The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-09-19

why I'm here this morning. he went
on. He appeared to be fascinated
with his own conversation. 1 was
grateful for anything that stopped his
personal illusions.
You see. it's this way" he said with
a confidential air that would have APP
pealed to my sense of the ludicrous if
1 had been less annoyed. These two
fellows. good enough chaps patron
izingiy, live in Oshkosh. That's not
their fault" he fastened to add with a
generous air. "They can't help it. They
have to live there. Well, they came
to New York for business trip and
tried to make up to them last night
for having to live anywhere else than
in New York"
1--WE went up one side of Broadway
from Forty-second street for three or
four blocks and came down the other,
and took drink in every place we
could buy one.
TT was some record, tell you" he
went on proudly, "but what a bundle
we did acquire. didn't dare to go
home to my calm fireside. You know
Lii. So 1 stayed the night with the
boys at their hotel.
when we got up little while ago
we decided we'd have to do a pennance
of some sort. The worst thing could
think of was to go to Brooklyn or
Staten Island. We tossed a coin to
see which we'd do. heads Staten Island,
tails Brooklyn. 1t came down heads,
and here we are waiting for the ferry
boat"
To my horror he executed a few
dance steps, chanting the while, Wait
ing for the good old ship" He had
sense enough left to keep his voice
low, and was much relieved to see
that no one appeared to notice his ac-
lions.
Say, Til tell you what we'll do he
said. You and Dicky's mother come
along with us TO Staten Island. Old
girl doesn't like me over and above, r
know" he added soto voice. but that
won't hurt. have managed worse
cranks in my time than she is. I'll
make those other fellows keep their
distance. and We'll have a nice little
trip.
If 1 had not been so genuinely angry
and annoyed I could have laughed at
the mental picture had of Harry Un-
derwood escorting my mother-in-law
and me on ferry trip to Staten Island.
But it was no time for laughter. In
stead, was at my wits end to know
what to do. The idea of the proposed
ferry trip evidently appealed to his
befuddled imagination. He turned to-
ward my mother-in-law
Coin to take you and little lady
here on nice ferry trip" he announced
genially. Sorry yachts out of COM
this morning, but ferry will do
very we'll"
1 have not much reason to like my
but shall always be
grateful to her for the way she cut the
Gordian knot of my difficulties.
Young man, you are impairment
and intoxicated" she said haughtily.
please step aside"
And taking ME firmly by the arm my
law walked steadily with
me toward the door Of the women's
rest room. Her manner of conducting
me was much the same as that the
matron of a reformatory would use In
taking a charge from one place to an
other. but / was too relieved to care.
The leering face of Harry Underwood
was no longer before myteyes, and his
befuddled words no longer Jared upon
my ears. Those were the only things
that mattered to me for the moment.
In my relief I felt strong enough to
brave the weight Of my mother-in-
laws anger which I was very sure
was about to descend upon me.
Continued tomorrow