The Pulaskian., 1915-02-19

and became habit.
 Ted came out after serving his term, still handsome, spite of all that story writers may have taught to the con- trary. But we'll make this concession to the old tradition. There was diff ference. His radiant blondeur was dimmed in some intangible, elusive way. Birdie Callahan, who had worked in Ted's mothers kitchen for years, and who had gone back to her old job at the Haley house after her mistress death, put it sadly thus:
 He was always tn handsome divil I used to look forward to ironin' day just for the pleasure of pressin' his fancy shirts for him. Pm that partial to them swell blonds. But 1 dinnaw, he's changed. Doin' time has taken the edge off his hair an complexion. Not changed his color do yuh mind, but dulled it, like gold ring, or the like, that has tarnished."
 Ted was seated in the smoker, with chip on his shoulder, and sick hor- TOT of encountering someone he knew in his heart, when Jo Haley, of the Haley house, got on at Westport, homeward bound. Jo Haley is the most eligible bachelor in our town, and the slipperiest. He has made the Haley house gem, so that travelling men will cut half a dozen towns to Sunday there. If he should say Jump through this!" to any girl in our town she'd jump
 Jo Haley strolled leisurely up the car aisle toward Ted. Ted saw him coming and sat very still, waiting.
 Hello. Ted! How's Ted?" said Jo Haley, casually. And dropped into the adjoining seat without any more fuss
 Ted wet his lips slightly and tried to say something. He had been breezy talker. But the words would not come. Jo Haley made no effort to cover the situation with a rush of eenv nvefsatfon. He did not seem to realize that there was any situation to cover. He champed the end of his cigar and handed one to Ted.
 Well, you've taken your lickin', kid. What you going to do now?"
 The rawness of it made Ted vince. "Oh. I don't know" he stammered. I've got job half promised in Chi cago."
 What doing?"
 Ted laughed short, ugly laugh Driving a brewery auto truck
 Jo Haley tossed his cigar dexterous- ly to the opposite corner of his mouth and squinted thoughtfully along it's bulging sides.
 Remember that Wenzel girl that's kept books for me for the last six years? She's leaving in couple of months to marry New York guy that travels for ladies' cloaks and suits After she goes it's nix with the lady bookkeepers for me. Not that Minnie isn't good, straight girl, and honest but no girl can keep books with one eye on a column of figures and the other on travelling man in a brown 1 suit and a red necktie, unless she's cross eyed, and you bet Minnie isn't 1 The jobs yours if you want it. Eighty a month to start on, and board"
 'T-can't, Jo Thanks just the same I'm going to try to begin all over again, somewhere else, where mo- body knows me-"
 "Oh, yes," said Jo. 'I knew fellow that did that. After he came out he grew beard and wore eyeglasses and changed his name. Had quick, crisp way of talkin', and he cultivated a l drawl and went west and started in business. Real estate, I think Any way, the second month he was there in walks fool he used to know and bellows: Why, if it ain't Bill! Hello, Bill! I thought you was doing time yet That was enough Ted, you can black your face and dye your hair and squint, and some fine day, sooner or later, somebody'H come along and blab the whole thing. And say, the older it gets the worse it sounds, when it does come out. Stick around here where you grew up, Ted.'
 Ted clasped and unclasped his hands uncomfortably. q cant figure out why you should care how finish" ]"
 ''No reason" answered Jo "Not a darned one. I wasn't ever in love with | JONt iuei, AAAAO thO 5Uy Od thO oIdSS, and I never owed your pa a cent So it ain't a guilty conscience. I guess it's just pure cussedness and a han kerin' for a new investment. Pm curi- ous to know how'll you turn out You've got the makin's of what the newspapers call a leading citizen, even | if you did fall down once If I'd ever had time to get married, which I never will have, frst-class hotel bein burgh steel magnate's whole harem, | I'd have wanted somebody to do the