J;
ALLIANCE HERALD, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1921.
The
ORIOLE
By
BOOTH TARKINGTON
toward Noble? And Noble was stilt
drenmllr Interpret In as b wiki
down the street with the North End
Pally Oriole Idle In an Idle hand
He found a use for that hand nrea-
ently. and. having sighed, lifted It to
Comae to the
press it upon his brow, but did not
complete the gesture. As his hand
came within the scone of his t.
eled on the unfathomable distance, he
onserved that the fingers held n h.et
of printed paper; and he remembered
Florence. Instead of pressing his
brow he unfolded the Journal she had
thrust upon him. As he began to read,
his eye was Insterless, his gait slack
and dreary, hut soon his whole de
meanor changed; It cannot be said
Illustration by
Irwin Myers
for the better,
r the uu irdua,u
'
i 1
1 ft
5
"Oh. nothlnV Henry still kept his
eyes upon lila gloomily sculling Iw.
"I Just wondered, because I didn't
happen to see lilm In school this after
noon when I hnpieiied to look In the
door of the Elght-A when It was open.
1 didn't want to know on account of
anything particular. I Just happened
to ay that because I didn't have any
thing else to think about Just then, so
I Just happened to think about him,
the way you do when, you haven't (jot
anything much on your mind, and
might get to thlnkln about you can't
tell what. That's all the way It waa;
I Just happened to kind of wonder If
he was around anywhere, maybe."
Henry's tone was obviously, even
rlnborntely, sincere; and Herbert was
reassured. "Well. I didn't see hlro."
lie responded. "Maybe he's sick."
"No, he Isn't," his friend said.
"Florence said she saw him chnsV
Ms dog down the street about noon."
At this Herbert's uneasiness wns
uncomfortably renewed. "Florence
did? Wliere'd you see Florence?"
Mr. Hooter swallowed. "A little
while ago," he said, and again swal
lowed. "On the way home- from
school."
"Look look hero!" Herbert wns
flurried to the point of panic. "Henry j
uiu Florence did she go and tell
you did she tell you T"
"I didn't hardly notice what she
was tnlkln' about," Henry said, dog
gedly. "She didn't have anything to
Bay that I'd ever care two cents about
She came up behind me and walked
"along with we a ways, but I got too
tunny things on my mind to hardly
Iny the lenst attention to anything
Khe ever talks about. She's a girl
what I think about her the less people
ray any 'tentlon to what she says the
better oft they are."
"That's the way with mc, Henry,"
Ms partner assured Iiliu earnestly. "I
never pay any notice to what she
wiys. The way I llgure It out about
lier, Henry, everybody'd be a good
deal better off If nobody ever paid
the least notice to anything she says.
I never even notice what she says,
myself."
"I don't either," said Henry. "All
I think about Is what my father und
mother say, because I'm not goln' lo
linve their advice all the rest o' my
life, after they're deud. If they want
ine to be polite, why. I'll do It ami
that's nil there I about It."
"It's the same way with me, Henry.
If she comes flnppln' around here
Mattln and blubbin' how she's goln' to
have 8omep'm to do with our news
paper, why, the only reason I'd ever
let her would be because my family
ay I ought to show more politeness
to her thon up to now. I wouldn't
do It In any other acount, Henry."
"Neither would I. That's Just the
Fame way I look at It. If I ever begin
to treat her any better, she's got my
father and, mother to thank, not me.
That's ihe only reason I'd be willing
to say we better leave the plank down
tind let her In. If she comes around
here like she's liable to."
rWell," sold Herbert, "I'm wlllin.
I don't want to get InJrouble with the
family."
I And they mounted the stairs to
their editorial, reportorlat, and print-!
Ing rooms ; and began to work In a
manner not only preoccupied but ap-1
prehcuslve. Now and then they would
give each other a furtive glunce. and
then seem to reflect upon their fathers'
and mothers' wishes and the troublous
state of, the times. Florence did not
keep them watting long, however.
