Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1925-05-02
Beyond
Understanding
By C. P. WILSON

T HEARD fellow make speech
l. once and he claimed it was easy
to learn All about women. All you
had to do WIS to study them. I've
Wondered S,nce how he got away from
his Keeper It's like this. Hazel got
sore III ne because said that he
nlAa wouldn't clerk in grocery
store.
IFS more refined and takes more
brains than d..N.n1 Il mule in d coal
mine, 81" argued. naughty like.
"McHnn. that because I'm mule
skinner I'm shy under the hat"
>;iu getting sore myself. james
Johnson. a clerk in the company
Stor''. has been ing to beat ne on;
of Hazel for a Ion. time Naturally
having him throWH up to me didn't
make Il hit
Meaning that very thing" Huzr:
agreed
'All right. I'm cr"zy," tod he'
Sarca>tirally. 81 Pull down eight do
'"rs and quarter every day WOW
and that counter hopper you refer
W WV - tiittfsN OhNi WV III q " NNN'
moneys not everything" I said
cooking wise.
ut won't buy culture and rein"
ment," Hazel answered. 'Nh"I fu,
tUre is there ahead of you: Mailing
but following Il mule around u;':l y"u
get too Old or all crippled mp"
"Well, I'll die game. AWAY"
said. II won't be standin. be-! Nd =
counter going stale with the RI e.
the cheese And that's that. a. -"
fellow said when the white M
kicked him. I'll be around at ri-:!'
the dance"
IF you do you'll have u trip dow.
here for nothing" Hazel told me. I'm
going TO tine dance with James"
"Where's he going to get the price
of two tickets: knock down enough
ting ugly. Il hope I never see yoU
again
l hated this Johnson bird worse
than any Of my rivals. He was a
classy dresser and good locker and
he sure swung a mean line of talk
about ambition and culture. He could
spring convincing line of dope about
labOring man never getting any
where, and he could show you, will
talk, that grimy hands never handled
much money. He about had Hazel be
lieving it, too. That's what made mt
sore. Me making more in two weeks
than he did in month and then hin
raving about me not getting any
where.
The dance, thought / was going f
take Hazel to, was 10 be some affair
1t was generally understood arounG
town that Hazel was my girl and
knew If l didn't take her to the dance
that the coal diggers on my run would
razz me ragged about it.
After I'd got home and cooled off
gave myself good cussing for get
ting into an argument with Hazel, "
| couldn't figure on, a way to square
myself l did call her up the next
evening figuring maybe she hAG
changed her mind or that johnson
couldn't raise tie price. but sEt
wouldn't talk to me.
There was biz crowd at the dance
didn't want to go but I'd helped get
it up and couldn't very we'll stay away
Johnson was there. all dolled up like
a clothing store dummy and Hazel was
with him. looking like million dol
lars.
1t made me feel awful blue to watch
them dance together. love lost. shat
tered romance, effect, If you know
what mean and you do If you wer
ever in love and had fellow take your
girl away from you. The boys Were
carrying on pretty high about me los.
Ing my girl and that didn't help calm
me down any. I'd heard that women
were crazy about cave-man stuff, So
| figured tl.at if pulled off a little OF
the same, it might set me right with
Hazel. l watched until l saw John
son go in the coat room to take a
smoke and followed him in.
you've got your nerve with you
bringing my girl to this Dance" l said
"YOur girl?" he said, smiling at me
How do you get that way?"
maybe after l get through chang
ing your map. you'll understand"
told him.
LET me get you right" he said. "Are
you trying to pick fight with me be
cause 1 brought Hazel to this dance?
Not trying to, Pm going to-" ! an
swered, and slapped him on the side OF
the face.
He stepped back and began taking
off his coat.
II hate to do it," he grinned. cool
and calm. always remember that you
brought it on yourself"
Some Of the boys who saw the fight
say that it was short but fast and fu
riOuS. l don't remember much about
it myself Johnson did most of the
fighting and l did most of the trying.
I'll have to admit that he whipped mt
good and plenty and I don't thins
l so much as mussed his hair. After
it was all over the boys washed my