Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-06-29
An Ugly Face

/ basket or flowers. 1HeTe was no
name attached and l was not
quite sure whether it would be
the proper thing for me 10 thank
Mr.. Early for them or whether it
was pretty tribute from the ho-
tel management to woman guest.
While waiting for my baggage
to come up, certain restlessness
seized me. "Oh, l don't believe
that l can stay. don't believe
that I can stay" | whispered as
caught myself listening, listening
for something 4 knew not what.
walked to the window and back.
My ears were strained for the fa-
miliar noises which told me that
my baby was about. Hurriedly
went to the telephone and sent a
telegram.
"Haye arrived safely. Call me
up by telephone tonight at eight
and tell me all about Hal.
ALIX."
Don't be coward, Alix," l
admonished myself. ''Othel wo-
men have had to work out their
own lives under circumstances
not half as agreeable as have come
/ to you. You will be all right when
baby and nurse are here and you
know Maria will take better care
Of him than you could If you
were there. Besides, mother will
be watching him all the time"
|, 1t was to be the first night,
however, that l had been separat-
ed from Hal since l awakened to
consciousness after he was born
and the loneliness of it all was
overwhelming.
Strangely, | missed my baby
more than l have ever missed my
husband. Perhaps because the
baby had been more dependent
upon me. "Why, | would not stay
here one minute without hint" I
said to myself. Surely Mr.. Early
IS unmarried or he would have
known better than to have sug-
gested that leave Hal with moth
er. could not work at all"
I did not even unpaek my
trunks for l had determined to
go out the next morning and find
furnished apartment. / wished
that Mr.. Early had not offered to
take me over to the office and in,
troduce me to the staff. 1t seemed
so formal, SO much like making a
stage entrance. | ordered a light
luncheon sent 20 my room, but
could not eat. l decided that my
black and white serge travelling
suit would be the thing to wear
while making a visit to the of
flee. After bathing my face and
combing my hair, adjusted fresh
muslin collar and cuffs and chang
led my heavy walking boots to
somewhat lighter patent leather
i pumps and found that l was ready
hours before the time set when
Mr.. Early was to come for me.
tried to read. 1t was impossi-
BILE. l picked UP the magazine on
which was going to work. 1t had
been laying ostentatiously upon
my table. wondered at this.
could 1t be coincidence?" ask
ed myself. Then the wild thought
came to me that Mr.. EARLY had
made personal visit to my room
to see that everything was all
fright before l arrived but put
it aside as absolutely foolish.
Looking through my toilet ar
ticles. l found that my powder
had been spilled, and more be-
cause wanted to do something
to pass the time than anything
else. ] went down on the street
to buy some.
AS l went out the hotel door,
l raised my head with the feeling
/ that some one l knew very well
was looking at me. AS l did so,
Z encountered the gaze of one Of
/ the ugliest men l had ever seen,
and to my surprise he was abso-
luSely unknown to me. Someway
my whole thought was changed
as l intercepted that glance. 1t
I seemed that l had found friend
in this great lonely city and my
heart instinctively warmed. The
place did not seem cold any long
er. The sun was shining. l even
looked at the passersby on the
street with an interest the. l
would not have felt ten minutes
earlier,
| 1t was only a momentary glance
for the man looked away imme-
diately. l was not sure that he
had really realized that he vas
staring at me. because he did not
look away with any great haste.
neither did bis eyes light up on
meeting mine. as did those Of Mr..
Early. Rather, in that instant l
got a slow. kindly. almost pro-
tective feeling from his glance.
Hurriedly I went to the corner
drug store and made my purchas-
es. Returning, I found myself
rfanrinp ahout m find a~ain that