Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1920-07-30
His Rag
and Bone"
BY J. J. DE LONG
tCopyright.)

Aii' lhiru street he consulted
his watch. and, learning that he had
''me 10 burn. left the train for a shave.
cocktail. and walk.
lie took the cocktail first
linen ne stepped into Il barher-shop.
leihoEeu his hat and coat, delivered
mem 10 the brass-faccG boy in charge
oltsuch things, and. looking neither TO
the right nor the left dropped into n
chair.
The obsequious barber. after noting
three-d;iy growth OF beard, injured
his pleasure
want Il shave. Il massage. ana a
shampoo. said John Henry. adjusting
himself to the comfortable curves of
the chair.
And Il manicurc?"
les :. mechanically, for he was
gazing at the mirrorcd ceiling and
'hinking nothing, hut at the. first stroke
or the razor he became aware of IN.
preliminary work being done hv the
lauE or the files and shippers. ant.
cioslhS his eyes to the glare of the
Shop, he began review of tie events
of the day.
HOW, after kissing his wife and
shaking "dn-da" to little !. H.. who
hid Deen held up to the window and
MS admiring gaze for that purpose.
he had found day of good business
awaiting him at the office.
His wife had phoned about noon TO
inquire If he had not forgotten some
thing, and how she had refused TO saw
"hat that something" was. when he
tailed TO place il.
HOW m!Steri0uSly happy she seem
ed To be under the circumstances.
AL mat point John Henry Jingle.
tops attention was distracted; bv three
lltlc taps of II velvety hand on the
back Of his own. and u momcn, i,,.,
III" other hand was at rest under thr
leiiiiliS influence of Snugly comfort
it"'" quarters, and comforting manipu-
lati"n, and he went back To his dr,om-
ing.
came again the tap, tap, tapping of
the vrlvcty hand.
II" began 10 wonder if she would
accept his hospitality. but before he
c"ui" put Tie question another vision
came /" him. 1t WAS a ride i'm The
park, with here and there Il sion for
additional refrcSlment, the fairy ho
comm" NOR" and more rairylikc until
-.llSt Tor fun. YOU knOw--ho caught
her in his arms and learned that she
wasn't Il fairy ut all, but an atom of
real humanity
IL pleased him nightly that she eli
tered :" thoroughly into Tic spirit of
good time. lie realized that he
would not get home unit! Il late hour:
but, oh. happy invention, was there
not an Out-of-tOwn customer to detain
him?
Came another love tap, and. thank
Heaven, at the same moment the sus-
p"lISc made necessary by the massage
was ended!
There was Il cOnvulSivr, uplifting
movement Of the chair, which brought
the dreamer into close communion with
the fairy of his vision. who proved to
be all he had pictured her.
She looked into his" face-smilingly.
northumberland John Henry impctu-
ouSly cancelled the order for Il shampoo.
You do good work. Little Bright
Eyes, said he. when he had adjourned
10 one Of the little side tables which
served $" we'll for tn" finishing strokes
OF the mnnicurc'S art.
81 am glad YOU think So" returned
the fairy. whose name WAS Geraldine.
and vii" chrrrlulIy ami confidently
added: IF you'll let me treat YOUR
ch,irl", I'll train II :" it won't need
cutting III all"
And il you will lrt me treat YOU to
an oyster, ] can train YOU to like n
nice little dinner, said John Henry
boldly; but. fearing Il refusal 10 50
abrupt Il proposal, made IN answer
unnecessary 10y adding: "I'l smoke
II cigarclt" if YOU don't mind"
"Not in the least" said Gcraldinc
81 rather like he smell Of tobHccu'
And the tasIc:" inquired John
Henry. returning 10 his mutton. II
suppose You indulge occasionally"
Not even occasionally" returned
thc little lady. smiling. IL shouldn't
care 10 have my fingers stained by
nicotine"
sight in the best of society," said John
Henry "ncouragingly.
"But I'm not II society lady"
40" returned John Henry re-
Hcctivcly. you are just very SEN
sibic little manicure lady"
"JuSt Il manicure lady"
"Living with your parcnts?'
mo. with another very sensible
little maniCurclady."
"Just you twO?'
"Just we two"
10