She might have beeu easier to bear
liad her manner of arrival been less
Assured. She romped up the stairs;
-ame skipping across the old floor,
swinging her hat by a ribbon, flung
pen the gate In the sacred railing,
and flounced Into the principal chair,
immodestly placing ner feet on the
table la front of that chair. Addi
tionally, such was ner riotous liveli
ness, eh affected to light aud smoke
he stab of a lead pencil. "Well,
men, she said heartily In a voice as
sumed to be that of a tall, powerful
jiihb I don't want to see any loafln
around Toere, men. I expect to have a
pretty good newspaper this week
3-es, sit, a pretty good newspaper
And I guess you men got to Jump
round pretty brisk to do everything
I thmk of, or else maybe I guess I'll
lutve to turn you off aud get some new
ones that'll be more obedient. I don't
want to haf to do that, men."
The blackmailed partners made no
reply, on account of an Inability that
waa perfect for the moment.
Florence made It clear to them that
henceforth she was sole editor of the
North End Daily Oriole. (She said
che had decided not to change the
name, after all.) She Informed them
that they were to be her printers,
nothing more; she did not care to get
11 Inky and nasty, she said. She
would, however, do all the writing for
tier aewgyaKT. a,pd, had with her a
The Blackmailed Partners Made No
Reply, on Account of an Inability
That Was Perfect for the Moment
new poem. Also, she would furnish
all the news and It would be printed
just as she wrote It, and printed nice
ly, too, or else "look out I"
Thus did this cool hand take nos-
session of an established Industry, and
In much the same fashion did she eon-
tlnue to manage It. There were un-
suppresslble protests; there was co
vert anguish; there was even a strike
but It was a short one. When the
printers remained away from their
late newspnoer hulldlmr. on Wednea-
day afternoon, Florence had an Inter
view with Herbert after dinner nt hla
own door. He explained coldlv that
Henry and he had grown tired of the
priming press and had decided to put
In ell their snare time huildlnir n the-
pter In Henry's attic; but Florence
gave mm to i.miorstnnd that the the
ater could not he.
Henry and Herbert had both
stopped "speaking" to Fatty Fair
child, for each believed her trench-
erous to himself; but Florence now
informed Herbert that fur from de
pending on mere hearsay, she hnd in
her possession the confession of his
knowledge 'that he hnd ocular beauty
T-the ruinous bit of writing In his own
hand and signed with his comp'ete
name that she had discovered the
paper where Patty hnd lost it ; and that
It was now In a secure plnce, nud In an
envelope upon the outside of which
was already written, "Wnllle Torbln,
Kindness of Florence A."
Herbert collapsed. So did Henry
Hooter, a little later that evening, af
ter a telephoned conversation with
the slave-driver.
The two miserable printers were
back In their places the next after
noon. And on Saturday the new Oriole,
now In every Jot and item the In
spired organ of feminism, made Its
undeniably sensational appearance.
A copy, neatly folded, was placed
in the bund of Noble Dm, n he set
forth for his place of business, after
lunching at hoioe with his mother.
Florence was the person who placed
It there without charge. She came
hurriedly from somewhere In the
neighborhood, out of what yard or
alley he did not notice, and slipped the
little oblong sheet Into his lax fingers.
"There!" she said, breathlessly.
"There's a good den I about you In It.
this week, Mr. Dill, and I guess I
guess '
"What, Florencer
"I guess maybe you'll" She looked
up nt him shyly; then, with no more
to say, turned, and run hack In the dl
rectlon whence she had come and
was gone. Noble walked on, not at
ouce examining her little gift, but cur
rying It ubsently In Angers still lux at
the end of a dangling arm. There was
no life In him for anything; Julia was
away.
Awny and yet the dazzling crea
ture looked ut him from sky, from
earth, from nfr; looked at him with
the most poignant kindness, yet al
ways shook her head! She hud an
swered his first letter by a kind little
note, his econd by a kinder and littler
one, and his third, fourth, fifth, and
sixth by no note at all; but by the
kindest message (through one of her
aunts) that she was thinking about
him a great deal. And even this was
three weeks ago. Since then, from
Julia nothing at nil 1
Hut yesterday something a little
stimulating had happened. On the
street, downtown, he bad come face to
fuce, momentarily with Mr. II. I. At
water, Senior, Julia's peculiar old
father; and for the first time In No
ble's life this Mr. Atwater nodded to.
him pleasantly. Noble went on his
way. eluted: Was there not something
almost fatherly In this strange greet
ing? There had been an easement of
the pain of absence; and he glowed
with thoughts of Mr. Atwater.
