Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-31
Mary or
El0ise?
Which
Should Win
Unusual Hero?

| "eO ovvut iesbonS--! why, i guess
yes. Miss Sherman would be the one,
She's teacher for the third grade. she
lives here in the hotel. ri Introduce
you to her after dinner. She and Miss
winters sit over in the bay in the din.
Ing room. You'll see them
But when =. Il. Kinwydden. came in
the dining room and seated himself mod
estly and quickly at the nearest empty
table, he saw no one but the waitress
that advanced upon him--a tall young
waitress. deep -bosomed and dark eyed,
MS unconscious of her beauty, Il np.
peared. as Il young tree, moving in her
black .and. white uniform. through n
ciatter Of dishes and orders, as though
she were walking through some fairy
forest, enchanted and alone. A face
sad with romantic sadness that cleared
oil Its lines and contours of vulgarity,
subdued its vivid tints to n veiled mys.
terious glamour of remoteness.
Q's experience of biscuit shooters"
was intimate and fairly extensive. They
had played the leading feminine roles
In most of his contacts with civilization.
To his mind this girl became the Queen
Of Biscuit. Shooters. And he spoke his
mind.
''By God"' he said. "if you aren't
the handsomest, classiest woman ever
saw"
She blushed vividly and her face filled
with charming amusement. ''Order.
sir?"
Fetch me anything you like; I'll
take 1t lynn down"
tomato soup. BY that time he had
discovered Miss Sherman and Miss Win.
ters dining together in the bay window
Of the room. He carefully inspected
them. They were eating sadly and fas-
tidiously. One was thin and sweet
and pale. She sat as though she had
backache. and the other was strong and
ruddy with dimples and reddish curly
hair.
"I'd "a knowed them for school
mar,ns anywheres,' Kinwydden con-
tided to the waitress. "Ain't 1t funny
how the work earmarks 'em all alike?"
The head waiter. n short, squat man
with pimpled and perspiring face. OBJ
viously disapproved Of the River Ho-
tells latest guest. He lodged about,
polishing glasses ansrily as though tley
were weapons in his armory.
kinwydden fingered over his meal
until the school teachers had finished
theirs. As they passed his table, he
ripplcd quickly to his feet.
''Ma am" he said.
They both stopped and they both
crimsOned. The head waiter circled
nearer. making little buzzing sounds of
vexation in his throat.
which of you is schoolmarm for the
third gradc!' asked Kinwydden gently.
His respect for them was so great and
30 apparent that Miss Sherman recov-
cred her self.possession and smiled.
~ am she said. 'Can do any
thing for your
Yes. ma'am. I'm seeking informa
ticn about school learnin'."
Both ladies looked surprised. Come
into the sitting room out here said
Miss sherman. "You come. too,
Lease. Miss Winters. Now''-as thew
all three entered the stiff and vanished
r0om--"tell me just whnt you want to
know"
.. t. kinwydden turned his extraor.
dinary eyes from one Indy to the other.
Miss Sherman was suddenly conscious
or warm sensation Of mOthprliness.
The young man stood gracefully.
grav"ly. shyly. the color deep in his
bronze cheeks.
"Readin' and wrtin' and arithme.
tic.:.' he said in his gentlcst voice.
re paused. Neither of his listeners
spoke.
Typography and history and poetry
and litcrature------''
Languages alive and dead" he con.
cluded.
Miss Sherman drew long breath
Miss Winters had walked rather quickly
over to window and turned her face
away. Miss Sherman took two stems
Sideways and sat down. She mOtioned
'. j. kinwydden TO another chuir and
| Srll"d at him. Her dimDies decu.ned
! Now | think | understand" she
sad. '1ou have II son.
No. mn am. I'm Il bachelor. Mus,
you be married man to get in?''
"Oh-Oh. no. You mcun--you really
mean. Mr.-cr-'
'"Kinwydden."
'Mr.-er-"
"Kinwydden. Q. Z. Kinwydden.
Mr.. Knwydden. you mean-yolr.
self" ''''
Eyes. ma am"
'ion mean you want to enter the
public school TO study all those sub.
jects:'
Yes. ma am" lie was leaning for.
ward slightly. his elbows on his knees,
his eyes lifted anxiously to her. "Ain't
it possble:' he asked.
"Why-I don't know. Mr.-er-"
'kinwydden. ] sometimes wish II
was easier myself. 1t amt rightly
mine. II was wished onto me-" His
smile was by far the most disarming
movement that Miss Sherman had ever
seen on any human countenance. It
broke up the rather set and grim gravity
Of his face, took dozen hard years
from his age. and showed pleasant
row of white and even teeth. II was
lik" the laying by Of piece of defensive
armor, perhaps the lifting of II visor.
'Well. Mr., Kinwydden. it might be
possible hut | really wouldn't advise
II. ! Surmise you have not been able
to complete your educationT'
II haven't been able to begin it.
ma am.
"Wen, it seems TO me better. if
You can afford it, to take private lessons
! from II teacher.
"Oh, ain't afeared Of the little
boys smiled Kinyyddsn.
'No. that isn't what | mean.
think youd learn better and quicker.
You see, n mature mind gets over the
ground much faster"
Mine won't, ma am ltll be all
! slide rock and down timber TO me
learnin'."
"Rut If it's going to be harder for
you than for child then even more
advisable I should think il for you to
! have private tutor-or''-a sudden
| illumination Frightened her kind and
dlmpled countGnance. She turned to
! Miss Winters. "Oh. Grace" she
cried why not pupil for Miss Gr!ns-
coombe?"
There was a sudden silence in ,he