Saint Mary's beacon., 1918-05-02
HIS MANHOOD


She stood at the street crossing and
waved to the motorman to stop. Then
she boarded the car.
II was q crisp morning. ana the sun
was just peeping over the Iorzon Ike
ball Of Furnished steel. The street
car was already PACKED. and the MOTOR
man was standing with his hand %
the crank to let the vehicle 20.
II have picked her up at al hours
Of the night" be remarked to pas.
sengef beside him on the platform. He
was Paul Lhcroix. the motornan.
young. handsome.
The electric car was on 4 trip to-
ward the business center Of d iargs
city. and was unconfortably flIled, as
usual at that hour. with stenographern.
clerks and few miscellaneous pas
Eengera.
Going down an avenue that paral-
ieled the street upon which the car
was running was another young man.
handsome and seif-cpinionated. He
was camoufseed employee, FOR he
spent certain hours IN the Office af bis
father. who was q rich business man.
He had been looking ''over the top and
facing high balls" the night before.
and being late to work. was racing his
little submarine--in eoGnrnon parlance
called an automobile reach his Of
Gee on time.
On went the electric ear, Reid In
leash By the motorman, who remem-
bered the preeence OF his lovely pas
senger. There was no more room for
passengers and none disembarked, 80
the car moved on without further In
terruption.
Tha manipulator Of the mundane
submarine turned on more sjulc6''
aud npecded up 10 make up for the
time be had wasted the night before.
His mind WINS partially upOn the high
balls that had sparkied In the electric
Lights. and his nerves were somewhat
unsteady.
The street down which the car hurs
ried and the avenue down which the
automobile was racing were rapidly
converting Down soma distance was
circle upon which stood an eques-
trian statue. and there the street and
avenue became one.
when within block OF this circle
the car. In answer to a ring. came to
stop. Pushing her way through the
crowded aisle. Miss Blanche Carter.
the passenger who had merited the
consideration oe the motormans dlserns
barked. Holding tightly 20 her hands
satchel she made her way toward 4
massive brick structure q block away
LacrOix did not zee who had ieff
the car for tho crowd was too dense.
When the signal 20 20 was given no
put on fun powor. Now obvious to ell
eine than reaching his destination on
schedule time. he was soon going full
speed
IN this age. when al realize that tho
building In which they work may bd
blown up By dynamite. the house ID
which they sleep RACED BY bomb from
a flying machine, the vessel IN which
they ride destroyed by a submarine.
and that they may be riddled as they
walk along the street By a trench
gun masked ten miles away, or ridden
down and crushed to pieces by joys
riders and hnir-brained chnufgsurs IN
automobiles--even now ones nerves
are not equal 70 looking on unmoved
at an electric car. controlled by love.
mad motorman, and an automobile
handled By a Wildcats youngstcf
dashing wildly and rapidly toward
each other. And IL 10 not to be won.
dered AZ that as the street and avenue
came together, and car aud srit0. nm
awares. were making for the SANG
point at the same identical moment.
the occupants Of the car. penned a.
they were. SHOULD be excited.
Seeing no chance Of avoiding the
collision. the young man jumped from
bis auto. Occupants Of the cur rushed
nladiy toward the rear. Lacrolx turned
on the current and put on the brake.
He might have let 90 and run back
ward TO safety, but the manhood IN
him asserted itself. he might have
been selfish IN that he thought Of the
girl who impressed him so much. But
he remained steadfaatly at his post.
Reaching the large brick structure.
which was an indrmRry. Miss Carter
entered. She had scarcely finished
donning her professional suit when sho
was called upon TO assist ID dressing
badly wounded young man. III was
Paul Lacroix. He had been the only
one who had been injured BY the COLI
llslon, and bis injuries were serious.
Paula life hung on thread for some
time, and then a slow recovery fol-
lowed. But as time sped onward he
learned 70 be dependent upon his nurse
and to regard her IN another light than
that IN which be thought OF her the
day he was injured. At length he be-
gan to regret the coming OF that day
upon which he must leave the hospital.
One day the nurse brought to his
bed q BIT OF roast turkey and pot Of
nowers--her gift. lie looked up at her
with tears In his eyes. and said:
a indeed have much to be thankful
for, but want one more GIFT. Can
have ~" And he reached ont his
hand ana drew her unreslstinglg to-
ward him.