The Dermott news. (Dermott, Ark.) 1910-1977, 1916-03-02

tIIiHN Pdtiu tII' wv S44N W 81 N
like sentinel on duty.
A couple Of young men entered the
building They passed under a sign
which said Positively No smoking. -
And Tommy was annoyed to observe
that both were smoking cigarettes. One
threw aside his cigarette, still lighted.
the other kept on smoking. and they
passed out of sight up the stairs
I'll report those two cubs to the
manager" he said. And If he docsn t
seem properly interested III make
things hot for him -
So Tommy entered the premises Of
the 0etagon Shirt company aud began
to LOOK for the manager. Some PEG
pie said he Was in such and such a
place. and others didnt know. But a
rirl Who seemed to be dying Of con-
sumption said that Mr.. Grady had just
stepfed UP 10 the fifth floor, where
the sewing machines were, with a
young lady.
At once Tommy pictured this Grady
as greasy and bediamondcd and hated
him. Also So strong MAS his magma
ton. he imagined that he smelt smoke.
At the opposite end OF a long dark
room Celestia's lovely earnest face
seemed to shine like light. She was
speaking very softly and gently. but
to the farthest pair of ears 1t seemed
To Tommy that the room contained
hundreds OF girls and hundreds OF sew
ing machines. As matter OF fact
there were almost n hundred Of each.
Near Selestia stood dark. stoutish
man with pencil over one ear.
Grady" thought Tommy, and hated
him less. fer although the man Vas
greasy and did wear something that
looked like diamond in his necktie.
sion upon his coarse hard face.
Celestia was just finishing when
Tommy entered She finished and
there was no sound whatever in the
room. Then one girl left her place and
went slowly toward her; others fol.
lowed until as many as could be were
crow ed closely about Celestia and
Grady.
As for the man Grady, she had
looked into his eyes just once, and he.
too. believed But dark thoughts tor
mented him. There were upon his con
science. for one had just been born in
him. many sins of hard hcarteduess.
brutality and work, In that building
there vas not one girl whose life he
might not have lieMened a little If il
had pleased him. II had pleased him
TO do the reverse. suddenly he felt
moved 10 take the whole world into
his confidence. and to promise amends
to those whom he had injured.
Girls" he said. in n loud strong
voice, Just one or two words please
| don't know what the talk we've
been listening TO has done TO YOU
But Il got me. l charged this-I
don't know whether TO say Lady or
whether TO say Angela biz price for
the privilege OF speaking 10 YOU for
ten minutes want 10 say. first of
all. that II won't cost her a cent. And
II she needs money To carry on her
good work in this world she can have
my pile But that's not all I've got To
say. BE little patient. Don't crowd
her So II I'm any Judge Of faces she
won't 20 without letting the last least
one OF you touch her hand Girls. I've
eli 1ri,
hardened To the work II there was
ever any kindness ia me IL seemed to
me had to stamp IL out To get re-
suits I've driven you and driven you
till you can call your souls your own
| might have been different and got
the work done just the same But |
wasn't Wen. I'm going To be. She
said things would get better some
time They're better right this min
ute, Can't YOU feel the difference
Can't you fell that I'm sorry for the
things I've said TO you and done to
you? tell you I'm ashamed don't
know what keeps me from sinking
down through the floor The hardest
things I've got TO say comes next
Some OF you girls know me for hard
cold hearted man. Is there any girl
here who can say worse than that
OF mes"
He paused as If waiting for a reply
Then he went on.
We'll there is one girl here who
could say worse than that OF me II
she would. But she won't She won't
squeal. So I'll have to do the sQueal.
ing. Molly Bryan, Step forward.
please. Molly Bryan. I've something
to say to you that want all your
friends and well-wishers 10 hear"
Very slowly a slender girl with
tragic haunted dark eyes came for.
ward.
stand alongside OF me Molly. and
turn SOS everybody can see you. Some
OF you" he went on, have known