The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1916-08-18
OPENED EYES
BY LESLIE FORD.


agent, going back to the depot the
near way" Mrs. Perkins called to her
daughter. "Ill bet he and Mabel
have quarreled about that whipper-
snapper Charlie Wilkes, for she was
1 out automobiIing with that fellow
yesterday, and they passed the depot
| three times, as if they were just de-
! termined Ben should see them
| Mrs. Perkins jumped to conclusions
with the skill of practiced gossip,
but in this case she had reached the
right conclusion, for Ben and Mabel
had quar- eled the night before when
he went to make his usual Sunday
evening call.
Ben had tried to avoid mentioning
Charlie Wilkes, the dapper young man,
who, while ON a vacation visit to
Marshville, had been paying Mabel 80
much attention that all the town was
wondering how much longer Ben
would stand it without putting his
foot down" AS Ben and Mabel sat
on the front porch there was a sitting
sense of impending storm. Converse
ton moved haltingly. Eight o'clock
came and passed, and from over the
hill came the faint sounds of the
church organ.
Are we going to the union song
service tonight asked Ben.
What for?" retorted Mabel. ITO lis
ten to Mamie Cobb try to outsing
Elsie Martini"
Seemed like you enjoyed the
church social Thursday night; that is,
it looked that way to an outsider like
me" Thus Ben touched off the spark
that exploded his intention to avoid
| the one subject of which they were
both thinking
Yes, | did, and that because l was
with live wire" snapped Mabel. IF
few people like that lived in Marsh
vile there'd be something to enjoy all
! the time
Ben took his hat from the end Of
! the porch seat.
Since you've made it plain that
there's no enjoyment for you in my
company, ! can mighty soon relieve
! you of it. Ben descended two steps,
and added: Good night, Mabel
You'll not be bothered with my COM
pany again unless you say the word"
of course, being a man, you'll
blame the woman when things go
wrong. | hope you're satisfied, and
I'm sure | am. Good night" Mabel
disappeared through the doorway and
Ben walked all around town to reach
his boarding house, only three blocks
away.
During the week that followed, Ma
bel and Charlie Wilkes were often
seen together by the observant towns
people. On Saturday, a celebration
was held in honor of the completion
of the new town hall, and the festivi-
ties ended with an evening concert in
the public square. Mabel and young
Wilkes had been dashing around
town in an automobile and they
stopped near the square to listen to
the band.
Gee, this is no life for you, Mabel
said Charlie, with easy familiarity.
You ought to be in the city. Why,
any number of girls with less educa-
ton than you get from fifteen to TWEEN
ty dollars week for the lightest kind
OF office work, and evenings they've
nothing to do but dress up an 90
to show or a dance"
But Amy Cobb was home last
week. weakly protested Mabel and
she makes a good salary; but she saws
1t is hard to make friends in the city
among the kind of people you'd care
to call friends.
oh, well if a girl acts like a stiff
people will pass her up, but you'd
never have to go begging for a friend
or Deau-certainly not, when I'm
anywhere around" Charlie slipped
MS arm around Mabels waist and
started to draw her to him, but at that
instant there came a crashing sound
trom the band platform and a hun
ored shriektng voices from the crowd.
Mabel started to spring forward hut
charlie frightened his arm about her
She wrested herself away from him
and turned her eyes blazingly upon
MN as she let herself cut of the car.
How dare you? And when people
around us are being killed! WHY
don't you do something to help?" she
almost shrieked at him.
Why should l do anything?" came
Charles Indifferent reply IT'S no
concern Of mine II these Rubes want
10 get their necks broken. Even YOUR
friend the station agent and baggage
hustler is in that gang. Seer"
All Mabel could see was a younp
woman hugging three-year-old bow
10 her breast, and number of ex-
cited men trying to make room ON
the ground to lay Ben Todd's linn
FORM She pushed her way to his
SIDE She couldn't speak. but she
looked her agonized questions so
PLAINLY that man explained.
Ben saw that Brooks kid dart IN
der the platform playing hide and .
seek Then the crash came. and .
Whlle the rest of us vera loOk;pv ON.