The Monticellonian., 1917-08-30
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It ALL
Watrous went there for his midday
meal because it was inexpensive-an
attraction for Watrous. He didn't
have much money and had scarcely n
hope of ever having any. He was the
type. that blessed happy-go-lucky, that
finds happiness in the moon, the flow
ers and In the very fact that God has
given us life.
His position was an indefinite sort
of clerkship in department store in
the neighhorhood. In the evening he
wandered over to one of the Bohemian
restaurants, his violin under his Ian
guild arm, and there played while art
lists, actors, futurists-what not-ate
heterogeneous mixtures of food.
In the little restaurant he usually
sketched attitudes while he absently
swallowed whatever his waitress had
| considered nourishing and had placed
on the polished surface before him.
Had Watrous been observing he
would have known that he was, per-
haps, the best-cared-for patron in the
place. Molly Carey, who waited on
him. always saw to that while she
waited wistfully for the day when he
would turn his eyes in her direction.
She had that motherly tender look in
her eyes that an artistic soul needs
in the eyes of his life partner-and
seldom chooses. If Watrous was con-
scious of this attention no one knew
it but WatrouS He sketched on the
menu cards whatever came within his
vision and tossed the quaint little
sketches aside when finished, just as
he came he cast aside his Serviette
when the final mouthful of coffee had
passed his lips.
He always left dime on the table.
Molly Carey saved all those dimes.
She preserved them no less systemat-
ically than she saved every sketch
that Watrous made on the menu
cards.
The sketches were far more clever
than she realized-portraits of patrons
In various characteristic attitudes. The
very tone, or, perhaps, lack of tone, of
the cheap little restaurant was wildly
drawn.
The only sketch he had made which
Watrous did not leave in the restau
rant was one of Moolly. Something
about her usefulness, her entire lack
of self-consciousness, had dragged
hasty likeness of her from his pencil.
He had 1t in his room on his shaving
stand Dreamy, semiconseious APP
probation had prompted him to put 1t
there.
Watrous was never definite about
lunehing anywhere. There were days
when the last quarter had gone some
where in the world of spent money"
But because he never quite knew
whether his coat was on or not, nor
remembered having purchased cloth
ing at odd optimistic moments, Molly
Carey supposed him to be desperately
poor and unhappy.
Molly never craved temperament.
She only wanted to be human and
make other people comfortable, but
she had thrill of the ultra tempera-
mental upon the day when she took the
sketches Watrous had made to an art
dealer. The artist on lower Fifth ave-
nue. offered her so wonderful price
for them that for the moment she float
ed high up in a bubbling cloud of emo
tionalism.
Acting on her own counsel, Molly
left u with the art dealer and brought
back II tastefully framed to the res
taurant The manager was delighted.
His round face beamed, and he gave
Molly a good-sized check for the pos
session of the drawings.
In the evening when the days work
was over Molly stayed at the restau-
rant and helped hang the drawings.
An artistic, quaint atmosphere took
hold of the room. Fascination, that
most mysterious of all powers, reach
ed out and claimed the mind. The
small restaurant became horny, while
at luncheon next day animated groups
of patrons stood gazing at themselves
wildly drawn In those characteristic
poses. They brought friends, and
friends brought more friends.
Watrous, when he had discovered
mountainous check fitting his plate,
cast swift glance at the drawings on
the walls and deep flush rushed over
his brow. He wanted to hide under
the minute serviette. He rammed the
check into his pocket and tried to look
unconcerned.
He went home that evening, and his
eyes proclaimed the fact that he was
off dreaming again. When he went to
the place where he was wont to fiddle
he grouped his friends about him and
told them tale which dragged them
one and all over to the other restau-
rant on the East side. When they en-
tered with babble of laughter and
happy with expectation and the joy Of
new scene, Molly and the manager
drew apart
There was something defiant in the
expression of his eyes that prompted
Molly to seek shelter, for he was max
ing straightway through the line of ia
bles for her.
Watrous caught Molly and encircled
her with his arms. In spite of himself
he trembled Breathless silence fol-
lowed. The crowd waited.
Watrous looked down into Molly's
eyes. She cast swift glance around.
blnshed chartningly and Struggled her
head against his shoulder.
The silence was broken by cheers.
Love had met love. and all was well.
Copyright. 1917, by the Mcclure Newspa-