South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-05-01

"ee-lunch counter Ho caught
i'eetihg glance from the bartcnd-
eye and stood still trying to-
eN IAe business man who had
Just oined az the Menger and was
Malting Tor friend who had pron-
10 PICK him up in his motor car
urly histrionic powers we're oauatI
= the impersonation. but his make
Enp was wanting.
me bartender rounded the bar in
aauai way. looking up at the cell
though he was bordering
s0iile intricate problem OF kalsomin-
aIs OF tramphood spent out of the
"rhiy mat the roadster had ra ex-
'uses ready IrresistibIy. but so com
ho@edly that IL seemed almost alb
bentmindedness on his part. the dis
penser OF drinks pushed Curly 90 the
S"inging doors and kicked him out.
win nonchalance that almost
amounted 10 sadness. That was the
way OF the southwest.
curiy arose from the gutter leis-
uFeiy' He felt no anger or resent
ment toward his ejector. Fifteen
careless. liberal. Irregular sort But
- years OF his life had hardened the
rs OF his spirit. The slings and
>arrows Of outrageous fortune fell
bi1nted from the huckler OF his ar
INQUIRED pride. with especial rcsig-
nation did he suffer cOntumcIy and
INJURY az tho hands Of bartenders.
Naturally. they were his enemies.
and unnaturally. they were often his
friends. He had 20 take his chances
with them. But ne had not yet
learned 90 estimate these cool. lam
} sud. southwestern knights of the
bungstarter. who had the manners
of an Earl of Pawtucket. and who,
when they disapproved Of your pres
ence, moved you with the silence
and despatch Of a chess automaton
advancing a pawn
Curly stood for "a few moments i'm
the narrow. mesquite paved street.
san Antonio puzzled and disturbed
him Three days he had been a
non-paying guest Of the town. hav-
ing dropped off there from "A box
car OF an l. x g. y. freight. because
Greaser Johnny had told him ia Des
Moines that the Alamo was mamma
fallen, gathered. cooked. and served
free with cream and sugar. Curly
had found the tip partly a good one
|. There was hospitality i'm plenty of a
y careless liberal. irregul1d sort. But
the town itself was a weight upon
|, his spirits after his experience with
] the rushing, business-Iikc, system
atized cities Of the north and east
Here he was often flung a dollar.
but too frequently a good-natured
4 kick would follow II. once T. band Of
hilarious cowboys had roped him on
Military Plaza and dragged him
= across the black soil until no re-
spectacle ragbag would have stood
sponsor for his clothes. The wind
ing. doubling streets. leading no
where. bewildered him. And then
there was little river. crooked as "A
pot-hook, that crawled through the
middle OF the town. crossed by a
hundred little bridges so nearly alik @
that they got on Curly's nerves And
the last bartender wore "a number
nine shoe.
The saloon stood on a corner. The
hour was o'clock. Homcfarers
and outgoers jostled Curly on the
narrow stone sidewalk. Between the
building to his left ne looked down
cleft that proclaimed itself an
\ other thoroughfare. The alley was
I dark except for one patch of light.
Where there was light there was
bure To be human beings. Where
there were human beings after
1ightfall i'm san Antonio there might
De food. and there was sure To be
. drink So Curly headed for Lhe
light
.~'rhe illumination came from
.SchwegeTs cafe. on the sidewalk in
front OF it Curly picked up an old
envelope. il might have contained
a check for "A million. 1t was empty;
hut the wauderer read the address.
MIR otto SchwegeI." and the name
Of the town and state The post
mark was Detroit. Curly entered the
saloon. And now in the light 1t
Gould he perceived that he bore the
Vstamp of many years OF vagabond-
age. lie had none Of tho tidiness OF
the calculating and shrcwd profess
sional tramp. His wardrobe repre-
scented the cast-off specimens of
lalf a dozen fashions AMI eras. Two
actorics had combined their efforts
n providing shoes for his feet. rs
ON gazed at him there passed
through your mind vague impress
sions of mummies. wax figures. Rus
,ian exiles. and men lost ON desert
stands His face was covered almost
% his ewes with a curly brown beard
hat ne kept trimmed short with a
iocket-knife. and that had furnished
lim with his nom de route Light
sIue eyes. fulI of sulIeuncss. fear
.unning. impudence. and fawniug
-itDcssed the stress that had been
nut upon his soul.
The saloon was small and i'm its
.r1osphere the odors Of meat and
\ rink struggled for the asceudeuCy
gbe pig and the cabbage wrestled
vi;h hydrogen and oxygen. Behind
he bar Schwegel labored with an as
sfStant whose epidcrmal pores show
al no signs OF being obstrUcted Hot
vicuerwurst and sauerkr1ut were be-
nr served 10 purchasers of beer
'urlv shunled 10 the end OF the bar
-oughed houowly and told Schwegel
that he was Detroit Cahiuct-makcr
out OF job.
II followed as the night the day
-. hat ne got his schooner and lunch.
Was YOU acquainted maybe NIT
Heinrich Strauss in Detreit2 asked
Schwegcl.
Did I know Heinrich Strauss 90
repeated Curly. affectionately. why
| saw. 30. 1 wish I had dollar for
very game OF pinocle me and Heinz
has played on sunday afternoons.
More beer and second plate Of
food was set before the diplomat