Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1932-09-09
never had the chance.

never had the chance.
Van Horn was dining at the club,
1t was Friday night, a beastly night
by the way, with so many people al
ways eating fish, and Aunt Wen was
in the midst of a book.
John had called up only an hour
before. 1t was six o'clock. Perhaps
he was still at his new quarters. She
would call, and would leave word for
Rantoul, at his rooms, that. she sould
not see him. After all, Josephine could
see Rantoul often, but that night she
wanted to see John Breen.
They met, an hour later at the
Savoy, and walked east, through Fiji
ty-ninth Street to the Third Avenue
L. 1t was a familiar station to John,
in a reminiscent way, as indeed the
entire city was reminiscent and
crowded with surprises. The same
old platforms and rails, but an cleo
trifed train CARED them down
through the close revealment of the
East Side. Jacob Riis had written a.
bout slums, disturbingly, and Theo-
dore Roosevelt had endorsed his
words; this gave the steaming tena-
ments a sentimental and a literary
value.
"John, Pm glad to see you, alone"
Josephine was starting things early.
"There's a lovely place, the Cafe
Boulevard, so Bohemian, John, and,
with you, I'm not afraid" A few
weeks before Rantoul had protected
her there.
John Breen might have no medals,
she unused, moving closer to him, but
he did have an uncanny fascination
on that simmering night.
John secured a table on the bal
cony, ten feet or so above the crowd
ed street, where they could dine, I'M
der the awnings, in the open air, and
still in sight of the enhancing things
within.
Josephine sank into her seat with a
sigh, they were very fortunate indeed
in getting that delightful table.
On their ride downtown, they had
talked the commonplace of their
separation. But one at table, and a
lone, as if by magic, John and Jose
phinet' were again on the fatal plane
of delicious intimacy.
Josephine smiled. John noted the
merest suggestion Of a dimple. A
mood of perfect understanding seemed
to permeate the air. The dinner was
superb. She had asked for a cocktail
and John joined her, and a bottle of
St. Julien added flavor to the dishes.
Cafe Boulevard, always famous for
its coffee, outdid itself on hat Arab
ian night. They ate their ices and
fingered, while John smoked a cigar
grandly, blowing fragrant cloud:
through the hedge as they leaned
across the table tete-atete. Blue
wreaths drifted slowly back across
her hair.
do you mind the smoke, Jo?" HI
used the diminutive easily.
mo, John, l love t." Her fac'
was close to his, her hair gave bach
the faintest perfume. She was ever
~lovelier than he had imagined her il
his fondest dreams; she was an angel
AS John talked Josephine was glad
so glad, to be with him. He was fin
er, more manly, more handsome thar
ever. John talked as he had never
talked before. His life at the Uni
versity, in the atmosphere of recog'
nized ideas, had broadened him. H
unburdened great ambitions ripe fo'
expression in that understanding
night. His surer outlook and hi
burning belief in the great dignity o.
the career ahead, glorifed him. HI
would be a builder, ''like Rantoul
Yes, like Rantoul," a builder in tn
greatest city of the world!
Something from within smote Jose
phine; it game, a cold breath o
doubt. She was losing ground, slip
ping in a mental panic as she com
pared her lovers. She missed the tight
high-colored skin of the older man
youthfully flushed at times, perhap
by wine. The crisp white hair 0
Rantoul was less silky, and less thick
than the youthful crop of Breen, an
she missed that careful guarded man
ner, the habit Of an older man, bu
which she then set down to cunn
ming. John swept her along on a hoo'
of emotion. His hunger demande
her; it was a terrible emotion. Sh
dared not try to fascinate or charm
Love stabbed her with delirious pair
Doubt dropped away and, in her in