Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-07-25
THE Sl0WEST PLACE.

= special friend OF his. lie FELT too, that he
and the ocean understood each other. but 1t
was a sumner ocean he haG Learned 10 know
and he wished 10 IL In the winter when
the beach was barren OF myriads Of bnthers.
So in the middle OF January finding that
time was hanging heavy on his hands, he re-
solved TO pay visit - the shore. lie knew
tha. the Ocean House was open and 20 he
tcegraphed ahead for rooms, vaguely hoping
that at least one Of the girls he had cen IRE
quenting the big hotel in the summer might
take 1t into her pretty head to spend a week.
end at the same place during the uninviiing
winter months
After he had settled himself comfortably
In his seat In the Pullman rar he rather re.
greited his hssty decision.
The place will be absolutely forsalen at
this time he mused. u m fool for max.
Ing such trip just on impulse"
lie sighed a deep sigh OF resignation and
| turned 10 the newspaper In his hand The
train rolled across the Jersey mesdows
rambled across the Market street bridge and
drew to = halt at Newark Douglas threw
aside his newspaper and glanced rather in.
differently out Of the window. Then he Sc,
up with start, his face Alghting with a
! new and sudden interest in life. Coming d.
ree,ly toward the door OF the ear in which
he was seated was negro porter. Douglas
had seen negro porters before, but this one
was different For following in his wake
was girl Douglas had seen girls before
but he had never looked upon a .irl quite 20
attractive as the one who entered his car
and took the seat directly opposite his own
She wore q blue velvet hat and white fox
iurs not the Kind Of iurs you can buy in a
department store at $3.50. but real 70, fuTs
OF the kind that stays straight. Her suit was
| blue and her shoes brown. Douglas took in J
al these incidentals at a single glance. and i
hos lie h. /
not tell exactly what it was that held his /
gaze. Perhaps il was the hint Of roses In 1
her cheeks or the semblance of q twinkle /
In her eye. But whatever the cause, ne sud |
denly realized, that he had been staring at
her insolently. With a half angry shake Of
his head, he turned again 10 his newspaper
But the winning streak Of the Giants sur
denly lost its interest. Douglas wondered
where In the world the girl could be going
Somewhere within him there stirred the vague
hope that she nigh; possibly be headed for
the same destination a. himself, namely the
Ocean House
IN she only Is he thot I'm the lucki.
est fellow in the world
Occasionally he glanced around the edge
OF his newspaper and Stuc,ed her. She Ap.
peared ohlivions to his presence, and try as
he might be could not for the life Of him
think Of way to begin a conversation. lie
knew instictivciy that she wou.. resent any
boh intrusion on his part
The train rumbled along It's way Dull
gray clouds which had threatened rain thru.
out the day suddenly made good their threat
and large drops splattered against the win.
dow pane. The girl looked up and sighed
and the heart OF Douglas Jones missed beat
He lay down his paper and g1owered cut Of
the window as II he could call the sun back
by the very ferocty Of his glare But
nothing happened, the rain continued and the
train followed its scheduled course.
Finally II drew to snorting halt at Ocean
Beach The girl whose name Douglas lid not .
know adjusted her furs, buttoned her blue
coat more tightly around her neck and
descended the steps Of the car. Douglas fol-
lowed closely in the vain hope that some
thing might happen which would give ham the
chance TO play the part of heroic gallant.
The girl tipped the oXpectant porter haile1
the only taNicab in sight and drove away in
the direction Of the beach. Douglas, with
sense Of impending loss, climbed into a creak.
ing hack which threatened TO deposl; him
any moment the wet pavement. AID di-
rocted the driver 10 take him to the Ocean
house.
lie had hoped that the Interior Of the
spacious hotel would present a p'easin. CON
trast to the dearibess Of the rainy night, but
in this he was mistaken The big lobby was
completely shut of from the other rooms
on the overstuffed diyans and read the
evening papers. From around the corner
came the sound Of Gathering dishes
Douglas entered the dining room rnd look ed
about eagerly He had nourished q faint
hope that the girl on the train might be
there. But one glance was enough 10 assure
him that he had hoped in vain. Thoroly dis.
gustei with himself and with the world at
large, he ordered about everything on the
the ali sol
gloomily ponderirg over the whim which had
brought him TO summer resort in the mid
de of winter.
Never again" he vowed silently. This
Is absolutely the slowest place in the world. -
His meal finished, he lighted the biggest
cigar he could buy and, seating himself be-
fore the closed window against which the
rain patiered ccnselessy, gazcd out over the
leserted boardwalk a hundred yards away
he could the flickering nights Of the
which was the only attraction
IN Ocean Beach open turnout the winter As
le looked a crowd Of what appeared 10 be
'oung and women turned a nearby cor
'er and made their way into tho building
Douglas set up with a start
I'm glad there's some one alive in this
orsaken mole, he mutiered. II think III
axe a swim myself"
A few minutes later having fought his way
gaiust biting wind and rain, he entered the
atatorium. Having secured a suit which
e made sure was not three sizes too large,
e strolled leisurely into the mems dressing
ecton. cherry voice which surprised him
lmogt out Of his senses greeted him.
well. II IL int Douglas Jones What
n the world are you doing heret"
Tom Burbank What do you know about
hati'
Douglas seized the outs,retched hand Of
is former roommate in college and knew