The Washington herald., 1920-11-19
An O. Henry Story -sAsfoaE 5 f1e Is

entertainy a new idea. II never did
such thing. ! was thinking OF an
other way"
Come on" invites the ohioan,
"apd have some drinks. I've been
at it-for two days, but the inf
ern ] stun won't bite like II used to.
Goodaii Of Memphis. what's your res-
piration?"
'Twenty-four."
'Daily-temperatur
Hundred and four"
You can do Il In two days. It'n
take me a-week. Tank up, friend
Goodall--have all the fun you can :
then on you 60. in the mid
die OF jag, and s-s.save trouble
and expense. I'm q s-son Of q gun
II this aiR't a health resort--for your
whiskers! A Lake Erie fog'd get
lost here In two minutes"
You said something about a
drink" says Goodsll.
A few minutes later they line up
at p ghttering bar. and hang upon
tha arm rest. The bartender, blond.
heavy. well-groomed. sets out their
drinks, instantly perceiving that he
serves two Of the Three Thousand.
He observes that one Is a middle
aged man well-dressed, with q
lined and sunken face; the other a
mere boy who Is chiefly eyes and
overcoat. Disgusting we'll the tedium
begotten by many repetitions, the
server of drinks begins to chant the
sanitary saga Of Santone. Rather
. moist night. gentlemen, for our
town. A little fog from our river.
but nothing to hurt. Repeated
Tests"
Damn your litmus papers" gasps
Toledf-"without any-personal Of
fense intended"
We've heard of 'em before. Let
'em turn red, white and blue. What
we want is a repeated test Of that
whisky. Come again. ! paid for tine
last round. Goodali. of Memphis"
F, The bottle oscillates from one to
the other. continues to do SO. and is
not removed from the counter. The
bartender sees two emaciated in
valids dispose of enough Kentucky
Belle to floor a dozen cowboys, with
out displaying any emotion save u
sad and contemplative interest in
the peregrinations of the bottle. So
he Is moved to manifest a solicitude
as to the consequences.
mot on your Uncle Mark Hanna"
responds Toledo, will we get drunk.
We've been-vaccinated with whisky
-and-cod liver oil. What would
send you to the police station--only
gives US a thirst. s-s-set out an
other bottle"
It is slow work trying to meet
death by that route. Some quicker
way must be found. They leave the
saloon and plunge again into the
mist. The sidewalks are mere
fianges at tho base of the houses
the street a cold ravine, the fog
filling II like q freshet. Not far
away is the Mexican quarter. Con-
Quoted as IL by wires along the
heavy air comes a guitars tinkle,
and the demoralizing voice of some
senorita singing:
EN- las tardes sombrillos del invierro
En- ell prado Marar me reclino
Y maldigo mi fausto destino-
Una vida la mas infeliz."
The words of it they do not under
stsnd-neither Toledo nor Memphis,
but words are the least important
things in life. The music tears the
breasts of the seekers after Nep-
enthe. melting Toledo to remark:
Those kids Of mine-I wonder
by God. Mr.. Goodall of Memphis, we
had too little of that whisky! No
slow music in mine, IL you please.
1t makes you disremember to for
get"
Hurd Of Toledo. here pulls out his
watch. and says:
-
sagement for a hack ride out to San
Pedro Springs at eleven. Forgot it
A fellow from Moo York, and mo
and the Castillo sisters at Rhine.
gelder's Garden. That Moo York
chaps a lucky dog-get one whole
lung-good for a year yet. Plenty OF
money. too. He pays for everything
can't aford-to miss the jamboree
Sorry you amt going along. Good.
by, Goodall, OF Memphis"
He rounds the corner and shur.
fes away, casting off thus easily
the ties of mountaineering as the
moribund do. the season of dis.
lsolution being mans supreme hour
OF egoism and selishness. But ht
turns and calls back through the
fog to the other: II say. Goodall, OF
Memphis! II you get there before
do, tell 'em Hurd's a-comin' too
Hurd, of T'leder, Ahhia-"
Thus Goodall's tempter desert,
him. That youth. uncomplainine
and uncaring. takes spell al
coughing. and recovered, wanders
desultorily on down thes street, tn,
name Of which he neither knows
nor recks. At a certain point he
perceives swinging doors, and hears
Offering between them a noise Of
wind and string Instruments. TIVE
men enter from the street as he ar
rives, and he follows them in. There
Is a kind Of ante-chamber, plenti
fully set with palms and cactuse'
and oleanders. At little marble
topped tables some people sit, while
soft-shod attendants bring the beer
All Is orderly, clean, melancholy
gay. OF the German method of pleas
ure. At his right Is the foot Of
stairway. A man there holds ou
his hand. Goodail extends his, full
of silver. the man selects there
from a coin. Goodall goes upstairt
and sees there two galleries extend
ing along the sides Of a concert hal
which he now perceives to lie be
low and beyond the anteroom h
first entered. These galleries ar,
divided into boxes or stalls. whicl
bestow with the aid of hanginl
lace curtains, certain privacy upol
their occupants.
Passing with aimless feet dowl
! the aisle contiguous to these sauc!
and discreet compartments, he
half checked by the sight in one o
them of a young woman. alone ant