The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1932-01-29


~ noon frock of love-in-mist blue,
hung 1t In her wardrobe and took
down cotton frock Of dusty brown.
The latter was a work frock-solely
and simply work frock-for Eva
would soon be on her way toward Bat
terry park and the coffee stall where
nightly she dispensed hot coffee and
sandwiches to the "down and OUTS of
that neighborhood.
Eva had rented the coffee stall and
its equipment for a month and
thoroughly enjoyed fragment OF life
she had not hitherto known Not that
she had always known q degree Of
affluence. Eva had worked long and
hard for the possession Of the dainty
fiat and it's comfortable furnishings
which she now enjoyed
Eva wasn't dispensing coffee because
she loved being among the "down and
OUTS" but simply because she must
enlarge her scope for story writing.
She wrote the type Of stories that
were gradually creeping into movie
fields, and in return brought back In
creasingly large checks.
There was one other down In Bat
terry park, also enlarging his mental
outlook but his look was straying more
toward the development Of his roman
tic capacity. He was, In fact, casting
many glance Of deep interest at the
wide-eyed girl who seemed so thorough
ly out Of her element handing out
coffee to the none too clean derelicts
who lined up at her STALL
He fell to wondering, as he con-
sumed endless cups Of her coffee, just
what kink Of fate had put her where
she was instead OF in an exquisitely
furnished drawing room-a far more
fitting background than the row Of
hot dogs, Clipped cups, and steaming
coffee urns.
And the back Of Evas mind was not
lacking in speculation regarding the
young man In the shabby knickers and
outrageous neckties.
She scoffed at the idea that he
might be down there for the same pur-
pose as herself-to study humanity in
this stratum.
"Those things only happen in the
movies and the lesser type Of dime
novel," she told herself, but she con-
tinued none the less her guarded study
Of him, telling herself firmly that she
had chosen him as type. She would
catalogue him merely as an unusually
attractive type Of "down and outer"
who must, at one time of his career,
have been possessed Of great oppor-
tunities. Eva knew, by the keen look
In his eyes, that the hang-dog glance
Of the gutter inhabitant would never
besmirch his countenance.
His language, on the other hand,
was simply atrocious. Eva thought
he must have taken lessons In the
expert butchering Of the kings Eng
lish.
Eva came very near hitting the
mark in her surmise, for young w.
Owen James had spent many troubled
hours In an endeavor to master a die
tion that would put him on speak
ing level, as 1t were, with that ele-
ment of human kind Of which he was
making close study. His first play,
produced on Broadway, had brought
forth scathing criticism for his lack
Of Observation-Disclosures play itself be-
ing otherwise of great promise. Owen
had closed his jaws with a click and
gone about showing the critics that
they would not say the same thing
! twice about his shortcomings.
His second play was nearing com
pletion and before many days had
passed James would cast Off the physi-
cal and mental mire Of the derslict
and revert to his natural element
that Of scholar and gentleman.
Eva, for some unknown reason, nj
ways flung on cloak Of armor wher
James approached the stall with hii
confreres. Perhaps 1t was to guart
herself since she was at loss t
know just where to catalogue him II
her gallery Of derelicts. She succeed
ed in battling him as well as herself
When rehearsals began for the new
play, young James was forced away
from the Battery by need Of his
presence on Broadway.
Eva, too, had lodged the coffee stal
again with Its rightful holder ant
repaired to her dainty apartment
with fine plot for the movies. He
typewriter clicked necessarily. Hel
heart, too, when 1t had time, thumpet
a dull tattoo. when the eyes of GER
tain "down-and- d-outer" intruded int
her fast-moving plot. She couldn't for
get him, and wondered IL she had be
gun to lose her mind-pining for /,
bit of masculine driftwood from Bat
terry park.
Eva went naturally, to the first nigh
of the new play by w. Owen James.
The play received rousing wei
come. The author was called an,
stepped shyly out to thank his audience
In words that prompted Eva to sur
mise that he had bathed his vocabu
larry in the limpid pools Of the king
English so exquisite was his speech.
Turning his eyes toward the from
rows, where all the critics seemed t
; have gathered, w. Owen James speecl
suddenly halted, picked itself up an
; continued
He had looked squarely into tn
; wide eyes OF Eva, an Eva in her right
full environment of intellect and chit
; fons.
His next play was collaboration
with much that was romantic wove
into Its successful lines