The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-01-10
THE ELEVATOR S TUCK

house Of mutual friends, and 50 me
introduction was eminently proper.
Mr.. Clark was twenty-three years
old and held an official position In the
electric light company Of the town.
Miss May was two years younger. n
was a daughter Of a well-to-do con-
tractor. The two young people ap-
peared to take a liking to each other
at frst sight. and, when the evening
was over, Mr.. Clark was made happy
BY receiving permission to call at her
! fathers house. He availed himself OF
the privilege and In the course Of the
next three months he had become a
steady caller. There was no engage
ment yet. but the father and mother
liked him and showed their liking, and
/ he considered the battle as won.
How little we know what the future
has in store for US! One morning Mr..
Clark woke up. whistling a tune and
feeling happy, but as he glanced at the
morning paper, before going down to
his office. he felt his hair trying to
climb on end. There was a sensational
%half-column about Frank e. Clark, the
! gla of which read:
"A young man named Frank e. Clark
got drunk and terrorized part Of the
Fourth ward last night, and was not
arrested until the police had made free
use Of their clubs. He first appeared
; at the corner of Welcome and Duane
streets. and there he smashed in q pane
of glass and began whooping and yell
ing like a Sioux Indian. He smashed
into other windows, caused a horse to
run away, and was carrying under his
arm an automaton, which he had
I picked up in front of a dressmaker's
show, when the police descended upon
him"
About the time Mr.. Clark was read
ing this and gasping for breath. Mr..
Orr, the contractor, was also reading
it and feeling various feelings. When
he had finished his reading, he called
to his daughter May and put the paper
into her hands. When she had also
read the article, he sneeringly ex.
claimed:
"Nice sort Of a young nan to come
into II family! l want no nor Of
him around this house," ....
mo n wants any more Of him
around" was the indignant reply. HE
may call and try to explain, but no ex-
plantations will be accepted. am glad
! found him out before it was too late"
Young Mr.. Clark was sure that the
newspaper would fall into the hands of
the girl he loved. and it was a long day
for him. He meant to call that eve
ming and see what damage had been
done and make full explanations. He
was at the contractors house haK an
hour before the usual time, and his
ring at the door was answered by
Miss Mays father himself. The old
man was looking very grim, and was
all prepared to say:
"What the devil brings you here,
young mnn? 1 should think you would
be ashamed to show your face among
decent people! Get right off these
steps before I apply the boot to you'll"
Mr.. Clark not only got off the steps,
but off the entire premises. He could
have explained the matter, then and
there, but he rather lost his presence
Of mind with the shadow of the con-
tractors number ten shoe hanging over
him. He went away to write a letter
to Miss May, which he sen by a mes
senger boy; but it was returned un-
opened. He lost considerable time seek
ing to meet the girl in the street, but
they did not meet. Two weeks passed
weeks of almost mortal agony to the
young Then Providence gave him
his chance. He had business on one
Of the floors Of n skyscraper. Miss
May Orr had business on one Of the
floors OF that same building. He fol.
lowed her into an elevator, waiting to
ascend, and neither recognized the 9TH
er until the cage had traversed a dis.
lance Of three floors and a half. There
1t suddenly stopped. The boy who was
running 1t called out: "Gosh hang 1t
all we are stuck"
There was no disputing the fact. He
pulled on the rope and the cage did not
move. He sighed and looked helpless,
but that did not mend matters. It
was then that Miss May and Mr.. Clark
recognized each other. They both gave
a sudden start and the girl turned her
back on the young man. He was a
young man to seize golden opportuni-
ties. This was one, and he seized it.
"Miss Orr, you are doing me a great
injustice" he began, and 1t did not en-
courage him when she replied:
II will not hear a single word from,
you"
MY name" he continued, lis Frank
E. Clark. There happens to be no less
than five Frank e. Clarks In the city
directory. l have had the thing looked
up and 1t was Frank Il. Clark, the
blacksmith, who raised that disgrace.
full row. The paper that published the
affair Is to make an apology tomorrow.
l was never drunk In my life. l never
smashed a window. l never carried an
.%automaton around under my arm. I
could have explained all this In five min.
utes, but you would not let me. Justify
myself"
Miss May turned her face to him,
but for a minute did not speak. His
tones were sincere and convincing, but
she did not want to- give In TOO easily.
Therefore, she said:
"Very well, Mr.. Clark, you can call
this evening and bring a city directory
with you"
And the elevator boy gave the rope
a pull and the elevator returned to its
dirty.