The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1922-01-18
By
Booth
Harrington
Copyright. 1921
by the Bell Syndicate, Inc.

placed the SCATTERING news within his
hand, Noble had changed his shoes
and his tie. He was but Il mechan-
ism he had no motive. The shoes he
put on were no better than those he
took off the fresh lie was no loVelier
than the one he had worn: nor had it
even the lucidity to he q purple one,
as evidence of grief. No; his action
was, If so viewed. "craZy," as Aunt
Fanny had called it. Agitation first
took this form: that was all. Love
and change of dress are closely allied
AMI 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
tracely here. too inlistinct to repay
contemplation.
When lie left the house he walked
end of tlis one.milo journey he r&n;
hut 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 Il bench and sat looking upward
for more than ten minutes; then rose
ana went to a ttckct-Window aud asked
for n timetable.
"What road:" &c clerk inquired
"-Nll points SOUTH said Noble.
He placed the timetable, still fold
ed, i'm his pocket. rested an elbow on
the brass apron of the window, ard
would lave given himself up to re-
aectionS. 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 10 say to the clerk. The latter
encouraged Their protests. and even
went SO far aS to cNclaim, For
heavens sake! Can't YOU let these
folks buy their ticketS:" And since
Noble sill did not moIt: My gosh.
haven't yea got ne feetT'
Feet? Oh. YES" said Noble gently.
I'm going away" And Went back 10
his seat.
After Il while he sought is study
his timetable. ordinarily, his mind
was one of those able to dceipher and
comprehend railway timetables; he
had tew gifts, but This was one of
them. II failed him, now: ana he
wandered back to the ticket window,
and. after urgent coaching. eventually
took his place at the end instead OF at
the head Of the line that waited there.
r.. H. ,trr, ia ~, ~ arain 70 tho vein.
dow. and departed from It after Il
conversation with the clerk which left
the latter in unconscious accord with
Aunt Fanny AtWater's commiserating
adjective. though tlfc clerks own pity
was expressed in argot. The poor
nut" he explained to his next client.
wants to buy a ticket on a train
that don't pull out till ten ~thirty-tiye
tonight and me film 1t all out.
stampin' ii and everything, what for.
Turned out all his pockets aud
couldn't come nearer'n eight dollars
short o. the price, Where you want
to CO.,
Noble went back to his bench and
sat there for Il long time. though there
was no time long or short for him.
lie was not yet consciously suffering
greatly nor was he thinking at all.
True, he had a dim. persistent impulse
Ia action-or else why should he be
Mt the station?-but for the clearest
expression of his condition it is neces-
Sary to borrow Il culinary symbol he
was telling. The state of shock was
slowly dispensing while Il perception
of anguish as slowly Increased. He
was beginning to swallow nothing st
intervals, and the intervals were grow
Ing shorter.
fTO BE CONTINUED