The Washington herald., 1915-09-05

Good doggie." said the captain. sit
up"
The dog gave one agonized look,
let out yelp and tore back for the
stern as though he was going to jump
overheard. The captain said words
that no perfect lady ever uses.
But he was not the only man who
got fooled on that trip. I was the
i other.
My deck chair was placed next those
of a professor in a New England col
lege and his wife. The professor was
gathering material for a work on
psychology and Mrs. Professor was
largely engaged in telling me what
keen student of human nature the
professor was. If these lines ever meet
the professors eye he will learn what
an opportunity he missed.
On the other side of me the stew
ard placed chair rvr very strIK-
ing-looking young woman. Her cos
tune was shade too pronounced per
haps and ran to vivid colors. while
she was also decked out with long
earrings and bracelets and beads like
a gypsy queen. She was very fair, with
china blue eyes. pink and white COM
plexion, bright red hair that was un-
dou ubtedly dyed. and really very pretty
She was also very reserved She spoke
to no one and seemed to know no one.
For a whole day she was engrossed
with a book and box of candy.
When she came out the second day
she had%ome trouble with her chair
and l helped her with it. She MUIR
INJURED perfunctory thanks and delved
into her book and candy. A little later,
a sudden gust of mind grabbed up
the candy box cover and slapped me in
the face with 1t. She was profuse in
% III pr,1
we talked all the afternoon. / might
as we'll confess that I was quite elated
and thought pretty we'll of myself. for
she was quite the prettiest girl on
board Mrs Professor evidently did
not approve, for she did not join in
and talk across me. On the contrary.
Puritan primness wrapped her close.
attributed it to the fact she had over
heard the pretty girl declare an addic-
tion to cigarettes. ANYWAY, after
awhile Mrs. Professor took her ply
chology-studying husband away with
her and left us alone. Then the pretty
girl gave me a Jolt.
Look here she said. you seem like
a pretty good fellow and l don't want
to get you in bad. You mustn't talk
with me again or recognize me when
we meet I'll have my chair moved.
know you are a friend of the cap
bridge and going into hfs cabin and
7 think the captain is on to me Any
way there are a number of peonle from
Seattle on board who may recognize
me-" ~.
And why?" I asked. rs your
cha ra cter as bad as all that?"
Not at all There is nothing the
matter with my character. l dare say
it's as good as yours.
Then vhy?
Because I'm a nigger. That's why
Then the whole miserable story came
out Her father and mother were both
black Her grandfather was an Eng
lish officer. Her husband was a null
alto She was perfectly white except
| for the back of her hands and arms
which were light brown.
had mistaken it for tan. Her nm
ger nails also told her secret. Her
hair was naturally dark brown and
frizzy which she was now letting grow
| out its natural color. Six months be-
| fore. she had run away to San Fran
cisco to try to pass herself on as
white and live on an equality with
white people. She couldn't bear to be
| with negroes. She tried being mani
cure, but in place after place they
found her out and turned her of, un-
til broke and disheartened. she was
forced to go back to her negro rela-
tives in Seattle.
There was no touch of pitifulness
or tears in the way she told her story.
| but there was grim tragedy in her
look and voice as she said:
81 hate it. but I can't help it. So
you flag me-"
/ saw her in the crowd waiting to
get off the boat and forced my way
| through to say goodbye. The only
answer 1 got was a whisper out of
| the corner of her mouth.
| Beat IL. Don't be fool
In the northwest corner of these our
United States is city built on seven
shelves. or seven steps would be near
er right The streets between the
| steps are so steep that the inhabit-
ants are all sprung kneed. This city
| is Seattle and it's a wonder
Fifty years ago there was nothing
| there but dense forests and Indian
| encampments. Today II has 100000
| inhabitants and is growing at the rate
of 10000 a year. There are asphalt
| streets and cement sidewalks every
| where. fine buildings. beautiful resi-
dences. wide boulevards and every
modern convenience.
when you talk to a San Francisco