The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1918-01-15
HIS MANHOOD
mt, 1915 by the Mcclure New
per Syndicate.)
BY OLIVE GROVES.

| ~ was a crisp lnolulllB, ana IHe sun
was just peeplng over the HORIZON like
ball Of FURNISHED steel. The street
car was already packed, and the motor.
man was standing with his hand on
the crank to let the vehicle go.
q have picked her up at all hours
of the night" he remarked to pas.
senger beside him on the platform. He
was Paul Lacroix, the motorman,
young, handsome.
The electric car was on a trip to-
ward the business center of large
city, and was uncomfortably filed, as
usual at that hour, with stenographers,
clerks and few miscellaneous pas
scngers.
Going down an avenue that paral-
leled the street upon which the car
was running was another young man,
handsome and -Opinionated. He
was a camouflaged employee, for he
spent certain hours in the office of his
father, who was a rich business man.
He had been looking ''over the top and
facing high balls" the night before,
aud being late TO work, was racing his
little submarlne-in common parlnnce
called an automobile-to reach his Of |
flee on time
On went the electric car, held in |
leash by the motOrman, who rcmem-
Gred the presence of his lovely pas
senger. There was no more room for !
passengers and none disembarked so
the car moved on without further in
terruption.
The manipulation Of the mundane
submarine" turned on more "juice" Il
and speeded up to make up for the 4
time he had wasted the night before I,
His mind was partially upon the high
balls that had sparkled in the electric
lights, and his nerves were somewhat
unsteady.
The street down which the car hur-
ried and the avenue down which the
was racing were rapidly
c0nverging. Down some distance was
Il 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
aisle, Miss Blanche Carter,
the passenger who had merited the
Of the motorman, disem-
parked. Holding tightly to her hand :
Satchel she made her way toward :
massive brick structure block away. :
Lacroix did not see who had left :
he car, for the crowd was too dense. :
When the signal to go was given he :
nut on full power. Now obvious to all
Use than reaching his destination on
chedule time, he was soon going full :
peed.
In this age. when all realize that the :
building in which they work may he
lown up by dynamite, the house In
Which they sleep razed by bomb from :
flying machine. the vessel In which .
hey ride destroyed by a submarine, :
nd that they may be riddled as they :
'alk along the. street by a trench :
un masked ten miles away. or ridden :
own and crushed TO pieces by JOY :
lders and hair-brained chauffeurs in =
now ones nerves :
re not equal to looking on unmoved .
t an electric car, controlled by a love- :
lad motorman, and an automobile =
andled by Wildcats yOungster =
ashing wildly and rapidly toward =
lch other. And 1t is not to be won 2
cred at that as the street and avenue -
ime together, and car and auto, un- -
wares, We're making for the same -
pint ut the same identical moment, -
he occupants OF the car. penned as =
ley were, should be excited.
Seeing M chance of avoiding the 3
'llislon the young man jumped from 3
s auto. Occupants of the car rushed -
ably toward the rear. Lacrolx turned s
the current and put on the brake. 9
Q might have let go and run back 8
ard to safety. but the manhood in 8
m asserted itself. He might have 3
EN- selfish in that he thought of the !
RI who impressed him so much. But g
remained steadfastly at his post z
the large brick structure, 8
lich was an infirmary, Miss Carter =,
tered. She had scarcely finished III
nning her professional suit when she =
is called upon to assist in dressing
badly wounded young man. 1t was
ul Lacroix. He had been the only
e who had been injured by the col st;
lon and his injuries were serious. CIR
Paul's life hung on thread for some
le and then slow recovery fol- g
we'd. But as time sped onward he
rned to be dependent upon his nurse
to regard her in another light than
It in which he thought of her the H.
Y he was injured. At length he be-
a to regret the coming of that day
On which he must leave the hospital.
)ne day the nurse brought to his -.
! bit of roast turkey and a pot Of ~
vers-her gift. He looked up at her an'
h tears In his eyes. and said: thf
/ indeed have much to be thankful Co
but want one more gift. Can / the
70 it9' And he reached out his 1al
ID and drew her unresistingly to- sai
I'd him. =