Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-09-09
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY

One step and half took me right
alongside OF him. put my hand on
his shoulder.
There's a man on the next corner
that wants to buy you drink"
told him, and the tone I used was one
that nobody ever mistakes. "And
there's man up here that's going
to loosen every tooth In your head
when we pass that corner?"
"Who-are you?" he growled,
nasty like.
"Jim Jeffrys," came back, but
there was no kidding in my eyes or
voice, or the hand that grippe1
through the pads of his coat into the
fab underneath.
"Oh. that's IT." he began, ami
there isn't any mist9l;ing of that tone,
either. But he didn't go on. eycep.
to choke a screech rs my right hand
In his collar drove his front button
into his Adams apple.
"We're at that correr!" gritted
through my teeth. The hus stopped,
and with a half-friehtened look that
is always sickening in man, he
went.
The girl had been looking the 9th
er way the whole time. Now she
turned: her e'-as looked into nine
There werc new Lights in them now
a hundred there seemed at the very
least. changing every second, each
more wonderful than the last.
"Thank YOU" she breathed through
her parted red lips. 1t was a whis
per that you couldn't have heard three
feet away but / heard it, and to me
1t sounded like all OF the music in the
world put together and made beautt-
full.
I didn't speak. I couldn't just
then; but touched my hat like
bashful schoolhoy and went back to
my scat. Maybe you think Pm fool
for talking about the girl like this,
when I'd only seen her few minutes
before.
\ But the first look at her caught me
as nothing else ever did. There aren't
many opportunities to meet good
women in my business. Here was I.
thirty years old, and I'd never met
good woman socially; never talked to
one intimately.
I never even had had mother!
Naturally you understand that my
definition of that word good" has
changed considerable since my kid
days.
But do you wonder I was moved:
Do you wonder l stared at the straight
little back and the tiny gloved hanl
that rested on the guard-rail with Il
bit of hunger in my eyes? II you do
you're not human, that's all.
At Twenty-Third street there was
a crowd to get on and saw gang Of
kids, college boys they looked, out for
q lark.
sized up that empty half of the
seat again, then those fool kids.
went hot and cold for minute, but l
gritted my teeth and squared my
shoulders and went toward 1t.
She glanced up as | sat down and
a scornful look came to her eyes.
"There's gang of fresh college
kids coming on her, MISS" / said as
fast as I could. "The man who got
off isn't the only one of his kind in
New York. worse luck. But while
I'm here they won't annoy you. Don't
look my way if you don't want to-"
Well. the college kids raised merry
hob all the way up to Columbia, but
they were mighty careful to keep both
of us out OF their joshing. / kept my
eyes resolutely away from the girl,
but could feel the change in her at
titude as we bowled along the smooth
asphalt.
She was evidently taking the trlp
for the same reason l was, for when
we rounded at Grants tomb she
stayed in her seat. The collector came
up tor our return fare. and as | put
my hand in my pocket for the dime
heard a little gasp beside me.
Out of the corner of my eyes I saw
the scared look on her face as hel
hands fumbled for her purse. ! could
feel her feet move as she tried to 10
cate 1t on the floor.