The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-03-18


While he was still In funds he
bought himself wooden khaki over
coat with one Of those enormous col
lars which look Ike an inverted
bucket when they are up and surpass
In efficiency the traditional black mask
so beloved byIlIustrsfors Of the week
ly press. He also had speaking slot
cut In the glass of the cab window
just behind his best ear and subse-
quentiy removed and lost the slide
that had been fitted over IT with CEN
siderable skill and trouble.
During the next few nights he pro-
ceeded to have the time of his life; so
much so that ae was constantly over
whelmed with wonder at his stupidity
in not having become taxi-driver
years before! II should be remem-
bered that Mr.. Randolph was Of New
York Yorsy; he knew everybody cas-
nalIy. from Mr.. Milyuns and his
daughter, Eileen, down TO the latest
addition to the pitifuI ranks Of the
midinette- More than that. so broad
| was his acQuaintanceship tnat as a
| sporting gent he had once or twice
been tipped off as to the where and
when of propose gun-play.
In addition to being by right Of birth
an integral part of all the social strata
| of Manhattaa. he knew the surface of
the island and of the adjacent COM
moner soil of the mainland consid-
erably better tLan he knew the palm
| Of his own hand. In fact, he could
scarcely ever have been conscious that
he had palm, even as map OF per-
sOnal fortune; for he who is complete
ly satisfied with the present never
worries about the future and Mr. Ran
dOlph had been born content.
With such an equipment, is It to be
wondered at that he found the taxi
field rich with unexpected and snr-
prising blooms7 Fair flowers, he Ilpd
known heretofore TO nod only over gea
tables and solid silver appeared sud-
denly transpianted - his cab and
ready to nod on a stalwart shoulder.
Strong male tiger-lilies of the money
market, grated TO the cushions of
taxi. became complacent pillars upon
which some clinging ivy twined-
I In six nights he learned the sound
that banker makes when slender
fingers tickle him under the chin; the
gasp of girl. first-kissed; the cry of
young man upon discovering the alb
sence Of grandfather's go.5 watch. his
since graduation day; the cluck Of a
top-hat fairly sat upon in the excite
ment of a moment that else would
have been tragic, the exasperating tap,
tap, tap. of hen-pecking tongue that
explained and cOndonei a murder mys-
terry in the next mornings papers, and
the sob of ruined yoUngster who had
played with borrowed money.
All these incidents took place with
people whom Mr.. Randolph knew or
knew Of and just TO show what an ex-
tremely honest young man he was, let
it be said that it did not once occur 10
him that he need never be poor while
humanity. supposedly in good stand
ing. continued to lay itself open TO
hlackmail at the rate of case a night.
At the same time. he was not stupid
and occasionally tapped out a missiye
loaded with dynamite on the garage
typewriter when no one was around
Here is sample.
Mr.. Poindexter MacGuler, Sir: as
I was driving you and Miss B. B.
larSt night who was foster-mOthered
by an aunt of friend of a friend of
nine. l heerd you talkin TO her and
all got to say Is If l see you out
I hR, s-hn - 30, -
matrimony I'll get another friend of
mine TO get Mr.. Robert Herv Ran
dolph to tell what he knows about
you cheaten AT cards on Dec. 3 last"
Nights that gave birth in the morn
Ing TO such fiiterary tit-bits ctuld
scarcely be called duh. but ii was not
long before Mr.. Randolph found him
self threatened by an unexpected mo-
nOtonoVs employment. Unfortunately
for his entertainment, his reputation
as the one par excellence St. Bernard
IifeSaver TO the inebriate elite spread
rapidly throughout the Force so that
the telephone was constantly burdened
during the wee hours with the follow
ing: SAY. is Slim hervey on the johf
1 f'NAAs NANAA uC ttAl-CS W NSi4 lLu SQE
another tailor-nIOtleI drunk here what
has lost his home address from his
mind"
With suspicious suddennsSs AFR
Randolph proceeded TO forget half his
school and eliminates and col6-hloodeti-
iy leave them 10 their fate and
night out, not without coming to grief
on nj least one occasion. however
what are you comm over me1~ de-
Hsanded the iTate captain OF the Nth
precinct, ''You aiu't fnrgnr that you
was vally 10 r. II. Randolph for seven
years, have ya2 Has all his frens
gene on the wagant"
II locked like loop-hoie. "Sure. -