The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-02-19

+, over" she said. He wasn't handsome,
! nor impressive. Of course, nor anything
/ like that, but he always SPOKE so nicely
! to people on the street. I'm sure ne
! never harmed even kitten poor
! soul"
! I'm sure he never did" Hcrberts
mother agreed, gently. Not even XII
ten / do wonder where he is now.
But Aunt Fanny uttered little cry
, OF protest. I'm afraid we may hear
she said, any moment.
And the most tragic news ol Nope
Dill these sympathetic women could
have heard would have surpriZsd them
little: they had unanimously set the'r
expectation in so economically pesSlm>s-
tic Il groove. But if the truth OF MS
wher.a bouts could have been made
known to them. as they sat thus TO-
gcther ut what was Developing virtually
into his wake with Herbert as COM
puisory participant they would nave
turned the session into riot OF amaze
mcnt Noble was in the very last place
(ihcy would have said. when caImer)
whore anybody in the world could have
madly drcaI med OF looking for him! They
would have been right about Il. No on"
could have expected Ia iind Noble To-
night inside the old four-square brick
house of Mr. H /. Atwater. Senior chIes
OF the At" 4ters and father Of. the dis
turbing julia. This was an old man or
r!gdly limited sympath.es; and his
opinion OF Noble Dill had become almost
notorious; here was no bosom of TciuG1
for lorn Noble needing soiace. nor was
his house for any moment hosplta-:
with Julia out Of IL Moreover. Mr.. IL.
! Atwater Senior. was not Al present III
the house; he had closed and locked Il
Yesterday. giving the servants week
vacation and telling them not 10 return
till ne sent for them; and had lhen
gone out Of town TO look over homln!-
mill he thought OF buying. And yet !
the wake went on. there was a light IN
the house and under that ilght SA'
Noble Dill
Returning homo. after Florence had
| placed the shatterinG news WITHIN MS
: hand. Noble had changed his shoes and
, lis tie He was but Il mechanism; he
had no motive. The shoes he put on
were no better than those he took off
the fresh tie was no Ioveler than the
: one he had worn: nor had it even the
lucidity to be Il purple one. as evidence
] of grief No: HE action Was, il so view
ed. crazy" as Aunt Fanny had called
IL. Agitation first took this form: that
3 was all. Love and change Of dress are
closely allied: and in happier times when
Noble came home from work and would
. see Julia in III" evening. he usually
changed his clothes. No doubt there is
some faint traCcry here, too indIstnct
/ 10 repay contemplation.
| When he left the house he walked rap
I IDLY al wn-tOwn, and toward the end OF
this one-milr journey he ran: but as he
. was then approaching the railway sta
, was however: for when he entered the
, station hc went 10 Il bench and sat look
ing upward for morn than ten minutes
then roS" and went to a ticket-window
and asked for Il timetable
! What road" the clerk inquired.
."All points South" said Noble.
! He placed the timetable. still folded
in his pocket. rested an elbow on the
brass apron Of the window. and would
) have given himself up 10 reflections. tho
, urged TO move away. Several people
wishing TO buy tickets had formed line
behind him and they perceived that No
! bic had nothing more TO say TO tho
! clerk. The latter encouraged their pro-
! tests. and even went so far as to ex-
! claim. For heavens sake! Can't you
lie, these folk buy their tickets" And
since Noble still did not move: My.
gosh. haven't You got no fcet?"
| Feet? Oh. yes. said Noble gently
I'm going away. And went back 10
his seat.
After ii .whilc ne sought TO study his
| timetable Ordinarily. his mind was
one of those able to dcCipher and COM
! prehend railway time tables: he had few
| gifts. but this was one of them 1t fail
| ed him. now; and he wandered back to
the tickct-window. and. after urgent
! coaching. eventually took his place AT
| tn" cnl instead Of at the head of the
| line that waited there. In his turn he
came again TO the window. and dcparted
| from t. after Il conversation with the
! clerk which left the lt,.er in uncon-
scious accord with Aunt Fanny Atwa-
| ter'S commiscrating adjective. tho the
| clerks "~n pity was expressed in ar
| got, The poor nut" he explained TO
his next client. Wants to buy ticket
| on train that don't pull out till ten
] thirty-fl"e tonight and me film II all
! out. Stampin' II and everything. what
! for! Turned out all his pockets and
| couldn't come near'n eight dollars short
o the price Who're you want 10 Eo?"
Noh!" went back TO his bench and sat
! there for long time. tho there was no
| time long or short for him. He was not
yet consciously suffering greatly; nor
n dim. persistent impulse to action-o-
| else why should he be at Che station =
but for tahe Clearest expression OF his
| condition i Is necessary to borrow n
| culinary symbol: he was jellinR The
| state of shock was slowly dispensing
while a perception Of anguish as slowly
! increased. He was beginning 10 swallow
nothing at intervals. and the Intervals
! were growing shorter.
! Dusk was miSting down. outdoors.
when with dragging steps he came out
Of the station. He looked haZily up and
down the street. where. the corner
lamps and shop-windows now were
| lighted, and. after drcary hesitation. he
went in search Of a itawn-shop. and
| found one. The old man who operated
| il must have been philanthropist. for
! Noble was fortunate as TO secure a
! loan Of nine dollars upon his watch
! Surprised nj this. he returned to the
station. IND went back to. the same old
| bench.
Strange &C. eddence
\ littln afteG six 20 cloRk Il. Changing
and rommotion in the tgaiu-shed out
side. attending the arrival Of a through
express" stirred him from mis- torpor.
Ha walxed heavily across the room 10
the, same ticknt-window he had blocked
belore. mt tner" was no queue attached
to- it now. He rested his elbow on the
| apron and his chin upon his\hand. and
Tor some moments the clerk waited un-
I'll he should state his wishes. This was
new clerk. who had just relieved the
other, ..
well! Wc.l"' he said at last.
II take IL now" Noble responded
gently:
"What'l you take now
THAT ticket" $500.
What ticket"
The same one Wanted before" No
bic sighed.