The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1917-01-29
PARADISE FLATS
BY OLIVE GRAY.


puddle Of water, the soup landed Ia
her lap, and over ali spread her UNI
brela like n hugh snuifer, pouring riv-
ulets OF water down her neck.
The man with whom she had colllded
at the windswept corner apologized.
Disposing OF his own umbrella he
seized hers. lifted It away from the
wreck aud assisted Peggy TO her feet.
"Are you hurtf" he asked.
mo" she answered, shaking the
soup out OF her skirt. But poor Mrs.
Mally VIII have to do without her sup
per. I'm afraid"
That's too bad. I'm terribly sorry.
It was all my fault Is there anything
can do to make 1t up7"
Peggy hestated, which gave the man
a chance to see just what kind Of per-
son il was he had encountered so forci-
bly,. In the half light. with the street
lamp giving an uncertain, CHASTITY glim-
mer, Peggy looked so ethereal that
the young man had feeling that she
was going TO disappear into the mist
and float away. But with all her pale
ness she was almost too beautiful to be
real.
"Yes," she answered, all unconscious
Of what was going on In the others
mind. there is something. Mrs. Mally
is very sick and she can't have any
thing but broth. There is a restaurant
about half a block away. I've just
come from there, but I've got to hurry
on to Mrs. Mally's right away. The
baby might fall downstairs and Patsy
| is probably making a meal off the
matches while I'm here talking. so if
you don't mind, you might bring the
soup and I'll run along to look after
the family"
"Sure, III get the soup. Is there
anything else"
Nothing, thank you. It's the Para
disc tenement across the street there
fifth floor.
paradise tenement" He looked at
the high, gloomy building with broken
windows and rickety steps. 1T doesn't
look It'll"
A few minutes later he knocked at a
door at the head of the fourth flight
Of stairs, stairs that creaked and
swayed with his weight.
Peggy opened the door. 1T didn't
take you long" she greeted him.
Wont you come inY
Pm dripping wet" he protested,
waiting to be coaxed.
"Oh, that doesn't matter The roof
leaks in forty places anyway. Come
in"
"Say, this is the darndest place
was ever in. 1t isn't safe for you to be
here is it--with all the daInpness and
eyerything?'
"Just as safe for me as for these kid
dies and that poor sick soul in therew
noddng toward the next room. And
| I'm only here evenings while they're
here all the time. live on the other
side of town. Mrs. Mally does my
washing--that's how ! discovered
her"
"Who the-who owns this place? Ii
ought to be reported to the department
of public safety"
"The Everett Real Estate company"
"Are you sureY
"Yes. At least that's where / paid
last months rent"
He looked around. Plaster and pa
per were falling from the walls, papers
and old rags were stuffed into broken
windows, and, as Peggy said, 1t rained
almost as hard inside as out.
The baby crept over and pulled itself
up to his knee. He lifted it to his lap
ana opened a sticky little hand. Dig
ging down into his pocket he produced
4 bill. Here, little chap. This might
help generally. Give it to the lady"
you mustn't do thatw cried Peggy,
when she had extricated the donation
and noted the amount.
"Oh, yes. mustl It's to get nurse
to relieve you and some proper food
and all the rest of that Samaritan
stun. And I'm going to see about fix
ing up this death trap. / stand in with
the Everett Real Estate company, you
see. Now ! must be going. Good
night |" he said, rising.
"Good-nightr' said Peggy, holding
out her hand "And thank you, oh, so
very, very much"
And he turned toward the stairs.
feeling that he had left something very
valuable behind.
The next day Peggy looked up from
her desk. one of the stenographers
was talking.
did you know the boss was back?"
"Who"
"Oh, / forgot you didn't know him.
Why, MIR. Everett. He's been to Japan. |
Came home yesterday. There he is
now"
The door OF an adjoining office
opened and a man came out Peggy |
started. 1t was her Samaritan. Then
she understood. Paradise flats be-
longed to him.
Il would like to see you a moment,
please" he said, recovering instantly
from his surprise.
Peggy went in.
ssI'vp ordered that buiiding TO ba mt l