The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-12-03
Beecher Street
N<1
BY r. RAY BAKER
Copyright 1915 by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate.)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate)
If Ethel Drayton had done some real
reasoning instead of leaping at con.
illusions and acting on impulse, 1t ia
likely that her bark Of romance, with
Clif El3ridge In command, would have
sailed serenely down the river Of agree
ableness into the sea Of matrimony
without encOuntering q storm. On the
other hand, that kind Of journey would
not have been real romance-it would
nave lacked zest-so perhaps 1t is just
as well that Herman Hartell came over
to Ethel's desk that dreary, rainy after.
noon in April and unfolded the secret.
u have something to say that is
very disagreeable to me-" began Har-
tell as he brushed a hand caressingly
over his miniature moustache and
looked down at Ethel's curly brown
hair coiled on the back of her head In
business-like knob that served as a
pencil holder. Nevertheless" he went
on, Il feel in duty bound to say it."
Ethel jerked sheet of paper from
her typewriter and turned her black
eyes up at the head shipping clerk.
The tiny, bristling ridge Of hair on
Hartelrs upper lip forced a smile to
her face, but this was dispelled when
Hartell explained:
ITS about Clifford. You see, last
night"
While this conversation was taking
place, the subject Of the remarks sat
on high stool at the other side Of
the Lewis Wholesale Paper company's
shipping office and poured over file
Of orders. Out Of a corner Of his eye
he saw the head shipping clerk ap-
proach the stenographer's desk, and
he frowned.
Hartell leaned over Ethels chair az
he revealed the secret, and Cliff ruffied
his faxen hair with one hand and
thrummed on his desk with the other.
Half an hour later Cliff slipped from
his stool and into his light overcoat.
Carrying his hat, he approached Ethel,
who was still busy at the typewriter.
he passed and smiled pleasantly, but
she continued rafting the keys.
"You needn't trouble yourself to
wait for me-" she Informed him In Icy
tones without pausing In her work OF
looking up. "Tll be little late, and
Mr.. Hartell has promised to see me
home"
Cliffs smile vanished. Before he had
chance to reply, she had slipped q
ring from a finger Of her left hand and
extended 1t toward him. She looked
into his eyes with stare encrusted
with Ice.
II can't wear this any longer" she
said, latter the way you have acted
lately. I have heard that all men must
SOW wild oats, but I assure you that
my man won't. If you must gamble
and carouse, you can't expect to be-
come my husband. I have learned all
about your going to a saloon or gam.
bling den on Beecher street almost ev.
cry night, and that's enough for me-
Goodnight"
Clift stumbled down the steps to the
street and walked three blocks, heed.
less Of the pouring rain. before he
came to himself and found the ring
clasped in his hand. Then he stopped
dead still In the middle Of a street
crossing, undecided whether to leap In
the river or 60 back and throw Her
man Hartell from the roof Of the sir
story Lewis building. He decided b
do neither; instead, he headed for
Beecher street.
Ethel completed her work and was
escorted to her rooming place by Har'
tell. At the door she took his hand
and said earnestly:
"You don't know how appreciate
the revelation you have made to me
! know II must have been hard fol
you to come and tell me about seeing
Clifford 90 into that terrible place sc
many times; and am grateful"
"Don't mention 1t, please" protested
Hartell, striving unsuccessfully toreacf
his mustache with his tongue. u
couldn't bear to see you throw your
self away on worthless fellow.
save a good many blocks by cutting
through Beecher street on the way
home and that's how / happened te
notice him there"
The next day Ethel failed to appear
at the office, telephoning that she wat
suffering from q headache. The sue
ceeding day was Sunday. The rain
had ceased but the weather had turned
chilly and the sun hid behind clouds
Ethel listened in vain for the door
bell or the telephone, hoping Cliff
would appear as he had done each Sun
day for more than year. True, she
had told him 1t was all over; never
theless, she had expected him to come
and make some kind of protest and
attempt an explanation. The morning
passed very gloomily for her.
Early In the afternoon the landlady
summoned her to the telephone and
Ethel tripped over chair in her haste
to answer the call.
"This is Mr.. Hartell," said the voice
on the wire. Gould call on you this
afternoOnT
ILL., sa...u, shn rnnlIad Ih1It I'm