The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-08-01
The HOMELY MAN
BY VINCENT G. PERRY.
Copyright. 1918. by the Mcclure News
per Syndicate.)


| girl that would marry him he wouldn't
have, so there you are" Donald Mac
! beth could not help Overhearing these
words as he sat in quiet corner of
| the c!dbrOOm, unn0ticed. A feeling of
resentment rose in his heart for the
men were discussing him. lis took
more careful look at them. They were
the two he had thought Ian Vining
and LOrne Miller, two clubmen with
whom he was fairly intimate.
But why?" questioned Vining. "Hes
clever and moderately we'll off. He's
considered one of the painters of the
day."
yes; but did you ever see a home
Tier man? That scar on his face makes
him positively hideous," Miller de-
clared.
Beauty is only skin deep" argued
Vining, who wasn't handsome himself.
$50 it is, but disfigurements cannot
be overlooked. There is generally
something pleasant in a homely mans
face to detract from bad features"
Il am sure his eyes are kind and
| sympathetic. Have you ever seen a
| picture of him before he had that
SCARF"
"NO; 1 thought he was born that
way" Miller said with a show of in
| terest.
Nining led him to group picture on
the wall. 'There he is, there" he
pointed out. Cant you recognize the
eyes? He was handsome then"
yes" Miller agreed, che was.
can hardly credit that it is the same
man. But even that is no argument.
He is as homely as sin now and is the
only man know of in the club who is
doomed to bachelorhood Imagine Il
pretty woman married to man like
| that"
He might find it hard TO get a wife,
at that" Vining said after a moments
! thought. Lets leave that to him,
! though. How about the theater to-
night? Marguerite Morton is playing
her farewell before going into the
movies. She's dream! Will you
Gomez"
! Miller needed no second invitation.
| After they had gone Donald Macbeth
got up and went to the group on the
wall. 1t was long time since he had
| looked on the smiling, handsome face
that had once been his; he wished he
| had not looked at it. What was the
use? 1t only made it harder to bear
The light behind him reflected his fea-
t,,r 81, 4 l.
with a shudder. No, he had no right
to ask any woman to marry such
| hOmely man as he was. He would
| give Marguerite a chance to break her
engagement that very night-the night
she was leaving the old life behind
and was going into something new.
In few months she would be as pop
ular, universally, as she was in the
city.
He arrived at the theater just after
the curtain had gone up. From the
moment Marguerite fitted onto the
stage he was entranced. How ador-
able she was.
In another part of the house Vim
ing and Miller were watching the play
and We're almost as enthusiastic over
| it as Donald. Miller had not been a
follower of Marguerite's, but this play
appealed to him.
After the play was over he persuad-
ed Vining to accompany him behind
the scenes.
"Tm going to meet that little lady
and take her to a little supper, if 1t
costs me a million in tips" he said.
But even generous tipping couldn't
get him any farther than behind the
| scenes.
Miss Morton doesn't receive visi-
tors" the man at the door told him,
''but l will take your card to her"
Miller hoped she would connect his
name with his fathers millions. 1t had
| always proved enough Introduction to
the other actresses that he had hon
Ored with visit. What would his
| father say if he married an actress?
He would not object to one like Mar
guerite Morton. Wouldn't they make
| a handsome couple? He twisted his
muStaChe before a mirror on the wall.
! NE as HuuuSOlHe llltlt WAS no utIy-
ing it. He had reason to be cOnceited,
he felt. Vining watched him with just
trace of a smile playing about his
lips. "Some day, Mr.. Man, you'll get
shock to your vanity" he said to
himself. "and I'd like to be around
when you get it."
The man returned with the card.
"Miss Morton can't see you, sir" he
said politely.
Miss Morton considers herself too
important" Miller flashed. "She's
only an actress after ALL"
you'd better not say anything agin
Miss Morton here sir" the man eau
toned. "She's mighty popular with us
all. There's a young man in there
now who fought a lion to save her
life, and he won out too. She's going
to marry him tonight, sir. She just
| Informed me He's a fine young man
and she's a fine girl-the finest in the
| land, and l wouldn't mind fightin' "A
lion for a girl like her myself, though
I amt got much beauty to get spoilt."
Tho rnnn Uara still fo1I-inor whom