The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-12-27
Copyright. 1918. by the Mcclure News
paper Sy~ndicate.)
NO. 10.
The Devil Wears Skirts.

The Devil Wears Skirts.
Accordingly, there came lapses when
Freddie's brain had nothing special to
do. And-if the old warning which con-
Germs the devil and idle hands be
double it again for idle brains. The
trouble was that Freddie had found
himself well able to solve the prob
lens of his end of Mason & Co.'S whole
sale grocery business during the hours
from . to 6 o'clock each day. Even
what work there was then had become
a little too easy for him. And Freddie
was far too good a sportsman to be
enthralled by that which did not re-
quire his full effort. So he began in
stinctively to cast about for other fields
TO conquer. Though at first to OCCUPY
ularly. Then his letters, unknown to
himself, had slowed down from epics of
youth and joy, because of his grapple
with new adventures, to the duller tale
Of days that were passing, each very
like the other. At last it became an
effort to write at all. There seemed
nothing new to tell. 1t was then that
Freddie took to pow-wowing with other
statesmen after dinner. But sven this
soon failed as an amusement. Appar-
VllllN llt SldEt was Stl u LI6 I'll
trance of the devil" However, as it
happened that gentleman first pre-
scented himself in unalluring guise.
For:
Help said a salesman to Freddie
one evening as they sat together on
this the deadliest little burg you ever
hit? Believe me, ever the movies in
this town are over by 9 GIN! Hey
Mason, start somethin'. Whatll we
do?"
Search me-" said Freddie laconically
from his place in the dark. His chair
was tipped back in a weary way against
the wall Of the hotel. His voice sounded
dull; unlike that Of the Freddie Mason
of a few short months before. There
three Of them marooned together. This
third made a long drawn out sound Of
yawning.
Gosh" he said. Lets go for a
walk! II I don't stretch my legs before
l go to bed, I'll fidget all night"
The three got up and sauntered down
the few piazza steps to Main street"
Some burg" said the first salesman
again disghstedly. The other two said
nothing.
fountain was. still open, mild as was the
excitement it might offer them. A few
blocks ahead they could see two shafts
of light, one red. the other blue, that
came from behind the poisonous looking
colored bottles in the drug store win
dow. 1t was not quite 10 O'Clock. The
moving picture house across the street
was out, and the young men of the
town were treating their best girls
to ''sundaes" after 1.-The show" They
were going in and out Of the drug store
in couples, and finally parties-laugh-
ing and chattering. The girls wore dim
tiles and lawns and gay colored rib
bons; the men wore wash neckties and
high collars in which they looked I'M
comfortable.
marked the first salesman with a sheer
to Freddie and the third man. Want
to go in and have a banana split?"
Many thanks" said the third man
but I'd pass in my chips if l slowed
another one Of those things!' He gave
a comic Shudder.
They wandered on md past the store
They had left the lighter part of town
and were now where the trees were
bigger and closer together. The leaves
whispered sleepily above their heads
Presently they. were aware OF ligh'
a sort of stage giggle; the horrid sount
with which the femaie of the human
species sometimes seeks the attention
Of the male. The three men drew
aside to allow the persons behind tC
pass them. The ghostly outlines of tive
Wnlte-Clau Kits CdIIle Out VI ll0 night
As they drew nearer and then abreas'
of the men the girls both gigglec
again, Then the gin on the inside
pushed the other.
go on!' she screamed, shrilly. Gin,
me some room. You don't want me t.
bump into these here gentlemen, d.
you?"
There in the dusk the men could Sc,
the two brazen young faces turned to
ward them. grinning, bold and chal
longing,
And so of course
Hello, girlies!' said the first sales
man, not too enthusiastically, His ton,
was ~perfunctory. Didn't he know of on
especially dainty little person back il
the city, who would be going to tn,
theater with him the very first nigh
he got off "the road?' But the girlies'
were not connoisseurs in nice gradua
lions of tone. Their ace slowed a
once. And from the shadows beyon,
came a little volley Of the silly giggles
the two voices mingled.
The glance of the men sought eacl
other. Though they scarcely could Sc
and did not speak. they each kney
what passed in the others mind. Thi