The Coolidge examiner., 1932-05-06
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A Washington
Square Idyl
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BY H. IRVING KING

with the varigated assortment OF
men who filled them when darkness
made it's daily and punctual arrival
On one bench. facing that intensely
respectable row of old brick man
sions which line the north side of the
square sat a young man Of perhaps
thirty. Maurice Davenport seemed
unaware of the interest he aroused.
His eyes were fixed upon the light
ed windows of a mansion opposite
In the house upon which his eyes
were fixed lived Mabel Harrison,
and six months before he had writ
ten her a letter offering her his
heart and begging for her hand.
why he had written instead of max
ing his avowal by word of mouth
he could not say, except that he
was of rather bashful nature. The
night before he had written the fate
full letter he had said to Mabel in
taking leave of her for the evening:
Il am going to send you letter to-
morrow, Mabel, and | hope that
your answer will be such as my very
soul desires" And Mabel had re-
piled with a smile: "GO home and
sleep well. Maurice"
He had gone away buoyed up
with hope. He had written the let
ter and sent it by messenger. But
to it he had received no reply. His
messenger, a clerk in his office,
came back and said that, as direct
ed. he had delivered the missive
into the young lady's own hand; ;
that she had read it and had said:
Tell Mr.. Davenport that there is
no answer" The shock had been
terrible. Two weeks later he saw
in the paper that she had sailed
with her father and mother for Eu-
rope. And now, that very day, he
had seen in the paper that the Har-
risons had arrived home. Scarcely
aware of what he did he had wan
dered to the square and sat gaz-
ing at the house which held all that
he loved.
A tall, lanky, shabbily dressed
young man came and took seat by
Maurice's side.
"Got a match. Boz"
Mechanically, Maurice handed the
intruder his match case. AS he
did so the youth got a good look at
Maurice's face and gave an ex-
clamation of surprise. Maurice
looked and said: "Why, are you
not John Davis? You used TO be in
my Office, l think"
"Yes." hesitated the youth, II am
John; but | didn't recognize you at
first"
"You left me. l think, 10 go with
Boswick & Clafin. did you notT
asked Maurice.
"Yes, / did," replied John, "and
wish I'd never done it. l amt had
no luck since. Boswick Is dead
killed in a Joy ride, as you know
and | am out of a job. I'm down
and out"
perhaps / can find room for you
In the office again." said Maurice.
The youth began to cry. Il amt
worth it," sobbed he. II played a
low-down trick on you. I'm broken
down and weak, or | wouldn't cry
so, and l wouldn't confess what |
done, either. But, somehow, l got
TO tell you. viii you still give me
another chanceT
Greatly surprised, Maurice said
gently: "Of course l will! What is
it that you are so sorry for?"
"Well, you know the letter you
gave me to take to that very house
over there? The fact is, / didn't
take it."
Maurice rose angrily from his
seat and for moment it seemed as
If he would fell the youth to the
ground. But controlling himself,
he sat down again and said sternly ::
"Why not?"
"Oh," went on John, the con-
science-stricken, "Steve Boswick
met me on the street, right over
there; he was just coming out of
that house. / asked him where the
number l was after was, and
showed him the letter. He thought
a moment and then offered me a
hundred dollars and a job in his
office if l would give the letter to
him and tell you that l had deliv-
cred it. And | fell for it. AS long
as Steve lived it was all right. But
when he was killed they sacked
me-"
"Come with me-" said Maurice,
and strobe across to the brick man
sion. John followed him in fear
and trembling. A few minutes later
Maurice and Mabel stood confront
ing each other in the drawing room.
She looked worn and pale, but her
self command was perfect. Then
Maurice broke out impetuously and
told her the whole story of the let
ter and the unfaithful messenger.
Turning to the door he called in