The Holly chieftain., 1921-12-01
By
Booth
Harrington
Copyright. 1871
By the Bell Syndicate, Inc

placed the shattering news within his
hand, Noble had changed his shoes
and his tie. He was but mechan-
ism; he had no motive. The shoes he
put on were no better than those he
took Off; the fresh tie was no lovelier
than the one he had worn; nor had II
even the lucidity to be a purple one,
as evidence of grief. No; his action
was, II so viewed, "crazy." as Aunt
Fanny had called 1t. Agitation first
took this form; that was all. Love
and In happier times when Noble came
home from work and would see julia
in the evening he usually changed his
clothes. No doubt there Is some faint
tracery here, too indistinct to repay
contemplation.
When he left the house he walked
rapidly downtown. and toward the
end of this one-mile Journey he ran;
but as he was then approaching the
railway station, no one thought him
eccentric. He was, however; for
when he entered the station he went
to n bench and sat looking upward
for more than ten minutes; then rose
and went to ticket window and asked
for timetable.
"What road?" the clerk inquired.
"All points SOUTH" said Noble.
He placed the timetable, still fold,
ed, In his pocket, rested an elbow on
the brass apron of the window, ard
would have given himself up to re-
Elections, though urged to move away.
Several people wishing to buy tickets
had formed a line behind him and
they perceived that Noble had nothing
more to say to the clerk. The latter
encouraged their protests, and even
went so far as to exclaim, "For
heavens sake! Can't you let these
folks buy their tickets?" And since
Noble still did not move: "My gosh,
haven't you got no feet?"
"Feet? Oh, yes" said Noble gently.
"I'm going away" And went back to
his seat.
After while he sought to study
his timetable. Ordinarily. his mind
was one Of those able to decipher and
comprehend railway timetables; he
had few gifts, but this was one Of
them. 1t failed him, now; and he
wandered back to the ticket-wlndow,
and, after urgent coaching, eventually
took his place at the end instead Of at
the head of the line that waited there.
In his turn he came again to the win
dow, and departed from 1t after II
conversation with the clerk which left
the latter in unconscious accord with
Aunt Fanny Atwater's commiserating
adjective. though the clerks own pity
was expressed in argot. "The poor
nut !" he explained to his next client.
wants to buy ticket on a train
that don't pull out till ten thirty-tive
tonight; and me film 1t all out.
stampin 1t and everything, what for
Turned out all his pockets and
couldn't come nearer'n eight dollars
short o. the price! Where you want
to goT'
Noble went back to his bench and
sat there for long time, though there
was no time long or short for him.
He was not yet consciously suffering
greatly; nor was he thinking at all.
True, he had dim, persistent impulse
to action-or else why should he be
at the statIon?-but for the clearest
expression Of his condition it Is neces-
sary to borrow culinary symbol; he
was Telling. The state Of shock was
slowly dispensing while a perception
of anguish as slowly increased. He
INn1 f, u htyN,t nf
intervals, and the Intervals were grow.
ing shorter.
ITO BE CONTINUED.)