The glow faded somewhat from
Noble when he reached a telephone:
he culled up his mother, and she said
there was no recent news of Julia
current In tho Atwater family connec
tion that she could hear of; none of
them had word that she was coming
home. However. Noble did not de
scend all the way Into the cellar of
his soul; some of his glow remained
and kept him a little more cheerful
than he had been for several weeks.
The kind greeting of Julia's father
had stirred his Imagination. An event
so singular might be Interpreted In
the happiest way: What had Julia
written her Jfather, tolmnge him so
THE NoIlTH END dally ORIOLE)
Atwater A Co.. Owners A Proprettors
Subscribe NOW Cents Per Tear. Sub
scriptions should be brought to the Eait
r.ninnc or Aiwaier Co. News
paper Building every afterNoon '
430 to VI 26 Cents
roeMa
My Soul by Florence Atwater
When my heart la dreary
Then my soul Is weary
Aa a bird with a broken wing
Who never again will sing
Uke the aound of a vast amen
That conies from a church of men.
When my aoul la dreary
It could never be cheery
But I think of my Ideal
And everything aema real
Uke the sound of the bright church bells
peal.
Poema by Florence Atwater will be In
me paper wen ana every Bat.
Advertisements 45c. each Up
Joaeph K. Atwater Co.
127 South Iowa St.
Steam Pumpa
NKwS OF ThE clTT
"Miss Florence Atwater of tills City
received a mark of 04 In History Ex
amlntlon at the concusion of the
school Term last June.
"lilue hair ribbons are In style
again.
"Miss Putty Falrchlld of this City
has not been doing as well In Decla
mation lately as formerly.
"Mil. Noble Dill of this City Is sel
dom seen on the streets of the City
without smoking a clgurrette.
"Miss Julia Atwater of this City Is
out of the City.
"The Sin. Rayfort family of this
City have been presented with the
present of a new Cat by Geo. the iuu
employeD by Half & Co. This cat Is
perfectly baeutlful.
"Miss Julia Atwater of this City Is
visiting friends In the Soth. The fam
ily have hud many letters from her
that are read by each and all In the
fumlld. "
"Mr. Noble Dill of this City Is In
business with his Father.
"From letters to the family Miss
Julia Atwater of this City Is enjoying
her visit In the south a greadeal.
"Miss Potty Falrchlld of the 7 A
of this City, will probably not pass lu
vAIllthiuetlC -nless some improvement
fakes place before Examination.
"Miss Julia Atwater of this City
wrote a letter to the family stating
while visiting la the SOuth she bat
made an engagement to be married to
Mil. Crum of that City. The family
do not know who this MR. CRum is
but It is Mild he Is a wldwer though
he has been diVorced with a great
many children.
"Subscribe Now 25c. Ter Year Adv.
45c. up.
"Atwater & Co. Newspaper Building
23 Cents Per Venrs."
It may be assumed that the last of
the news Items was wasted on Noble
Dill, and that he never knew of the
neighborhood Improvement believed
to be Imminent as a result of the final
touches to the ditch at the Mr. Henry
D. Vance backyard.
PART THREE
Throughout the afternoon adult
members, of the Atwater family con
nection made futile efforts to secure
all the copies of that week's edition
of the North End Dully Oriole. It
could not bo done.
It was a trying time for "the fam
ily." Ureat-aunt Carrie said that she
had the "worst afternoon of any of
'ein," because young Newland Saun
ders came to her house at two and did
not leave until five; all the time count
ing over, one by one, the hours he'd
spent with Julia since she was seven
teen and turned out, unfortunately,
to be a Reauty. Newlund had not re
strained himself, Aunt Currte said,
and long before he left she wished
Julia had never been born and as
for Herbert llllngsworth Atwater,
Junior, the only thing to do with him
was to send him to some strict mili
tary school.
(To Be Continued)
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ome
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