Immediately appealed to him. But a
minute later as he climbed the stairs
and later still when he washed his face
and on through supper he recalled the
alertness Of the way she had looked at
him.
It gave him shadowy feeling OF
uneasiness and regret. He tried over
and over again to imagine the words
that she might have said had he given
her the opportunity.
Recollection Of the incident returned
to him necessarily long after Mrs.
Johnson had gone to bed.
He was nervous and wide awake.
Suddenly amid the little sounds OF
the deepening night-the ticking OF the
clock. the rumble Of distant trolley
car, the stirring Of an uneasy window
sash-there came soft. distant tap
ping at the door.
Johnston started and looked up.
It was past II. For an interval he
did not stir. The summons was re-
peated. a little louder. but still guarded
and cautious.
johnson tiptoed to the inner hall.
turned up the gas and cautiously open
ed the door.
He had pretty good nerves for an
office man. still he couldn't suppress q
movement Of surprise.
Standing there before him. gro
tesquely black and misshapen. was
negro dwarf.
The visitor didn't attempt to come In.
Instead. he Immediately plunged into
n series of urgent signs that Johnson
was to follow.
He was obviously in a hurry.
Johnson came to a swift resolution.
The night had begun adventurously.
He would see 1t through.
As best he could he made the dwarf
understand that he would come as
soon as he could change his slippers
for his shoes. A few minutes later.
without havirg disturbed his wife. he
was following the negro silently down
the stairs.
It was but few minutes walk from
the placed Johnson lived to a park,
facing upon which were the houses Of
the wealthy. That's the way It Is In
New York-poverty and opulence sep
arated by q line as narrow and intan-
gible as meridian.
To this park Johnson followed the
dwarf. the only clear thought emerg-
ing from his bewilderment being that
his wife might wake up and find him
missing.
His guide went fast, with shuf
fling. loose jointed glide that kept him
on the verge Of run.
Half q block farther on the negro
scurried up the steps of brown stone
mansion and. assuring himself that
Johnson was still at his heels. opened
the door and entered.
The hall light was dimly burning,
and Johnson caught an impression OF
sumptuOus furniture.