The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-04-30
What Happened
to Mary
BY DORA NOLAN
WI As1i' by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate. :,

me girl occupying the stool near
Est the window, fourth from the corner
on 'ie sixth floor of huge skyscraper.
~ On certain day in january a
bright pink blouse. 1t caught the eye
VI man standing in the window on
tue corresponding floor of a hotel d.
recty opposite.
Fascinated, he watched her deft
nngers as, with the precision of a ma
chlne, she packed celluloid toilet ar
.icies INTO satin lined cases which she
'ooh from pile beside her. She did
NOT make lost motion.
when the girl came TO the end of
the pile of boxes she turned on her
STOOL and looked out of the window.
Her glance met that of the man in the
WINDOW opposite. She smiled. He &C.
knowiedged it by waving his hand.
she returned the salutation, then as a
boy deposited a fresh pile of boxes
beside her, returned to her work.
] win start Strong Lewis remem-
oered the warning words of his wife
spoken as he left their country home
Tor business trip to the city. With
a guilty feeling he hustled into hat
and overcoat and out of the hotel.
Ihe episode, however, had not escaped
The attention of the other girl who sat
at the same table. I'm tell Johnny
on you, Mary" she giggled.
Guess If l always keep them at that
distance, Sadie, JOhnny'll not have any
kick coming" the other replied. But
Johnny did have kick coming that
very night, and this is why.
When Strong Lewis returned to
his hotel room it was verging on FIVE
o'clock. With the instructive move
ment of a man who is not used to be-
ing coOped up indoors, he walked di-
rectly to the window. The girl in the
bright pink blouse sat in the same
place. Her fingers few back and forth
at the same task.
Been at 1t all day-and every day,
; suppose" the man soliloquized. How
on earth can she stand it?" Then his
, wife's warning, which hadn't been far
from his thoughts all day, came into
. the foreground again. Muttering some
!. thing about taking a chance" and
"a man named Brodie," Strong Lewis
watched the opposite window intently
The girls were making preparations t.
depart.
He hurried down into the street
Girls singly and in. groups. were string
ing out Of the doorway just across
from the hotel. But they wore coats
How could he tell. then, which one h
wanted? All! There she was; al
unbuttOned coat disclosed pinl
blouse.
Mary Cummings and her cousin
Sadie, accompanied by the girl wh'
hyed next door, had started to wal
home together, as was their custom
when Lewis approached them. He ad
dressed Mary. could l speak to you
! On a matter which may interest you!
II All the warnings which reach cit
girls from every side concerning tn
danger In accepting the advances
unknown men rushed through tn
minds Of, the three girls. Sadie shoe
her head. and that decided Mary. "Sh
wasn't going to be bossed by Sadi
inst because she was two years oide
and many degrees plainer!"
So Mary answered the stranger VIII
polite "Sure." Whereupon tn
mher girls walked ahead. turnin
.round occasionally to be sure ths
Mary and the strange man were 10
flowing. Then they FASTENED the
mace to bear the shameful tidings
Sadie's mother. who was also mary
aunt. .u
Stronp Lewis did most OF the tall
. inc until they reached the doorway
,he fat building where the cousin
lived. There Mary seemed to nay
ksomething to say. the while they "el
matched by two curious pairs OF ey'
from an open window above. But VINE
nsarv entered the fiat the window WI
3 1900 and her aunt confronted her.
.You,re Of age, Mary. and 1t ain
10 me TO say, but | won't nave ~
.,,ch coins on by anybody what ooar'
: nth me Think Of your mother wn
:. dead-and think of Johnny"
.My boards paid till sa.uruas, a. :
-, can't .tell-perhaps I'll leave .
ye-a then. With toss OF her nes
uarv went to the room wnich 81
shared with Sadie and closed the doe
| Ser sonn sadie appeared with the e.cu
- wanting 4 handkerchief s and !. ,
,nrninr. reported to her mother q
..Mary was doving up in best ouos
=. ssGie and her mother listened un
.,,av heard Mary leave her room q
.,art down the stairs HurrIed' w; 60
1890 ne front window and HOOK
ssu,iousIy down. a taxi drew
mo curb and q man jumped OUT
celn Mary in. Sadie was sure : !"
~ man who had waved. !,
Is ~, sI Girl from next door came ov
d,scnss the scandal and many s.
sosItions we're brought TO lor~ -. ro oeru
t,snnv Deland came for MS res'., =
Monday evening call upon MARY. a.. =
nS ,ov which they expected to deri
e., ,he telling Of the news v
srE.,.d BY Johnny. who mere
spl,.Sed his shoulders and remarke
6uApkSCu unr didn't get h