Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1916-01-06
CHAPTER !.
The Dawnins Of Tender Passion.

A COAL wagon, naturally choos-
"a Ing the rush hour for the per-
~ formance, broke down In front
90 Of an extra crowded car, and
traffic was promptly knotted for three
blocks. A shining big automobile, fol-
lowing up the hill. came 80 close be-
hind that the glare of the street car
shone with unpleasant brightness on
the occupants-a smiling red checked
girl at the wheel; by her side a gray
vandyked man with sinister lines run.
ming sharply downward from his down
pointed nose; I'm the tonneau q plainly
dressed and modeslly pretty black hair.
ed girl with large and rather timid
eyes and slender golden haired girl
whose chief mission in life, from her
expression. would have been taken to
be mischievous fun.
Hello, Bert" called the girl at the
wheel. Can you uncrush yourself"
The rather large young man in the
neatly fitting blue suit who had been
1ammed against the rail Of the rear
platform had already begun to worm
his way out Of the i'll humored throng
ON the street car.
"I'll try It," he laughed, although l
don't expect to have u button left"
The crowd. its clothing still clammy
from the recent rain. made way for
him reluctantly. even though it needed
the space he occupied, for the pompous
looking. vandyked man in the car was
Frank Marley. by all odds the most
unpopular man in the city. He was
the president OF the street car Com
pany.
The young man in the neat blue suit,
whose cheeks were flawlessly pink and
whose luXuriant black mustache was
curled in two amazingly perfect ring.
lets. picked his way daintily through
the slush.
Bert, this is the treat | promised
you," said the girl ut the wheel.
Miss Fern Burbank" he guessed,
clasping the blond visitors hand, and
at the same time he gave his left hand
condescendingly to little Jessie Peters
"Welcome 10 our muddy city"
THANK you" smiled the golden hair
ed young lady. "Of course this Is
handsome Bert Glider"
"Molly's been telling on me," he
lightly answered as he took the folding
seat just behind Mr.. Marley. sitting
sidewise so that he could address the
two girls in the tonneau and still Ell.
Joy the clean cut profile Of Ethelyn
Marley, known to her intimates as
Molly, for no better reason than that
II was handler name.
The lights in the car ahead suddenly
went out. and groan arose from the
miserable passengers on that suffocat-
Ing vehicle. A roughly breathed man,
who had been resting his elbow in the
wishbone Of gray whiskered little Hen
~ Peters, reached the point of heroic
defiance.
he cursed the street car company
and demanded. "Why don't they put
on more cars?"
Little Henry Peters, who admitted
he was a stockholder, took the COM
pany's part.
The conductor crowded back through
the solidly packed aisle and the
squirming platform to Jerk hopefully
at the trolley rope, and little Henry
Peters. squeezed between his oppo
nent and the fat butcher until bones
could stand no more, popped from be
tween their peripheries like the inside
Of grape, landing In the solar plexus
Of tired HiDernian. who had endured
more than enough.
Get out Of my stomach, stockhold
er," he gruffly ordered and pushed lit
tie Henry's derby tightly down over
bis ears just as another machine drew
out of the fretting rearward line and
stopped by the ragged gutter, rested
abreast Of Marley's machine. The con.
ductor having restored the lights. the
attention Of the uncomfortable passen.
Ssfs was now directed to the new
c0mef. q heavy Jowled man of middle
a. who eat as stolidly in his run