The Washington times., 1937-11-06
Cast of Characters in
Love the Hard Way"
JOHN, who looked like an
ape.
MIRIAM, who didn't think
he looked so badly.
PAT, just another fellow.

| Cney WOulu pe anything OuN
dreams.
He never suspected that he
might be a pretty welcome sight
to Miriam. He couldn't imagine
such thing. And the funny part
of it turned out to be that he was.
Miriam had never seen any one
like him. He was so homely. He
was so ugly he was pretty. Like,
Miriam thought, like those gar
goyle things people saw on that
Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.
She had seen pictures of them,
ugly-pretty. She was in love with
him.
DIDN'T SUSPECT
He never suspected it. She
would save the best portions of
meat for him, cooked the way he
liked it best She gave him the
biggest helpings of dessert. She
had fresh linen on his bed every
day.
He was the thickest man she
had ever seen. She guessed, finally,
she would have to come right out
and tell him. She guessed that
the morning he told her he was
leaving the job and going out to
Cincinnati to work on a job.
I'll miss you, John, she told
him.
"Yeh?" John said. "Ill miss
you too. You been pretty nice to
me, Miss Dawes"
DO you know why, John? Call
me Miriam. You knew my father,
didn't you?"
"Yeh-Miriam. I knew your
father, but I don't know why you
been so nice to me. Why were
you, Miriam?"
Cant you guess?"
mo" John said and looked at
her and saw something in her eyes
that the dumbest cluck in the
world couldn't mistake.
He got slowly to his feet. You
don't mean-Miriam!" His big
apes arms went around her and
they were as gentle and light as
falling leaves.
And he drew her to him and
lifted her face and kissed her.
"JeeperS Creepers!" he said. me!
Miriam, will you marry me?"
"Will you stay here and work
and not be moving around like a
hobo?"
I'll never move" he said. "Why
should I? You've been what I've
been lookin' for all my life"
He'd work for her and she for
him. See? That was the finest
time John ever had in his life.
And then Pat Mulhearn came to
board there.
HAVE TROUBLE
He had nice smile and a cou.
pie Of shoulders like Johns and
he could step. Right away he
liked Miriam and he showed it.
He was always making cracks
about the prettiest boarding house
mistress he ever met.
Miriam liked it. And she saw
that it worried John to have Pat
making over her and she was
woman. So she kind of encouraged
him. And was John sore!
One night she let Pat take her to
movie. When they got back,
John was waiting for them.
Il want to talk to you" he told
Pat. Private"
"No!" Miriam said. John
Santch, don't you dare!'
"Wait a minute!" Pat said to
her. els this heel tryin' to pick a
fight with me? Because he can
have it. Any time and any place"
Mr.. Mulhearn," Miriam said.
very formal. "Mr. Santch is talk.
ing out of his turn. would appre-
ciate it if you would pay no atten.
ton to him."
Even while she was talking.
John was proud of her. How she
could swing the language! Pat
bowed and walked to his room.
But John got over his pride and
resumed his anger.
He started after Pat. Miriam
stepped in front of him but he
just lifted her out of the way with
one hand and went on. He stepped
into Pats room and Pat let him
have 1t. 1t caught him on the Jaw
and he staggered.
But he came back and then both
those guys went to town. The
fight went from Pats room into
the one next to it. From there to
Johns. Then down the stairs,
The place was a wreck.
Somebody called the cops and
they took the whole gang to the
station house. There the captain
asked what it was all about.
Miriam explained that it was all
her fault.
She was going to marry Mr..
Santch. That one with the split
lip and black eye. But she made
over Mr.. Mulhearn, the one with
the tlattened nose and the torn
ear. They got to fighting. They
tore things up a little. But she
would make no complaint.
But your house is a wreck"
the captain pointed out.
That's all right" Miriam said
brightly. Il was giving it up any,
way. Mr.. Santch and 1 are going
to be married right away"
That was the first John heard