Phillips County herald., 1923-07-05
SECOND GLANCE
BY GRACE cANFlELp
90 by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate

~ ham gently; "prunes make me
sneeze." His landlady, Miss Caruth.
looked up In surprise, to Mr.. Pelham's
qualification. Ills first experiment had
worked
When he reached his Office that
morning, he walked to his desk, and
opening his drawer. laid his hat In,
side instead of hanging it on the wall.
ITS Il theory of mine." he explained
to Evelyn that evening. when she ques-
toned him about the odd color effect
Of his red-clocked hose and his purple
tie. II have decided to be famous, as
the quickest way to wealth." He pom
dered moment '"To be u novelist
would be best, think"
A speculative CLEAN came into Eve
lyn's lovely blue eyes, but she was not
one to cr'tlcise without being sure of
ger ground.
wont you please explain 1t to me?"
she asked. with deceptive nalvete.
"Wel," Stanley began, with the com
Portable assurance a man assumes
when explaining anything to woman,
what u man is, depends entirely upon
what his neighbors think he is. They
are going to think me genius"
but how" querled Evelyn, "if you
don't really write the noyels?"
whats "A novel?"' scoffed Pelham.
anyone can write enc. Just look ut
the junk turned out every day. But
the minute mans name gets known,
his work sells like wildfre SO wear
funny ties, and say that prunes make
me sneeze and keep my hat in the
desk drawer ar3 lot of other things.
People always notice. They stop and
lock at lie again. Take 1t from me,
Evelyn, :t's t1at second glance that
cO4nts. DO you understanGr'
Evelyn looked over the list Of
pecullarlties which Stanley had lert
proudly with her. 1t contained such
items as "never swim In fresh water:
"airplanes Instruments Of the devil";
"jewelry distasteful"; "never use
Christian names" Evclyn's pencil
paused halfway down the sheet, and
she smiled with satisfaction.
Pelham, raising his ringless hands in
horror that evening over the ide~ of
attending light opera. was pleased to
observe the curious eyes Of many Of his
fellow boarders upon him. The con-
versatIon gradually veered about to the
subject of crime. and Pelham expressed
the opinion that many Of the burglarics
in the neighborhood recently had been
committed by airplane pilots. too con-
spicuous to be suspected"
"AIrs. Stones house. now" he said.
"'rhat chain OF pearls might he laid
along the end Of wing support, and
not be discovered in hundred years"
"Or 1t might be kept in desk
drawer" said one of the boarders cas-
ually. Pelham looked up. and unac-
countably reddeneds
"You know" remarked second
boarder. "there il theory that those
burglnries are done by someone In this
nelghborhood."
Pelham was uneasy when he rose
from the dinner table. though he re-
peatedly told himself that he was un-
reasonable. Nevertheless. when he
paused Mt corner to arrange his pur-
pie tie, he turned, flushing. from a
nearby policeman. For The first time
since the formulation OF his theory. he
shrnnk from the second glance.
"Why don't you wear pins any
more?" asked Peck at the Office, and
ff.naAIlnIAlu fnrgal hfa m
mentary discomfort.
II detcst jewelry and such affecta-
tlon." he pronounced p0mpously. and
watched for the familiar CLEAN OF won
der In Peck's eye. Instead, he saw a
narrowed. speculative gllmmer.
Listen here. Pelham" Peck's voice
wns lowered. I'm not one TO butt In.
and you would be snfe with me any
where. but you'd better watch your
step No one trusts his nclghbor now
adEys. That Stone affair made things
pretty serious"
"whnt do you meanf' cried Pelhnm.
"Nolhlng. probably" Peck shrugged.
"But II doesn't pay for n man TO begin
suddenly acting queer. Better line up
with the others-if you can" with
this parting shot he strollod on
II was Il miserable day for Pelham.
Every time glance was directed
toward him he shrnnk ns from blow.
The result was that he seemed quecrcr
than ever. His mind wns In turmoil.
What on cnrth could he do TO defect
such ridiculous suspicion from hlmself1
"How IL the author. stanleyf" cried
Evelyn. brightly. that evening.
Don't spcnk Of i'' Pelham pnlcd a
little. "rvc been an awful fool. Eve
lyn, aud now may be In for some
thing serious. Why on earth didn't
know enough 10 stick TO the hardware
buslness1" he finished sayngcly.
"Thcn you've given up your plnnT
Perhaps the disappointment In her
voice was not NJ reDl IN she tried 10
make II. for Pelham looked Mt her
closely.