The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-09-17
A SHORT STORY

into the cash drawer. But now and
then l do. Sometimes just as lux
ury, because l don't like face, and
then again-well, because can't take
it and look in the mirror without
blushin'. Same as in the case of Rid
ley Hatch.
mo Use, Mr. Hatch" says I, after
he'd been coming to the Physical Gull
ture Studio regular every day for a
couple OF weeks. +
"Eh?" says he, bristlin' them bushy
gray eyebrows of his.
1--WE amt gettin' anywhere" says
/. "And what's more, we amt likely
to-"
"But why not, Professor McCabe?"'
he demands.
l expect, too, that was my cue to
to shoot lit to him cold Any of these
Observation-Disclosures specialists would
have told him fiat, without battin' an
eye. But I'd rather not Still, it was
plain enough how near the rocks ne
was He comes toddlin' in here on his
swollen feet, his breath short and
puffy, bags under his eyes and his
face the color of cigar ashes. You
know! rheumatic govt, arteries full of
carbon, liver on the fritz and a few
other little complaints. And he ex-
poets me to put him in trim by half
hour sessions with the medicine ball
and the apparatus.
you're making the handicap too
heavy, Mr.. Hatch" says l.
81 don't quite get you, McCabe. y
says he.
Course, I'm only guessin'," says l.
''but amt you hoistin' in the privte
stock kind Of liberal?"
ooh, that!" says he, .'shruggin' his
shoulders careless. "Have to have
about so much to get along On. Used
to it, you know. But perhaps might
ease UP little if you think that would
do the trick"
at would help" says l. "but
judge there's other things you'd have
to skimp too. This A. NJ stuff, fol
instance. Kind of strong for the caba
rets and the roof gardens and the little
supper afterwards, amt you?"
ooh, GOMEZ" says he. Got to dc
something evenings, haven't
Maybe" says l. Depends on what
you call evenin,. And after you've
turned sixty"
Eyes, that's all very well, McCabe,
says he. But Mrs. Hatch hasnY
turned sixty-bare-ly forty"
"Oh, see!" says 1. "Then 1t aim
for me to map out any program. ST
we'll just call it off,"
But see here, Professor" he goes
on, "Pm in no condition to be dropped
If you can't help me you can at leas
suggest something, can't you?"
Sure" says l. "You won't follow
it though"
Lets hear, anyway" says he.
well, says L. where and how d.
you live-house, apartment"
"Hatel SUITE" says he, "at the Plu
toria. Big, airy, sunny rooms, nic'
and convenient, too"
That's it," says I, too blamed con
venient to the roof gardens and caba
rets. What you need is the country
way out, where it'll be too long tril
to motor in after dinner. I'd prescribe
golf, too. Silly game, but it keep!
you out in the open, and after you'v'
whaled around a three-mile cours,
you'll be glad to hit the hay ant
let somebody else stay up to watcl
the Broadway chickens do the new
SILVER steps and consume fiilet mig
non at $50 A. M. That's my dope
Swap your Looey cans suite for q
20-acre estate near some country club
and so to it with niblic. After six
months of that l might be able to find
something to build on. Not that look
for you to do anything of the kind.
The midnight rounder habit is too hard
to break, specially when there's two
in the family that's got it."
HUH" says he. starin' at me, and
could see that jutty chin of his sort
of stifrenin'. Think I couldn't en-?
I'll just show you. young man. Get
your hat"
why the hat?" says l.
Want you to help me pick out a
place." says he. "Oh, l know your
time is valuable. I'll square that, all
right. Let's go.
must say hadn't figured on settin
in quite SO deep as that when l ual.
loaded all that near-expert advice.
But Ridley Hatch had sort of called
my hand. Besides, he's one of these
impetuous old boys who wants what
he wants when he wants it, and gen.