Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-09-09


down again turned to face her.
"They've never been able to get
collectors that won't think things"
informed her.
The straight line of her red lips re-
laxed as she realized that I'd taken
the only way to save her embarrass-
ment before the fare collector.
Impulsively her little hand touched
my sleeve for a moment. 81 beg your
pardon, and thank you," she mur
INJURED.
And she smiled Lord, what a smile
that was! It was like sunshine-like
oh. 1t was her smile
'I've been a perfect little cat" she
went on contrively. "Three times
you've saved me annoyance" - the
smile on her lips became wry--
Though losing my purse would have
been even more than an annoyance,
but for you. 1t must he a dreadful
long walk from here to the Waldorf"
"I'd rather think OF the distance to
the moon." laughed. Then. serious
ly: "But are you sure the purse isn't
on the floor?"
my lap and over the low side wheii-
when" She stopped. but l under.
stood. She meant when that booze.
bitten dog had been crowding her.
"My names Haviland." I blurted,
not knowing from experience the
1,i 10
She smiled at me again, seeming TO
understand that I wasn't the kind that
is accustomed to hand out the flowery
talk to women.
"You don't look as fragile as the
name implies" she said, glancing over
my six foot one.
l didn't get it for a minute, then
remembered that women seem to
think whole lot OF china dishes that
have the same name as mine.
I'm one of the cracked pieces"
grinned, happy to think I'd got wise
so soon.
"My name is Alice Walton" she
said simply, and put out her hand,
manlike.
That was our meeting, telling our
names like pair of kids over back
fence, with kidlike straightforward
ness, and none of the fool pettine5s
of pretenSion that usually comes be-
tween men and women.
The ride downtown was one of the
greatest feats of rapid transit ever
accomplished, think. We must have
gone at least three hundred miles an
hour all the way, for it didn't seem to
take more than minute or so to get
down to her hotel.
Alice-that's what my mind called
her from the time l repeated it over
and over when she first told ME her
name-was only staying in New York
ten days.
She and her father lived in place
called Little Hazel, down in Virginia
somewhere. The father had come
north to complete business deal If
some kind, and they were going to see
the sights of the big city before they
went back. They'd been in town two
days.
her, and in the alley she introduced
me to her father. When his eyes
looked into mine l loved him. Yes,
that's the word. There are men you
love, and he was one of them.
Tall, straight as a pine, his face
pink white, and innumerable lines
that chased in and out when he
smiled. His eyes were brown, soft
as woman's, and in them seemed TO
lurk look of sadness, even when his
whole face lighted with pleasure.
His hair was white, fine as silk. and
curved away from his pink scalp in
thick waves. A man to love, yes! but
a man to protect, too, for his childish
simplicity and his frank innocence
would make him easy prey for the
vultures-vulture es such as 1.
"To meet you Is a pleasure, sir" ne
said in voice that was soft and low
| There was just a tinge OF the south
ern drawl in it, but the words were
| not mispronounced like those of the
southern gentlemen I've seen on the
stage or read of in popular fiction.
That was all he said to me just then.
for he turned to his daughter. "Did
you enjoy the ride, Alice?" he asked,
his face lighting UP just as hers had
done when she spoke of him.
wonderfully, daddy" she cried.
"You should try it. and have Mr.. Havl-
land tell you the names of all the
beautiful buildings. They mean some
thing more than mass Of stone and
steel then.
"You seem to be looking through
the walls and see the men and women
you've read about while you are hun
dreds of miles away, sitting in tho
chairs in their rooms"
| "And up in the tall oflice-buildings
you imagine you see the men who are