The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-06-19

white cloud fading away overhead;
helpless against stronger forces.
Gently, tenderly, wistfully, Irene
admitted her failings, until her
meekness stirred pity in young
Tommy's breast.
There are boys who do not believe
that girls should be told all their
thoughts and Tommy was one of
them. Tommy held the image of
a sanity mother in his heart.
Amantha Wilson, dying, had taken
with her the chance of destroying
her sons illusions about her as
living mothers may do. To Tommy
she was a sweet and fragrant men,
ory. No sex that claimed her could
ever fail entirely of his respect.
A ND there was Beryl. Without
IA knowing it Tommy based his
opinion of girls largely upon his
knowledge of Beryl. She, it was.
who had taught him to respect
himself.
But from many others he had
learned while he was with Pol Lar
kin that the town folk did not
share that respect. He was a
"ne'er-do-well," ''loafer," a mo
account" Though they did not still
call him these names, the scars
which the scathing epithets had left
still remained.
He could not deny that they were
justified to great extent, but COM
ing as they did when he was fran
tic with the vision of Irene in an
other mans arms torturing his
mind, they had come close to max
ing lasting outlaw Of him.
The scars were growing fainter
now. While the last Of criticism
at this time would have burned
them raw, they grew fainter with
praise.
Tommy's character was not yet
developed to the point where he
could stand alone, unmoved by the
attitude Of his fellow men toward
him. Thus he found Irene's homage
both soothing and stimulating.
He did not know that while it is
possible to despise those who love
us, we are prone to like those who
respect us. He did know that he
enjoyed Irene's company.
She made him feel important, as
though he would some day be
real figure in the world
When Irene dropped suddenly out
Of his life and he did not know
that he ever would see her again,
he could not say how he was af-
fected
He had expected without ques-
tioning that his old conpanionship
with Irene would be restored.
Whether they would be sweethearts
he had not, for his part, decided.
It hadn't seemed necessary to come
to decision about it.
But after she was gone he asked
himself what he'd been thinking Of,
anyway? Perhaps she might have
stayed if he'd asked her to. And
if she came back would he urge her
then not to go away a second time?
What was> the matter with him?
Gaylord Prentiss was out there in
Oakdale. He ought to be burning
up with jealousy. Why wasn't he
burning up? Was he so sure Of
Irene, so sure she loved him and
would return to him2
-
TOMMY could get nowhere with
i these perplexities and deliber-
ately turned to other thoughts
Love had been everything to him
at one time-but that was over
now.
A man had other pursuits. He
had to think of making good in the
world Love he must have, but
there were other things to keep in
mind.
Even getting married wouldn't be
the same now Tommy was not the
boy he had been when Beryl had
interfered and broken up his elope-
ment with Irene.
Funny-he thought he'd never
forgive Beryl for that, but now he
had no hard feelings about it at all.
He'd been pretty fresh all right to
think of getting married, kid that
he was then. Gould it all have hap
pened only last spring? Less than
a year ago? LIS
Maybe he'd better talk it over
with Beryl now. She'd say of course
that he shouldn't get married for
years. No doubt she was right.
Well, he wasn't so eager about get
ting married any more. He could
wait.
Tommy reasoned vaguely, but I'M
derneath his conscious thoughts he
VIC ANSWER IL Kind Of LITE.