The Washington times., 1925-07-13


lapses that perhaps. al unccnsci-
ously on my part, kept me from
realizing the full iniquity Of my
behavior, not only as applying to
Osborne, but to othe-s. : had
once heard Older say, when told
that = drunkard's kindred and All
friends had deserted him, THAT
means he needs help. wen see
what We can do-for him."
Too Forgivink.
The remark had struck me as
biz and noble, but at the same
time 4 have often wondered II It
did not also act as . sort Of spec
ulative safety station In my sub
conscious mind. The knowledge
that he reasoned that way was
always with me afterward, and
while never deliberately specu-
lated on it's significance as ap-
Piled to myself. have since, In
the effort to understand and con.
aeer the ihsldiousness Of alcohol,
tried to decide whether or not
fcrgiving friends are always wise.
Who knows? DFunkards without
friends 50 down anyway. Drum.
ards with friends are sometimes
saved.
Osborne looked me over ana
then a,1rAAsted fhAt we visit q
dermatnlnkisE. -4---
81 know q place close ny where
they win fix you up 50 that youM
look perfectly natural he said.
An hour later when / coI1tenA-
plated my self ia the hand mirror
Whleh the operator handed to me
aftsr suhdry applications to my
face. I was astonished and graft
fled. Il took close inspection for
me to see that there was anything
af1iss with my count6nance.
-he speech ct the Colony Club
was well received. though one
elderly lady, much Is my relief,
went to .sleep. she had been re-
sardIng me steadily through : good
lorenette, making me fearfuily
conscious OF my r1ade-up face.
oaborne paAs Ritli-n me and Lincoln
steffens was at bur table also.
Farewell to srosns OSBORNE.
Altogether. I remained In the
East nearly three month";. speak
ink at clubs, churches schools.
universities ana civic otEaniza.
lions In various .citiAs. The sho1Iz
orarfums ran from SIS 20 $50,
thodgh In some cases the speak.
ing was gratis. I never asked Tor
anythings Such fees as I recsived
were voluntary.
My<last engagement was before
the city club in Philadelphia. and
a had a reservation for an
early afternoon train to Washing
ton, I was obliged to- leave be-
fore the luncheon ended. shook
hands with Tom Osborne as un.
ostentAtiously az I could and left
him there at the table. With the
exception of my lapse In New
York I had managed TO kSer.
sober and had aequitted myself
wen in the eyes or everyone.
think that having frequent speak
ing and other engagements re.
eufrine my presence in good trim
before obServins and critical people
had & lot to do with my abstinence.
Az that time still had Z good
quota Of pride, sufficient, ~ least.
TO keep me halfway straight from
day to day.
A BfbuIous Stay h WashinGton.
In washington I waS free from
all restraint, and promptly got In
toxicated. remaining there several
days before leaving for st. Louis.
There was no particular reason
why / should have stopped in
either washington or st. Louis.
had been in both cities before.
I must have made these stops
solely with. the idea OF self in
diligence.
In ST. Louis ran out Of money.
I had q number Of checks II. my
pocket, I-spent an entire morning
trying to get one Of these checks
cashed. But I was unknown
there. I had a hotel bill TO pay
and wanted to continue my jour-
ney. Finally. I thought Of Marion
Reedy, editor Of the Mirror. and
made my way to his very much
disordered sanctum. He had read
my first book and received me
cordially. asking me TO lunch.
When we returned to his office
I broached the subject Of getting
q check cashed. He laughed and
said something about that being
against his. policy, but quickly
added: rot course, / don't know
for a certainty that you're Donald
Lowrie. ;. but 7 think you are"
Then he unused a moment before
looking At me with q twinkle In
his eyes. "If can't trust an ex-
convict who can I trust?" he
asked. :.How much is the check?"
I took some papers from my inner
coat pocket. seeking one or the
smaller checks.
Why, you've got a pock9tful!