Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-10-21


ence polluted filled me with red rage.
Jealousy? No! Heaven knows l
don't deserve much credit for being
man, but the feeling was not mere
jealousy.
was turning away hopelessly when
the clerk asked me question::
SIS your name Haviland?"
"Yes," eagerly.
"Miss Walton left note for YOU"
l took it joyfully. So she hadn't
| forgotten me!
There were only two lines: "Mr.
| Trevor has taken us to see the East
| Side. We are going to have lunch ut
place called Little Italy about one
| o'clock" but my heart filled with
thanksgiving for her thoughtfulness.
l handled the single sheet of paper
as though it were a fragile thing, and
put it in my pocket only when l had
taken everything else out. 1t was too
sacred a missive to mingle with COM
mon things.
You ask how I could think such
thoughts when I knew that / was go
ing to take from her father every cent
Of the money that meant so much to
him and the ones down south who
were waiting. Heaven knows! l am
but human. that is my only excuse.
Deep down in my heart / think
there was vague feeling that some
thing would yet help me! that the
PRAYER in my heart would still he All
swered Yes, I was human. cow
ard. A fool. A crook. But I loved.
sat in the smoky cafe that is sup
posed to represent true bohemian life
to the out-of-town visitor - for
more than hour before they came,
and the scowling face of Trevor told
me that 1t had been no part Of his
plan to meet me.
rose and the searching eyes OF the
girl located me. She hurried toward
me with no thought of watching eyes,
her manner frank and natural as 1t
always was.
81 knew you'd comet" she cried, as
she put her hand in mine. Good
friends never disappoint one, do
they?"
Never" smiled, despite the pang
the words sent through me.
"Commendable trust" remarked
Whisky-face, with a sneer in the
words and his eyes.
The girls color heightened as she,
too, recognized the venom.
The father broke in with his boy
no to a
wonderful place, aint it, Mr.. Havi
land?" he said, relapsing into less
careless English, as had noticed ae
did when deeply moved. There's
more people on one street here thar
/ ever saw in my life before"
"But it makes me shudder to think
what is behind the pinched, wan faces
of the children" said the girl sadly
81 don't think l like this part Of the
wonderful city"
Most of 'em ar Just animals" pu
in Whisky-face sourly.
81 don't think so," declared Alice
coldly.
"Mr. Trevor wouldn't either"
put in, with studied politeness, "if hi
could see crowd of those kids at {
Salvation Army Christmas-tree. as
did once"
The look in her brown eyes sent thu
blood dancing In my veins.
"Whacha going to eat?" growlet
Whisky-face, snappishly.
The discussion was dropped for th'
menu.
Several times while we ate Trevor
yelled sneers brought cold looks from
the girl, and before tho meal was fin
ished her displeasure was showln
frankly, and most of her conversation
was with me.
Whisky-face saw his mistake. HI
tried to smooth things over, and h
was slick enough to succeed, though
he didn't get back where he had been
During the whole time the fathe
babbled on happily of the things h
had seen and the stories he woul'
have to tell when he got back to hi
, home on the Little Hazel river. He wa
blind to the by-play, because his sim
: pie, old mind could only understan,
pleasantness, and his soft brown eye
beamed on all alike.
"We're going down to Chinatown
Mr.. Haviland," he announced gleeful
ly.
} "Yes" politely from me. That 1
one part of the city that never he'll
t any attraction.
. "Mr. Walton wants to try some O
! the delicious Chinese food" smirke
{ Whiskey-face in the proper English h
used when he didn't forget himself.
r "That delicious should have a ques
/ tion-mark after it," said /.
Z 81 don't think ! want to co." deter
mined the girl suddenly. "I'm afrai
I of the Chinese and don't want to
v where they are"
I why. Allie!" protested the oil
9 man. "Mr. Trevor Is going to sho'