Evening star., 1920-01-18
BY SEWELL FORD

turn his tongue loose. He gets eleai,ent
about the poor old Ellis who had to
stand around and watch the snake
dance without iettin' out q yip. Them
he has bright idea, which he proceeds
to state. Maybe they didn't know any
thing about the glorious product of ths
settin' hen down in New Haven. And
who needs II more at such time as
this? Ought to have some of 'em up
there and tighten their load of gloom.
Act Of charity. Gotta be done. II no.
body eise'll do IT, he will Go out into
highways and byways.
"And he does. Half an hour later he
shows up at the home brew headquar-
ters with an Ell that he's captured on
the way to the South station. He's a
solemn-faced. disnified party who don't
seem to catch what it's all about and
rather balks when he sees the bunch.
But he's dragged in and introduced as
Chester Beal. the Hittite."
Il beg PARDON" asks Nicky,
I'm only giving you what heard"
says !. Chester Beal might have been
his right name, or 1t might not, and
the Hittite part was some of his Josh,
l take 1t. Anyway. Chester was dealt
generous shot from the jug. followin'
which he was one Of 'em. Him and the
Harvard guy got real chummy, and the
oftener they sampled the home brew the
more they thought of each other. They
discovered they'd both served in the
same division on the other side and had
spent last Thanksgiving only few
miles from each other. 1t was real
tOnchiD' Whnn or
driftin' UP fremont street arm in arm
singin' 'Madelon,' 'Bo0la- BoOIa,' .Har-
variana and other appropriate mol
odies." 5tea
Just like the good old days, oh,
Nicky?" suggests MIR. Robert.
But Nicky only shakes his head
''You say they were not seen again.,
he demands.
Not until about 1880 a.m.," says I,
when they shows up in front Of the
Harvard Club. on Boyston street. One
OF the original bunch spots the pair
and listens in. The Harvard man is
as eloquent as ever. He's still going
strong. But Chester, the Hittite, looks
bored and weary. 'Oh, shut up. says
he. But the other one can't be choked
of that way. He just starts in again.
So Chester leads him out to the curb
and halls q taxi driver. Take him
away, says Chester. He's been talk
ing to me for hours and hours. Take
him away Yes, SIR says the driver
Where to. sir? oh. anywhere says
Chester Take him toto Worcester
Right says the driver, loadin' in his
fare"
'But--but of course he didn't really
take him all that distance?" put in
Betty.
''Uh-huh" says I. That's what
thought was 50 rich. And about 1880
next mornin' a certain party wakes
up in strange room in q strange
town. He's got head on him like IN
observation balloon and a tongue that
feels like pussycat's back. And
when he finally gets down to the desk
he asks the clerk where he Is. Ban
croft House. Worcester. sir says the
clerk. How odd! says he. But-sr-
what 10 this charge OF $16.S5 on my
bill" Taxi fare from Boston, says
the clerk. And they say he paid up
like good sport ss,a3 si.s.-r s+ris'@
The rough part Of 1t was" j. goes
on. that he was due to attend n big
affair in Boston the night before, sort
of a reunion Of officers who'd uheST
in the army Of occupation--banque
and dance afterward-I think they
call 1t the Society Of the Rhine"
''Oh, l say!' gasps Niclxy. Then they
look at each other queer.
could see that I'd made some kind
Of break but couldn't figure out
just what it was. Anyway" ssys 1.
''he didn't get there. He got to WOr-
cester instead. Course, though, you
don't have to believe all you hear at
a club"
III only one could" says Betty.
And 1t wasn't until after dinner that
I got a slant on this remark Of hers.
''Torchy," says she, where is Mr.
Wells?" ~.
why" says l, II saw him drift out
on the terrace a minute ago..
"A1one?" says she.
mods.
Then take nae out to him, will
your she asks.
Sure thing" says ].
And she puts 1t up to him straight
when we get him cornered. was that
the real reason why you were In
Worcester" she demands. M
I'm sorry" says he. hangin' his
head, but it must have BEEN"