New Britain herald., 1921-09-01
HIS OLD HOME TOWN
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(Continued from Fourth Page) brown derby tilted back at dan gerous angle. rown-buttoned shoes propped upon the rail. this stranded alien opene1 damp copy of his Sun day newspaper.
 A headline and two pictures upon an inner sheet.
 "Landis!" he spoke softly aloud. Thought so. Opened last night in new piece. eh? Wonder how it. hallo!''
 The other picture had intruded it. self-the picture of the author of the new piece. And now, as he gazed at it more closely and recognition came. 9 queer expression spread slowly across his face.
 Many times since the afternoon several months before when, with MT. Dodge he had viewed the return of Warchester's prodigal son to the haunts of his youth, the drummer had vexed himself with conjecture concerning that shabby figure. In one way its familiarity was easily ac- counted for. The drummer had never forgotten that other day, years back, when a cinder-soiIed figure stood with the same Airedale which was waiting now on the platform with Abel Thompson, and watched a plum-up- holstered barouche chatter off up the street.
 Gordon James, he breathed to himself. Jimmy Gordon, Now. why couldn't you have guessed that, you poor boob, without a set of pictures to help you! His own Home Town! O boy-O boy! And I was right a hannanadf"
 Across the square the gentleman O. color had come to his feet smiling widely, as a pair of high-checked gray horses. harnessed to a bulbous, plum upholstered barouche, rounded Main street corner and came swing ing down Front, the chatter of their feet upon the pavement a marvellous imitation of those hoofbeats which trap-drummers were wont to beat out upon their shells, for the added vividness 1t lent to motion-picture steeds.
 There were a man and a girl in the barouche, and pile of worn bags, thickly labeled. Both of them the drummer recognized instantly, but it was a long white streamer of ribbon whipping lazily behind on the breeze that held fascinated his gaze.
 Looks like a-a wedding" he ven- tured uncertainty, at length, and for once his speech, in the presence of MT. Dodge, was faltering.
 The manager of the hotel could not spare him even a pitying glance at that moment, though his reply | came with the patness of a verbatim | report.
 Jimmy Gordon and Miss Landis. | his leadin' lady married today at | high noon St. Luke's that | young rector. Blair. offlciatin'. Dun cans retired"
 The barouche was nearing now. It | was quite possible to see even from | the veranda of the Bay state, the | splendid little smile upon the girls | curling lips The Bay state manager | was bending double. and repeating | the salute at accurate intervals; the | drun:mer found himself encountering | Jimmy Gordon's pale blue, mildly | amused regard. and suddenly he. too. was upon his feet. lowing. his round | faco pink, his stiff brown derby in | one har1.
 And Carol Gordon, nee Landis. bobbed her head to him as the bar ouchc rounded up to the platform and delivered them over to Abel.
 Where's the plump old party who used to- He completed the ques- ton by waving a hand in the direc- tion of the disappearing barouche.
 Mir. Dodge's patronizing smile was L 
 Banks" he said. 'I guess you ain't been long in this town. Old Banks? Bermuda-thats where they said he was going-or Havana. For his health,'' He laugher, harshly. Well, I guess most any of those places are healthier than jail!'
 Hum -m-m.'' murmured the drum mer. "Hurned crooked. eh?"
 Never was anything else, Sold out everything he had before he left. except his place up on the hill Hem derson's livery bought that rig of his that just brought Jimmy Gordon down to the station. And Jimmy Gordon-why. he used to drive hack for Henderson, when he was a boy, There was a lot of people in this town that used to run Jimmy Gordon down. till it got to be the fashion. But I-I told 'em. I knew he'd make good in the end"
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