The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-08-15

NTHEN BERTHE LOUIS mouse was
w completed in late spring she
advertised it for sale.
A thin, oldish young man left
cheap furnished room in poor Sec
ton of the city on the day the ad-
Vertisement appeared ana bought a
bunch of bananas from a fruit
stand. The dealer wasted no money
in paper bags.
The young man tucked the news
paper wrapped bundle under his
arm and went back to his room. He
had been lily nourished for weeks,
so he climbed the four flights OF
stairs slowly.
In his room he set about prepar-
Ing his frugal lunch. A banana
and a glass Of milk.
Perhaps he would get a job that
day, Or the next 1t had been long
lane he'd been wandering down
Jobs had marked it like milestones.
Jobs that he could not hold because
a face with soft brown eyes and
tender lips intruded itself between
his eyes and the pages of his Iedgers
Figures and memories did not mix
in bookkeeping.
One kindly boss had tod him to
take course in concentration. The
trouble was that he concentrated too
deeply, but not upon his work. Once
he had been out of a job for weeks
and his money had gone entirely be-
fore he found another, temporary
place, special work. He had gone
hungry then.
And he had not eaten a solid meal
since, even when he was employed.
1t proved to be a sound idea, be-
cause it enabled him to eat the other
half of the time. That is to say, he
was without work as often as he had
it. But he YVES never down to his
last penny again.
There was one job on which he
seemed to be making good, when
he was served with papers in divorce
proceedings. Then he slipped back
into the habit that had cost him his
earlier positions. He fell to dream
ing of BERTHE Lou.
He was always thinking of her.
Even now when, his lunch over, he
started to peruse the male help
wanted columns of the newspaper
that had been wrapped about the
bananas.
There was nothing for him. He'd
have to start the round of the en-
ployment agencies again. His eye
wandered from the last help wanted
column to the next. 1t was houses
for sale.
Here was one in Moonfelds.
Wasn't that the place he had gone
to with BERTHE Lou? Sure it was.
He read on with awakened interest.
The advertisement intrigued him.
1t didn't sound at all like regular
ad. All about house that had been
built too late for the owner to be
happy in. And only happy people
were asked to come and see it.
Rod-it was Rod, Of course
read it twice, put it down and
later read it again. 1t was a silly
ad, sort Of.
A sideshow trick of some one, he
surmised. He wouldn't pay any at
tention to it if it weren't at Moon
f1elds-and he hadn't gone there
with BERTHE Lou to look over the
place as a prospective home site.
He remembered how much he'd
wanted one little house out there
in particular.
He kept on thinking Of Moon
fields until suddenly he was seized
WITH a desire to see the place again.
He had never gone back after that
first visit. Why not go and see this
house that was advertised?
An hour later he was on a train,
with a return trip ticket to Moon
fields in his pocket. The day was
Sunday, and it seemed that New
York was trying to depopulate it.
self. Rod had to stand. But he
was so glad to be going some place
to have destination other than
an office waiting room, that he was
indifferent to discomfort.
From the station he walked to
the rows of cottages. 1t was easy
to find the one he sought. Why,
it must be the very one he had
looked at with BERTHE Lou.
Roc stood moment on the side
walk and surveyed the house with
q feeling of being in a trance. No,
this was brand new, but he would
have sworn it was the same house
His memory must have played him
trick.
Then he looked down the street,
at the other houses. No two were
exactly alike, but in some there was
o similarity.
He told himself this house must
have been copied from the one he
had liked so much. mot a very
lucky house, in spite of it's charm"
he unused, thinking of the adver-
tiSement.
He wondered if any one was
around to show it to him. He
thought he saw movement at one
of the windows. A moment later he
lifted the wrought-iron knocker and
announced his presence.
The door was opened by a girl
with a round, good-natured face
wherein were heaps Of freckles and
a nice grin.
How do you do?" Rod said. "This
IS the house that was advertised,
believer"
why yes. it is" the girl told
him pleasantly and held the door
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