Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-03
Author of "Amarilly Of Clothes Line
Alley" "Mildew Manse," etc.

over the water, and saw a tear on
her cheek.
" 'HonCst?' ] said again.
" Yes she said. Honest. and
never knew before what it was to be
honest
II didn't know what she meant. but
we had got to Chicago now. 1t wasn't
very late and ! asked her should we
GO to Rcilly'S again. and she said it
would spoil the day. I thought so, too.
On the way to where I'd left her the
night before there was little park.
We went in and sat on one of the
benches. 1t was only little clump of
trees, but it made n nice place to visit.
because there was no ono around. Pco-
ulc in cities don't act like they we're
seasoned to outdoors except when 1t s
hot weather.
~ was booked to leave the next
morning. So I couldn't let any grass
grow. asked her to marry me.
Il wish YOU hadn't asked me- she
said. and her voice sounded like there
wcrr tears in her eyes.
'Why?' | asked.
WlSlls Si' went 'l W 'Nh''b N"h
ing any notice of me-just like she was
talking to hcrSclf-'that I dared love
man like YOU.
'sThat was all | cared to know. For
the ghost Of n second I held her in my
arms. but she slipped out of them. and
| saw her face was pale.
- 'You do love me- I said.
81 do she repeated after me. a
lot.
IF it was a little bit. Id marry
Won, but I love you so much, Ill tell
you why | can never marry you. You re
the first man that ever treated me like
I was white. I'm pretty bad, know,
but 7 am not so bad as to do you
wrong
Il told her I didn't know what she
meant. but there was nothing in the
world that should come between us.
- \ tried to tell you tonight on the
boat. when you asked me to tell you
how much had enjoyed the day she
went on just as though ! hadn't spoken
when you said Honest But I
couldn't I was afraid to tell you I
tDuluI l wv any NliAhS hohNo''
" Then she told me she was a thief
She didn't try to make any excuses for
herself. but when I heard her little
hard luck story and knew what she'd
always been up against. didn't won
der that she stole or committed any
crime. She had had a regular Cinder
ella stepmOthcr who had licked her when
she was a kid because she took food
from the pantry when she was hungry,
The old hag called it stealing and
warned the school teacher, and tho other
kids got hold of it and of course you
know what it does to any one to get a
black eye She had the name of g
thief wished on her until she got to be
one. She was expelled from school; put
in a refOrmatory; ran away; stole tc
keep herself alive. Then they all tool
a hand at her-ministers. society girls
charitable associations; they gave hei
bum steer and made her feel she was
hopeless outcast, so she felt more al
home with the vagrant class. Tht
only person who had ever made her fee
she wanted to be straight was a Sal
vation Army woman, but she had gone
away and no one was left to care now
II didn't let her go any further.
told her cared and cared all the NOR,
since | had heard her story; and tina
she was honest, or she wouldn't hav,
told me about herself. What did
care what she had been or done? He
/ life was going to begin right then witt
me.
II couldn't bulge her. talked an
pleaded. and at last she gave ina lit
tie. She said she'd think it over an,
meet me at the little park in the morn
ing, and then she'd talk some NOR
about it.
$50 we parted until morning came
But l made up my mind that if sh
wouldn't consent I'd simply kidnap he
and bring her up here to Mrs. King
don.
II was on hand bright and earl
at the park next morning, and afte
a while a sloEenly slip of a girl cam
up to me and asked my name. ] toll