The northwestern bulletin., 1923-08-18
The Pathetic
Mr.. Jones

c. isa'. BY Mcclure Ns~sps0sr syndisass.>
you don't need to worry, Mary !;
he's not eligiblep
Mrs. John Warren watched the ex-
precision Of relief that changed Mary
IDale's face unbelievably,
Thank goodnessl" Mary sighed.
III you knew what II means to me,
darlingl The very sound Of an eligible
takes away my breath, and the sight
of him takes away my speechp
"You don't need to explain to me.
Mary" Mrs. Warren Laughed II know
itp
Mary sat down On the four>poster
bed In the guest room and smiled very
charmingly.
II know I'm hopeless Twenty-sight
and not a single beau But I've al
ways been that way II I know a
mans married, safely married, I can
take fancy to him; that is, I can feel
he's human being; but the minute I
think he's bachelor, that he's young,
good-looking. that my friends are look
'Iing at me expectantiy, then every
things all up"
That's why I asked you to this lit
tie dinner with John and me and this
Mr.. Jones. Rather pathetic person,
Mary. He married when he was very
young; wretch Of q woman, and she
leads him life. He never speaks
about her; he tries to be cheerful"
She rose, looked into the full-length
mirror at her slender figure, In orange
and satin, and smiled to her own re-
Election. Mary followed her, and stood
q moment staring In at herself, too.
It was rather a shame she reelected,
to waste q perfectly new black and
silver evening frock on q poor, old
married man, and slippers with gilt
terfng buckles and q bandeau Of sill
yer across her dusky hair.
But, she thought, II the man hadn't
been married she would have been
awkward and shy and uninteresting In
spite Of her twenty-eight years-in
spite Of the fact that she was the head
secretary for the president Of the
lCOr1ntn stone works.
| As she went down the hall slowly
and stopped moment at the nursery
door where John, Jr, curled In his
little white crib with his cherubic face
rosy with sleep, Mary sighed. It was
Jail very well to be secretary to the
president, but there were other things.
Still thoughtfully she went down the
stairs, admiring the mahogany BAN
lister rail and the charmingly decorated
hall. the bowl Of June roses on the
lconsole table.
| Mrs. Warren had John, Jr, and her
garden and her charming home; and
John himself, who was not to be dis
counted. But she had her work. Some
times her work had way Of seeming
like a very dull and prosaic treadmin
and this was one Of the times.
When she crossed the threshold Of
the living room she noticed that It was
Iempty, and then with q start she saw
% man rise from chair by the window
Johns friend, that unfortunate Mr..
Jones.
It was the most natural thing In the
world to speak to him. She found him
easy to talk with. She rather liked his
quiet, large face. with the remarkably
handsome eyes.
He bore his suffering wonderfully
well. she reflected. and his smile was
lons Of the most delightful she had
ever seen.
81 think the Warrsns are wonderful
people," he was saying, "with their
Ieasy way Of running things. It's al
ways so jolly to stay with them. Are
Iyou staying longY'
"Just over Sunday" Mary answered.
II am. too. 1t means everything to
me to get away and get q rest"
Mary nodded sympathetically. She
understood him. What a shame he
had such an unpleasant wifei
They were deep In talk Of the kind
|of house they would like to build
when Mrs. Warren came In.
isn't 1t funny, Mr. Jones says he's
keen about Dutch colonial houses, too |;
hes been telling me the kind"
Dinner, childrenw Mabel Warren
said with ghost Of q smile. and as
she thrust her arm through her
friends she said softly; "Try to cheer
him as much as you can, Maryi Make
him talk. He's been all over the world |;
ask him about It and get his mind
loff himself"
BY the pressure Of her hand Mary
Igave her consent.
But during dinner she had very lit
tie time to talk. She and John and
Mabel were held enthralled by the pa
Ithetic Mr.. Jones, who told stories of
Africa, where he had hunted lions; of
India, where he had elephant hunted,
THAT held them breathless.
Mary marveled again at his splendid
|fortitude. She almost hated that
Iwretched wife Of his.
After dinner they went out into
|Mabel's charming strip Of garden.
There was q wrath Of q moon and
THE sky was silvered over with stars;
Iall the fragrances Of June roses and
|pinks hugging the garden walks made