The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1919-12-18

out" she explained, because ! really
cared. ] didn't want any press agent
foolishness about him. Besides, | was
going to quit the business, anyway. !
did, all right. all right" She laughed
sourly and went On. He was Just
out OF college, and | was a lot younger
than / am now and diferent-I was
sort OF different from anybody around
| the Casino, l guess" Her voice
caught, but she tossed her head and
continued: And that made him like
me. And l liked him and we were
married and went away. But as soon
as he came to know me better he
found (what I'd known all along) |
wasn't up to his family standard. He
knew he would have to tell them about
our being married, and that when the
time came and they looked me over
! wouldn't exactly stack up with his
people-manners, you know, and when
to do things and how to do them and
the sort of people liked. And he
tried to tell me. And | got mad-and
we came back on different boats. And
II I'd told him how much | wanted to
learn to be the way he wanted me
II he'd told me that he wanted me to
try-why then-why then 1t would
have been just one Of those funny
little married tiffs. But | was mad.
| said | didn't care. Not even when
they came and took my baby. l didn't
care. I've never cared.
swell, that vas just q starter.
And after the very first, |
didn't are any more. Something
broke and all the care dropped away
from me. You've got your troubles
of where to eat and sleep and drink"
she said to Cowles. And you've got
a heart that's pretty near to break
ing-and maybe will" she said to
Roberts. But as for me, I've had all
those troubles for years and haven't
cared. Because | haven't any heart"
Her eyes began to shine and her
eyelashes became wet suddenly. AT
least ! thought didn't, until today.
" live about twenty blocks uptown.
You know what these New York fats
are. And In the fiat under me there's
some respectable married people. with
a baby. A little girl about five. And
she's been sick. And | guess the
father hasn't had a job in a long
time. Anyway, the other day | saw
him taking a china clock under his
coat-it looked like a wedding present
and | guess people don't hook their
wedding presents until pretty neal the
last. And the floors are so thin you
a hear everything that goes on
down there. And the baby-anyway,
the little girl began asking two weeks
ago about a Christmas tree. And yes
terday they told her that Santa Claus
was getting snobbish nowadays and
wasn't interested In poor people--ol
poor peoples little girls-not ever
when they were sick. And she cried al
day. She was crying when | came ouI
last night She was still crying wher
got home this morning. She's cried
all day today. And I'm broke. I've
only got ten dollars between me and
the river. And my rents two weeks
overdue and I've got to pay that be
fore | quit, because the landlords
been dead white to me. And I've
never cared before for four years, but
i care now-I care-l can't help It
do. | do"
She dropped her hands to the table
and her head on them. She sobbed:
they were long. dry, heartbreakint
sobs.
Don't cry, Miss Cargill." urged
Cowles, patting her shoulder clumsily
Don't cry-Ssdie!" She jerked away
from under his hand and cried on.
Miss Cargill," said Roberts, lean
ing over toward her and speaking
very softly, you have been very kline
to both OF US. Will you let US be kline
to you. Please stop crying. Please
And then try to tell me just how much
money you need"
She lifted her head and glared a
him.
What good will money do that pool
baby when she wakes up tomorrow
morning and finds" She gritted he,
teeth and reached for her worn ant
rusty gloves and then for the long un
touched glass.
"Wait!" cried Cowles in a tone tina
made them all start. His voice fairl!
rang. Wait, wait, wait!" he repeat
ed, pulling out his watch and LOOKING
at It. They were both staring at hin
%curiously.
ITS Christmas Eve" he said. "Th'
stores are open until midnight! IT
only a little after ten o'clock. Com
on for a cab and Eighth avenue
Here's where we knock the eye out o
one set OF troublest"
The fat little proprietor Of TIL
Eighth Avenue Five and Ten Cen
Emporium was galvanized from wear.
somnambulance into new life whel
two young men and a very fluffy lever
though a bit shabby young womal
leaped out Of a cab to his counters
He bounced around and scolded hi
clerks into a state OF thorough irr1
tation. But their work.sick wratl
gave way to curiosity and then hilal
ity as the three customers went laugh
ing, Quarreling and consulting, up an,
down the disheveled counters. TIL
fat proprietor went down into the ce'
lar and came up with an armful o
p%asteboard packing cases In whicl
two clerks especially detailed lai
away each toy as it was singled Out
There were dolls and tin railroa'
trains and whirligig things and rattle
and stuffed rabbits and woolly dog
that %squeaked, and more dolls an
building blocks and flying machine