Smyrna times., 1932-05-18
Reading to While Away Time
Under the Evening Lamp
When Days Work is Done
INTERESTING READING
"a WASHINGTON SQUARE
IDYL"
By H. Irving King

Ahcn "HO ulleu LueiD WHeu udt hllenS
made its 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 per
haps thirty, whose dress and gen.
eral appearance caused passersby
to glance at him wonderingly-he
was so evidently out of harmony
with the us.al freQuenters of the
place. 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 and
had thought 1t more easy TO say
what he had to say in writing. The
night before he had written the
fateful letter he had said to Mabel
in taking leave Of her for the eve
ming: 81 am going to send you
letter tomorrow, Mabel. and / hope
that your answer will be such as my
very soul desires" And Mabel had
replied with a smile: go home and
sleep well, Maurice. / can guess
what the nature of your letter will
be, and-good-night T.
He had gone away buoyed up
with hope. He had written the let
ter and sent it by messenger. But
to 1t he had received no reply. His
messenger. 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, Ianky. shabbily dressed |
young man came and took a seat by |
Maurice's side.
Got a match. BOP asked the
youth.
Mechanically. Maurice handed
the intruder his match case. AS he
did so the youth got 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. I think"
"Yes." hesitated the youth, 81 am
John; but l didn't recognize you at
first"
"You left me, | think, to go with
Boswick & Claffin, did you mott"
"Yes, | did" replied John, land ]
wish I'd never done 1t. | amt had
no luck since. Boswick is dead"
perhaps l can find room for you
In the Office again." said Maurice.
The youth began to cry. 81 amt
worth 1t" sobbed he. 81 played a
low-down trick on you. I'm broken
down and weak, or | wouldn't cry
so. and / wouldn't confess what ]
done. either. But, somehow, I got
to tell you. Will you give me an.
other chance?"
Greatly surprised Maurice said
gently: "Of course ! will ! What is
1t that you are so sorry for?"
"Well. you know the letter you
gave me to take to that house over
there? The fact is. I didn't take it.n
"Why not?"
-Oh." went on John, the con.
science-stricken, "Steve Boswick
met me on the street, right over
here: he was Just after coming out
If that house. | asked him where
he number | was after was, and
showed him the letter. he thought
/ moment, and then offered me
lundred dollars and Job In his of.
ice If would give the letter to
lin and tell you that | had deliv.
,red 1t. And | fell for 1t. AS
ong as Steve lived it was all right.
But when he was killed they sacked
ne"
Come with me-" said Maurice
md strode across to the brick man.
ion, John following him In fear and
rembling. A few minutes later
daurice and Mabel stood confront
ng each other in the drawing room.
,he looked worn and pale, but her
clf-command was perfect Then
1aurice broke out impetuously and
old her the whole story of the let
er and the unfaithful messenger.
turning to the door he called in
ohm. whom he had left In the hall |
nd made him repeat his confes
ion of guilt.
Life, happiness and color came
a oh fo Maholltc feco oo sho lie | II