Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-19
DAILY NOVELETTE,
THOMPSONS HEART
BY Grace Weatherby

4 NEOhGE IiOMPSON, lamlllarly
~ known to his shipmates as Jake"
idly turned over in his hands the letter
he mail orderly had just given him.
10 scarcely glanced at it, 1t probably
vas from Sister 10, anyway, as she
was the only one who wrote to him
lately. Jake was bomesick and heart
ly tired of the navy, and the endless
raveling from one place to another.
Just at present his ship was in dry
ock for repairs, and Jake hal twenty
our hour liberty" hanging heavily
'pon his hands. There was no place to
II and nothing to do. Suddenly he re-
nembered his letter. Without glancing
at the address, he tore it open, but re-
)ented of his act the next moment, for
ie realized that the letter was not
meant for him. AS he looked at the ad-
lress on the envelope his suspicious
we're confirmed. The letter belonged
Jacob Thompson" and not George
Thompson" 1t was easy to see how
the mail orderly might get the two con :
fused as the latter was known as
Jake" Shamelessly Jake read the
short note written in a girlish hand.
dearest Jake, 1 am so glad you are
home. Please do come up and see me
very soon, won't you, for I am anxious
to know what my sailor looks like.
With love, Mildred" In spite of him
self Jake laughed. Jacob Thompson
was surely not much to look at! He
was short, insignificant looking man,
with wisps Of colorless hair. Amused
and little puzzled, Jake went in
search of him. He found him busily
writing, and the young fellow noticed
what perfect penman he was. Say,
Thompson" he began. II got letter
of yours here. The mail orderly gave
it to me by mistake, and I opened It.
I'm very sorry.' Thompson did not
look I'D but merely took the letter.
Jake, a trif1e uncomfortable, walked
away.
A half hour later Thompson himsel
approached Jake. He was gruff al
usual but plainly disturbed. Without
preliminary he said, "You know tha
letter you so thoughtfully opened fo
meY' Jake nodded, curious. "Well, tn
| girl who wrote it is friend of mine
She made this sweater and I found he
name in it and wrote to her. l am {
pretty decent writer and she thinks
am a good looking young chap who il
in love with her.
THAT doesn't happen to be the case
for I'm no lady's man, so, my lad, 70,
| take my place. Jake's eyes were wid'
with astonishment. Thompson grinned
a distorted, one sided grin, and resume'
| : A-l l., l.
as far as looks co. glancing at tn
tall. well-built figure before him. &c,
to her home, play the role of fon,
lover, aud she will never know the diff
ference"
but why" asked Jake. don't 70,
60 yourself? She must know sooner o
later"
Thompson twisted his ungainly figur
uncomfortably.
"Why-er-she won't be disappoint
ed if you go, while one sight of m
would knock her air castles to nothing
You'll go?"
After thinking it over, Jake decide,
to agree, on condition that he NIGH
tell her who he was.
Accordingly, at 3 O'Clock Jake pre-
sented himself at the home of Miss Mil
dred Campbell. When he left at i
O'Clock that evening he had promise
to come again. Thompson was waitin
for him when he got back to the shi
and in his customary grrf way demand
ed to know what had taken place. Jak
was only too willing to tell some one o
the wonderful Miss Campbell. Tha
young lady ready for the night was en-
gagged in earnest conversation with he
pet cat, Funny Face and she con
fided to that feline that Jake Thomp
son was absolutely the incest man sh
ever met
The days few by and the heart q
Jake was in grave danger. AS yet b
each day made it harder to do. Thomp
son paid no attention to him whateve
except to listen silently to Jake's ac
counts of his visits to Mildred. A
length one day Jake summoned coural
and told her.
! She did not speak until he had fin
! ished, and then she only said: "Yo
5 must bring the real Jake to see me.
Accordingly Thompson accompariie
) Jake on his next call. Mildred greete
them graciously and poor Jake ws
quite astonished when she said I
Thompson, "You see, you were reall
more than kind to us, for if it weren
for you, Jake and I would never hay
:, met, and that would be terrible, ft
r we love each other, you know" Whe
I they were alone for moment, Jal
= asked her, "Why did you say tina
Mildred?" The girls eyes sparkle
! with happiness. "Well, it's so, ism
it?" she whispered. Eyes, of courl
it is, but how did you know" From tt
depths of dark blue shoulder came IL
mufled words, "As for me, l kne
: when I saw you on the couch tn,
day"
d The Thompson Campbell wedding W,
" a gay affair, and more than one persc
wondered why, out of that throng
/ good looking men, the bridegroo
should choose the short, insignificaI
looking fellow for his best man. Pc
haps, too, they would wonder more
they could see that same little ms
| slowly tear into scraps a small pacl
age of letters written in n girlish han
"Well, anyhow, Thompson murmur
to himself, as the last scrap flutter
down into the water, "they are happ
guess!'
The next nOyelette-BetWeen SIMS