The Washington herald., 1920-08-13
4 HARLEM TRAGEDY
By O HENRY
By o. HENRY

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.
about his neck. Her sound eye
sparkled with the love light that
shines in the eye OF the Maori
maid when she recovers con-
sciousness in the hut of the wooer
who has stunned and dragged her
there.
Hello, old girl" shouted Mr..
Cassidy He shed his bundles ana
lifted her off her feet in a mighty
hug. Il got tickets for Barnum &
Bailey's, and il you'll bust the
string OF one of them bundles I
guess youu find that silk waist
why. good evening. Mrs. Fink-I
didn't see you at first. How's ola
Mart coming along"
Hes very well, Mr. Cassidy
thanks" said Mrs. Fink. 7 must
h0 going along up no.. Martu
b." home for supper soon. Ill
bring you down that pattern you
wanted tomorrow. Name"
Mrs. Fink went up to her fat
and had q little cry. It was
meaningless cry, the kind Of cry
that only woman knows about.
% cry from no particular cause.
altogether an absurd hopeless
cry in the repertory of grief. Why
had Martin never thrashed her?
n. wa~ as big and strong as Jack
Cassidy. Dld he not care for her
AT all" He never quarreled: ne
came homo and lounged about.
silent. gIum. idle. He was.
fairly good provider. but he ig-
uored the spices of life.
Mrs. Fink's ship Of dreams was
beralm~d Her captain ranCcC
between plum dun and his ham
mock II only he would shiver
has timbers or stamp his foot on.
the quarterback now and then.
And she had thought to sail so
merriIy. touching at ports in the
DeIeCtable Isles. But now. to
vary the figure, she was ready TO
throw up the sponge. tired out,
without a scratch to show for all
those tame rounds with her spar
ring partner. For one moment
sh" almost hated Mame-Mame.
with her cuts and bruises. her
salve OF presents and kisses; her
stormy voyage with her fighting.
brutal. loving mate.
Mr.. Fink came home at :. He
was permeated with the curse or
domesticity. Beyond the portals
of his cozy home he cared not to
roam to roam. He was the man
who had caught the street car,
I'll" anaconda that had swallowed
its prey. the tree that lay as it
had fallen.
Like the supper. MART asked
Mrs Fink. who had striven over
it.
"M-m-m-yep." grunted Mr..
Fink.
After supper he gathered his
newspapers to read. He sat in
his stocking feet
Arise, some new Dante. and
sing me the beftting corner Of
perdition for the man who sit
teth in the house in his stocking
al feet. Sisters of Patience who
by reason of ties or duty have
endured 1t in silk. yarn, cotton,
Isle thread or woolen-does not
the new canto belong7
The next day was Labor Day.
The occupations Of Mr.. Cassidy
and Mr.. Fink ceased for one pas
sage OF the sun. Labor, triun-
Phant, would parade and other
wise disport itself
Mrs. Fink took Mrs. Cassfdv's
pattern down early Name had
on her new silk waist Even her
damaged eye managed to emit a
holiday CLEAN. Jack was fruit
fully penitent, and there was <
hilarious scheme for the day
afoot. with parks and picnics and
Pilsener in it.
A rising, Indignant jealousy
seized Mrs. Fink as she returned
to her fat above. Or, happy
Name. with her bruises and her
qUick-following balml But was
Name to have monopoly Of hap |
piness? Surely Martin Fink was
as good a man as Jack Cassidy. |
Was his wife to go always unbe- |
labored and uncaressed? A sud
den, brilliant, breathless idea
came to Mrs. Fink. She would |
show Name that there were hus-
bands as able to use their fists |
and perhaps to be as tender aft |
erward as any Jack.
The holiday promised to be a |
nominal one with the Finks. Mrs. |
Fink mad the stationary WASH
tubs in the kitchen filled with a |
two weeks wash that had been
soaking overnight Mr.. Fink sat