The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-08-18
POINT OF VIEW
BY EARL REED SILVERs.

ally Jim had seen Mary make her leis
urely way down the high front pore
and depart with tossing head for "Th
Avenue Mary appeared 10 him L
be rather stuck up; she had a way 0
carrying her head as II she were afrait
II might fall off her rather Thin neci
II she inclined IL the least bit forward
and once or twice Jim had found thos,
rather large blue eyes Of hers lookin,
straight through him. as II he haC
been nothing more than piece Oi
wood leaning against the fence post
Looking at Mary from the viewpoint
! OF a stranger. Jim decided that she
was just the kind of d girl he didn't
want TO know.
Jim was twenty-fOur years old. and
he made S24 a week, and more than
one blooming maiden had looked al
him with rather covetOus eyes But
Jim considered himself girl-proof.
Yet on the evening of the annual
outing Of the Republican club Jim was
destined TO meet his fate. The day
had passed along rather uneventfully:
he had managed 70 secure a good seat
on the trip 10 the island, and hav-
Ing once reached the boat landing he
had FASTENED TO the beach and had
spent the entire day in bathing suit.
But when the big excursion boat start
ed on its return trip jim began 10 feel
the STRINGS Of vain misgivings.
big silver moon hung over the
water, faint breeze rippled through
the waving hair of three girls sitting
near him. and from the shadows came
the sound Of soft voices. For a time
Jim sat in the bow Of the boat with
his bachelor friends and tried 10 per
suade himself that his pipe was all
that he needed 10 make the evening a
perfect one. But his honest heart told
him that he was deceiving himself.
that what he wanted was a girl with
laughing eyes and jest or two on her
lips. He arose restlessly and started
to walk toward the stern. In every
conceivable nook he could glimpse
dark figures. sitting surprisingly close
and making surprisingly little noise.
They awoke in Jim vague memories Of |
other nights when he, too, had sat In
the shadows.
But suddenly, from little nook at |
the end of one OF the small passage
ways, came the sound Of a sob. Jim
stood still and listened. II came again.
girls sob. expressing misery such as
only youth can know. Jim turned and
made his way into the shadows. find
ng In the very farthest corner Of the
niche the huddled figure Of a girl.
There was something vaguely famil-
ar about her, and Jim hesitated a
moment before addressing her. But
mother stified sob caused him TO touch
Ter lightly on the shoulder. as there
] can do? he asked.
The girl raised her head and turned
tear-stained face toward him. And |
hen Jim received shock. 1t was
larry Foster. Gone was the proud
oss Of her head. gone the supercIli- !
us stare Of her big blue eyes. She {
boxed very much like helpless child, 4
nd Jim's heart went out TO her. d
I'm Jim Higgins" he announced. il
Amt there something / can do?" I
Mary's eyes opened just a little Il
'idr. c
Are you the boy across the street,- 2
he asked. %
Jfm's heart leaped Just bit at her
ords. He had had no idea that she il
new him from Adam. s.
YES" he said, 81 live across the t,
rect. Now tell me what's the mat 81
RI" n
The girl half turned on the straight 81
lcked chair and wiped her eyes. v,
Nothing very much" she answered. al
came to the outing with Jerry Ly- z,
is and he wanted me to come here p,
I'd talk with him, and wouldn't. and b,
he went away" CT
"And you want me to get him
ain?" o.
A hint of the Mary Foster of old in
IS manifested in the girls sudden yi
ange of manner. N
mo. / wouldn't have him back for Sc
hundred dollars" she exclaimed. 81 ri,
yer want to see han again." sr
Then how are you going to get in
me?" or
Mary looked at Jim helplessly. 70
Il don't know" II,
Jim exercised his prerogative as one n
the stronger sex. Z,
I know how you're going to get TO
me-" he announced. I'm going to av
re you" p,
dary's hand grasped his arm i'm m,
sively "Oh, do you mind?" 10,
L should say / didn't mind" JIm's nh
ole body thrilled at that trusting IN,
sp of Mary's hand. "Supposing we nj,
e walk.
The girl hesitated.
My eyes are wet and / wouldn't -
Mt people to see me-" she answered 'A'
ould you mind Just sitting hereY" ""
I'm assured her earnestly that he W,
nldn't mind at all, and so the girl SUI
we'd over slightly and they both sat UP
the chair that was made only for BY
/. One silver moonbeam rested fair. eAi
IN Mary's brown hair. Jim's fingers PIC
ched it lingeringly. There was 'en
lething about Mary which was ah'
erent from any girl he had ever PIC
wn. sar
lie liked the blue of her eyes and AM