American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-05-30
The Game Of Living
BY S. B.
Copyright, 1919. by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate)

urely walk down biuhiaW street Hih
seated himself on one OF the Imposing
stone steps OF the church OF the cor
per.
'I'ye got to rest a minute" he said
half aloud. tanning himself slowly
with his straw hat. ut doesn't take
much exertion to use n fellow up when
he's only three days out of the hos
pital-but It's glorious 20 be out
again John says It's pretty quiet on
my bent-me for duty In a couple or
so days now T.
A pretty young girl came out OF the
church and paused q half m nn-
certainly on the upper step. The
young man, In his swift, involuntary
glance, felt his heart leap, He rose
hastily and stepped aside, She start
ed down the steps, but her eyes were
misty from crying; she stumbled, miss
ing a step. Bickley caught her full In
his arms ms she fell.
'Thank you-oh, thank y0u" she
faltered as she stood erect. II was
very nwkwardl"
She passed on down the street. but
he had seen despair In the eyes 3he
i. raised to him. lie looked after her
with n strange construction of The
henri.
'Thnt was my girl !" he said TO him
self az he walked slowly back the olh-
err way, "and don't even know her
name or where she Is going And oh,
good Lord, she looked Ike she wanted
to der
A month before, the old Insurance
man for whom Hester Moran worked
hnd dled-the city was o~vercrowded
with Workers-the girl had not found
another job. On this Sunday she had
shrunk from going to the little church
she regularly attended, and SO had
gone to Il big strange one but In this
great church II seemed to the little
~stenogrnpher every one was rich IN
lands and money; - there were but two
pennies left In her pursc, and, after
Tuesday night, her rent would be up.
No money, no work, ntul nowhere TO
got
with despnlring bitterness In her
soul, Hester had risen and slipped out
'of the church..
'Tll try again tomorrow and Tues
day." she snid to herself-"perhnps
Wcdnesday-then-"
Monday and Tuesday were one CON
tlnuous tramp. She had asked for
work Mt everything she could do, only
20 he turned down everywhere, In the
dusk Of Wednesday she stood IN the
lobby of n great office building, re
solved to make one Inst try. "Stenog.
rnpher wanted" the slip of piper she
held In her hand read, Broom 600"
The stylish, elderly man lnto whose
Office she was admitted gave one look
ut the newcomer, and turned to the SlN
girls whiting to thik with him about
the job.
mo use waiting" he flung Mt them
~ can see none OF you viii dor
with n gallant air he set u chnir foi
Hester IN his inner office and drew his
own big chnlr close up beside It.
"You'n suit me TO n n duklc," he
remarked. "I've been looking f0l
.'somcthing slick like you, and ! cnt
see with one eye you're Il live wire
Slckened, Hester edged her chat
away.
"How much does the place payT
she nsked.
'N"Flye dollars at first !"
"But In girl can't live on TINT ~
'Who expects you to, sweetness2
locker like you doesn't have to live OF
So. Why, you might get as much n
twenty n week II we hit Il OF together
u,a.-.t. hot ..H fuat ptnV,nupu UlNn
got"
lie reached over and squeezed he
hand, Hester rose, her cheeks adam
with helpless wrath,
"Thnt's the last Insult I'll ever ~
celve," she assured herself when sh
was In the street again, 1.-THE yer
last.r
The smell OF the hakeshop's fires
rolls slckened her hungry stomach
empty since her breakfast OF crackers
AT the foot OF the stairs that led I
her room she paused tempted TO hol
row n slice of bread from her Ian,
lady. but she clinched her hands an
climbed the steps.
u won't be hungry very long" 81
thought.
II was close on midnight when 81
crept out to the park, where the stron
tide bent against the sea wall. III
night was warm and sultry, but Il
girl shlvered as she crouched ON
park bench.
awe got nobody" she defended h.
self TO conscience: "nohody TO care
but as she spoke, there ioated h
fore her excited brain the face of Il
young man who had saved her FRO
failing nj the church steps,
lied never hurt a woman" 81
thought che looked good. | cou
have loved himl | wish | had know
him and he had wanted meP'
A clock not far from the park stru,
twelve. The young fellow In a pole
mans uniform. standing on the =
wall, heard n light step behind hi
Then a small white figure slipped pa
him like a bird and flung itself In