The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1916-03-16
OPENED EYES

BY LESLIE FORD.

Just look at Ben Todd, the station
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
out automobiling 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 a practiced gossip,
but in this case she had reached the
right conclusion, for Ben and Mabel
had quarreled 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-
Marshyille, had been paying Mabel so
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 sitting
sense Of impending storm. Converse
tion 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 Martin ?"
Seemed like you enjoyed the
church social Thursday night; thet 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.
Eyes, l did, and that because I was
with live wire, snapped Mabel. III
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 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 ~ 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 soIare. 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 ne life for you, Mabel
said Charlie, with easy familiarity.
You ought to be in the city. Why,
any number of girls with less educa-
tion than you get from fifteen to twen-
ty dollars week for the lightest kind
of Office work, and evenings they've
nothing to do but dress up an go
to a show or a dance"
But Amy Cobb was home last
week." weakly protested Mabel, "and
she makes a good salary; but she says
it is hard to make friends in the city
among the kind of people you'd care
to call friends"
"Oh, well if girl acts like a stiff /
people will pass her up, but you'd |
never have to go begging for friend
or beau-certainly not, when I'm
anywhere around" Charlie slipped |
his arm around Mabel's waist and
started to draw her to him, but at that
instant there came a crashing sound
from the band platform and a hun
dreG .shrieking voices from the crowd.
Mabel started to spring forward, but
Charlie tightened his arm about her.
OnC nlCoNCQ iCA CCAA an aJ
and turned her eyes blazingly upon
him as she let herself out of the car.
How dare you? And when people
around US are being killed. Why
don't you do something to help7" she
almost shrieked at him.
why should do anything" came
Charles Indifferent reply. It's no
concern of mine if these Rubes want
to get their necks broken. Even your
friend, the station agent and baggage
hustler, is in that gang. Seer
All Mabel could see was a young
woman hugging a three-year-old boy
TO her breast, and number of ex-
cited men trying to make room on
the ground to lay Ben Todds limp
form. She pushed her way to his
side. She couldn't speak, but she
looked her agonized questions SO
plainly that a man explained:
Ben saw that Brooks kid dart un-