The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-04-08
What Happened
to Mary
BY DORA NOLAN


The girl occupying the stool near
est the window, fourth from the corner
on the sixth floor Of huge skyscraper,
wore on certain day in January a
bright pink blouse. 1t caught the eye
of man standing in the window on
the corresponding floor of hotel di-
rectly opposite.
Fascinated, he watched her deft
fingers as, with the precision of ma
chine, she packed celluloid toilet ar
ticles into satin lined cases which she
took from pile beside her. She did
not make lost motion.
When the girl came to the end of
the pile of boxes she turned on her
stool and looked out Of the window.
Her glance met that of the man in the
window opposite. She smiled. He ac-
knowledged it by waving his hand.
She returned the salutation, then as a
boy deposited fresh pile of boxes
beside her,-returned to her work.
With a start Strong Lewis remem-
bered the warning words Of his wife
spoken as he left their country home
for a business trip to the city. With
q guilty feeling he hustled into hat
and overcoat and out of the hotel.
The episode, however, had not escaped
the attention of the other girl who sat
at the same table. I'll tell Johnny
on you, Mary" she giggled.
"Guess If l always keep them at that
distance, Sadie, Johnny'll not have any
kick coming" the other replied. But
Johnny did have kick coming that
very night, and this is why.
When Strong Lewis returned to
his hotel room it was verging on five
o'clock. With the instructive move
ment of a man, who is not used to be-
ing cooped up indoors, he walked d.
rectly to the window. The girl in the
bright pink blouse sat in the same
place. Her fingers few back and forth
at the same task.
"Been at it all day-and every day,
suppose" the man soliloquized. How
on earth can she stand it?" Then his
wife's warning. which hadn't been far
from his thoughts all day, came into
the foreground again. Muttering some
thing about taking chance" and
"a man named Brodie," Strong Lewis
watched the opposite window intently.
The girls were making preparations to
depart.
He hurried down into the street.
Girls singly and in groups, were string
ing out Of the doorway just across
from the hotel. But they wore coats |!
How could he tell, then, which one he
wanted? Ahi There she was; an
unbuttoned coat disclosed a pink
blouse.
Mary Cummings and her cousin,
Sadie, accompanied by the girl who
lived next door, had started to walk
home together, as was their custom,
when Lewis approached them. He ad-
dressed Mary. could speak to you
on matter which may interest your"
All the warnings which reach city
girls from every side concerning the
danger in accepting the advances of
unknown men rushed through the
minds of the three girls. Sadie shook
her head. and that decided Mary. "She
wasn't going to be bossed by Sadie
just because she was two years older
and many degrees plainer!'
So Mary answered the stranger with
a polite "Sure." WhereupOnr the
other girls walked ahead, turning
around occasionally to be sure that
Mary and the strange man were fol-
lowing. Then they FASTENED their
pace to bear the shameful tidings to
Sadie's mother. who was also Mary's
aunt.
Strong Lewis did most of the talk
ing until they reached the doorway Of
| the fiat building where the cousins
lived, There Mary seemed to have
something to say, the while they were
watched by two curious pairs of eyes
from an open window above. But when
Mary entered the fiat the window was
closed and her aunt confronted her.
q You're Of age, Mary, and it amt
for me to say, but won't have any
such COINS on by anybody what boards
with me. Think Of your mother what
Is ucfu- auu thiuh u JOhhuys
my boards paid till Saturday, and
you can't tell-perhaps I'll leave be-
fore then" With toss Of her head
Mary went to the room which she
shared with Sadie and closed the door,
Soon Sadie appeared with the excuse
of wanting a handkerchief and. re-
turning, reported to her mother that
MARY was dolling up in best dudsi"
Sadie and her mother listened until
they heard Mary leave her room and
start down the stairs. Hurriedly they
opened the front window and looked
y cautiously down. A taxi drew up
at the curb and man jumped out to
help Mary In. Sadie was sure it was
the man who haG waved.
The girl from next door came over
6 to discuss the scandal and many sup
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