Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-03
Smashing Story of Love and Politics By Geo Randolph cese

the solldly packed aisle and the squirm-
ing platform to jerk hopefully at the troll
| ley rope, and little Henry Peters squeezed
| between his opponent and the fat butcher
until bones could stand no more, popped
from between their peripheries like the
inside OF grape, landing In the solar
plexus Of a tired Hbernian who had en-
dured more than enough.
"Get out Of my stomach. stockholder,"
he gruffly ordered and pushed little Hent
ry's derby tightly down over his ears,
Just as another machine drew out of the
fretting rearward line and stopping by
the ragged gutter, rested abreast of Mar
leys machine. The conductor having re-
stored the lights, the attention of the un-
comfortable passengers was now directed
to the newcomer, a heavy-jowled man of
middle age, who sat as stolidly In his
runabout by the side of his driver. as
II he mad been at home dining.
ITS sedge," said the man with the
frayed cigar. "He gets his little old rake
off, too, from jamming so people into
40-passenger car. While he's running the
town this rotten old line won't have any
competition"
mir. Sledge ia a good customer Of nllne,~
observed the fat butcher.
There's one thing about Ben Sledge;
he always keeps some big city improve
ment going on" announced the Irishman
who had eXtinguished little Henry Peters.
Little Henry pulled his derby o"dibly Oft
his head and rubbed the red circle 1t had
left.
mir. sledge is the workingman's friend"
he declared.
law, shut up" ordered the gaunt Celtic
laborer. and kicked his ankle by way OF
accidental emphasis.
1t was strange that, while everybody
on the car kept the name of Frank
Marley sacred to their hatred, the name
of Sledge, who was notorious throughout
the United States for his utterly con-
scienceless methods of public theft was
received with equanimity.
Meanwhile, Sledge, turning to see wh1
his neighbors might be, met the eye OF
Frank Marley and nodded perfunctorily,
and then bent his entire attention on
Molly, gazing at her in stolid concentra-
tion with no more change OF expression
on his heavy features than IL he had
been reading a timetable Bert Glider
noticed his rudeness, and tried, in
mood OF intense aggravation, to-, catch
Sledge's eye, and reprove him with IA
savage frown, but he might as well have
tried to catch the eye of an oyster
Sedge, perfectly contented with the pleas
ing picture which sat before him. con-
tinued to stare calmly until Molly, dis
cerning from Bert's countenance that
something was wrong, turned 10 meet tne
small gray eyes of Sledge fixed thought
fully upon, her. She wheeled abruptly tc
her father.
isn't that the scandalous SledEe?" she
asked, annoyed and still amused.
Her father nodded his head, and smiled,
his nose becoming still more pointed in
the process.
well, introduce him. can make him
stop staring them she ordered. He
can't drive on"
"I say, Sledge." called Marley, leaning
forward. "This is my daughter, Molly"
Sledge tugsed at his hat, and smiled his
acknowledgment of the introduction.
"Glad to meet you," he told Molly, ~
didn't know you had such a fine-looking
girl, Marley. She's a corker," and once
more he viewed Miss Molly with quiet
appreciation, in which there was a dawn
ing glimmer of quite un-Sledge-like en-
thusiasm.
"I think so myself" laughed Marley |
First thing I know she'll be getting |
married"
"Sure! agreed sledge. contemplating
her earnestly in this new light I'D |
marry her myself"
The street car ahead gave a forward |
lurch, and the famingly indignant Molly |
darted into the opening.
THE ugly brute.' she gasped.