Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-09-17
HIS
"A. T HERS
FRIEND
BY PERLEY POORE
HEEHAN
upright by Frank a. Munsey Co.

wife ana a steady job, Il man who
stays home evenings and rolls his own
cigarettes when Il man like this has
been ycarning for just one weird, scar
let adventure before he is forever too
old ard he is suddenly confronted with
it, what happens?
Does he fall for It?
Sometimes, and again There was
the case Of William O. Johnson.
or 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
rCcr to close by getting hanged in
McIbourne-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
TIERS activities. And, as for ships and
things, his saintcd mother had brought
him up to Shun them as evil Inventions
On the evening of his adventure
johnson came home from the office, as
usual. at G:3O, dutifully kissed his wife
and washed himself hurricdly in prep
aration for the waiting soup. He was
visibly prcoccupicd
Presently his wife said to him:
"Nou look worried, dcarie. Isn't your
work all ri@ht""
"ENcrythngs O. H." he responded.
but he rrIapSed into silence.
She didn't question him further. He
had these silent spells.
Sometimes it was Il dispute with his
chief at the office, sometimes a stirring
of old ambitions, sometimes Il 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,
1t was the memory of Il girl!
We should state ut once that there
were cXtenu0ting circumstances. Not
only WAS the girl extraordinarily beau
tifuI, but the way in which she came
across Williams notice was cxtraordi-
nary as well.
He had seen her just as he was com
ing up the steps with his latchkey i'll
his hand. She couldn't have been more
than nineteen or twenty She was
slim and dark, and her face was Won
derfully ioyablc and alert
For Il fraction of Il second she had
inclined in his direction eyes, face,
figure With parted lips, as though
about to speak to him.
Then Something in his attitude-he
was the most delicate minded of men
or some second thought of her own
had made her hesitate
The girl passed hurriedly on. VIII
liam passed into the house.
The oddly 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
alcrtness of the way she had looked at
him.
1t gave him Il shadoWy feeling of
uneasinrSS 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 10 bed,
He was nervous and wide awake
Suddenly amid the little sounds Of
the deepening night the ticking of the
clock, the rumble of a distant trolley
ear, the stirring of an uneasy window
sash-thcvp came a soft distant tap
ping at the door.
Johnston started and looked up.
1t was past H. For an interval he
did not stir The summons was re-
pentod. Il little louder. but still guarded
and cautious.
Johnson tiptoed to the inner hall,
turned up the @as and cautiously open
ed the door
He had pretty good nerves for an
office man, stjll he couldn't suppress
movement of surprise,
Standing there before him, gro
tcsqueIy black ana msshapen, was a
negro dwarf.
The visitor didn't attempt to come in.
Instead, he Immediately plunged into
series Of urgent signs that Johnson
was to follow
He WAS OBVIOUSLY in 4 hurry.
Johnson came to Il swift resolution.
The might had begun advcntWouSly
lie would see 1t through
As best he could he made the dwarf
understand that he would come rs
soon rs he could change his slippers
for his shoes \ few minutes later,
witlAut having disturbed his wife, he
was following The negro silently down
the stairs.
II WAS hut few minutes walk from
the placed Johnson lived to park,
facing upon which were tho houses Of
the wealthy That's the way 1t is In
New York poverty and opulence sep
nrNted hy Il lime rs narrow and intan.
gihIe as Il meridian.