k JO ELLEN
By ALEXANDER BLACK. Copyrlgh, ltI4
- -- - - A
(Continued From TMttfdar.)
"The girl," persisted Cannerton, "is
a timid thing who hates to be noticed
•So she wears a red hat. She is ex
quisitely modest, to she strips her
self to the waist."
Cort reached wearily for hei hand
bag.
“I’m off," she said.
"What I like,” drawled Cannerton,
is the nice way Miss Rewer has of
disapproving of me.”
"Nice? Why she simply has to let
you rumble along.”
"It's better than that—better than
saying it. More advanced. You could
learn a lot from her.”
I admit it. But not with you
around. Thank you,"—Cannerton had
paid the bill—“thank you for a de
lightful intrusion.”
"He’s a dear," said Cora as they
came out of Gronson's, "for all his
nonsense. And now I know you must
get back to your office. Some time
or other we're going to get together
► -really.”
Jo Ellen felt that she had been
stupid at the table. Yet being silent
seemed to be about the best part you
cculd play, unless you were to say
things you wouldn't like yourself for.
That was one good thing about n
lunch. You could always be eating.
She hadn't thought that Cannerton,
who had parted from them inside the
restaurant on a pretext of speaking
to a man he had seen, might catch
up with her before she reached the
office.
"You wouldn’t hate to please me,
would you?" he asked, twisting his
clgaret in the long white holder.
“Not if—"
"Not if It wasn't inconvenient. I
sef y.ou, This wouldn't be inconven
ient. It came into my head while I
>vas—how did Cora put it?—rumbling
—and seeing you sitting there. I wish
you could find a way of not letting
Eberly forget that Giebler thing—I
don’t want to speak of it to him again.
It's delicate with me. Very delicate.
You’ll know precisely how to do it.
If Eberly doesn’t come through in
side of—well, say a month, anyway—
the jig’s up for me. And you wouldn't
like to see me smashed.”
“I don't see what I could do ” said
Jo Ellen.
"You don't, just at the minute.
But you will. You're close to the
throne. At the right moment get it
under his eye. When it's settled
you'll have one more slave—and any
thing else you want.”
Jo Ellen looked at him sharply, and
he made a deprecating gesture.
"I don't mean that—not in any
wrong way. I’m not so much of an
idiot as I may sound. What I mean
is, you might want to ask a little
favor of me some time. How could
I ask you to do a kindness unless—
unless I hinted at how' grateful I
would be? I'm not really asking you
to pull anything. Simply to come
as near reminding him as you can.
r
New York
--Day by Day
\___——--s
By O. O. McINTYRB.
►t New York, Aug. 12.—The other day
by sheer accident I was an Incon
spicuous guest at a dinner attached
by members of an extremely swan
klsh set. It was very high-hattish
and Piping Rock. My social education
progresses slowly. Like “The Hairy
Ape” I don't belong.
In a pinch I can look at my wriat
watch without removing my coat and
refrain form tucking cutlery up my
sleeve at the strange table. Outside
of this I imagine I am wholly de trop
and about as popular as a four dol
lar cornet 1n a symphony orchestra.
It was an extremely well groomed
crowd and the ladles gave the eye
muscles more workouts than are
usually prescribed by leading op
tometrists. formerly opticians. I was
quite sorry I wore my brown cap. I
kept my eye on the neighbor to the
left to follow him in selections of
knives, forks and spoons.
There was a knickerbockered wait
er for every two plates. T didn't mind
that If one hadn't keep watching me
all the time. There was so much high
flown talk of the rigors of the Riviera
and the difficulty of getting de luxe
suites on liners.
I didn't join in that. After all there
was eating to he done. And writers
must eat. (Sotto voice,"why?”) Talk
Anally veered to poetry. I adore
poetry. I used to recite 'The Face
on the Barroom Floor” and listeners
would cry and say: "How pathetic,
I'll have another beer."
But discussion centered aro^pd a
new poet, Percy Doakea. Perce, It
seems, wrote "Les Chlen de Blah"
which In Spanish means "Howdy,
brother. Howdy.” He was hiding
behind the palms to give hlH own
^ reading and they yanked him out—
^TJ"Aibbon cuff links and all. He was
just too cute.
Then We went in for Art. And we
certainly made it hum. 1 wanted to
do a match trick but refrained. After
nil I was just an outsider and didn’t
care to run away with the party.
A jolly little evening and I hope they
come to my house sometime.
t'p near the Mall In Centra! Park
each afternoon there sits a kindly,
silver haired old man. Around him on
his bench are dolls of all description.
Those who see him, smile, tap their
heads and move on. Cracked no doubt.
He is a w’eaithy retired manufacturer
and is merely acting as custodian of
dolls for the children who come there
to play. He never leaves until each
child returns for her charge.
A new touch among the Avenue
fashion plates. White ties of crepe
silk are worn with the colored shirt
apd collar. A white handkerchief
peeps from the pocket. Very, very
Valentino.
There Is a man who w-alks north
ward on the avenue dally wearing
golf trousers and a pink silk shirt.
He is hatless, hut one eye is owled up
with a monocle. He appears absolute
ly oblivious to the start* anti titters.
I am told ho Is an advertising copy
writer and most of his day Is taken
up writing Jingles for soups and hose
supporters.
He has female support In his ec
centricity of drew In a young woman
whose hair In clipped very close Hhe
parts it on the side and goes without
hendgenr. Hhe wears a mannish blouse
with wing collar nnd four in-hnnd tie
end her feet are sandaled. Hite is nc
L^.eonipalletl by an over-rougeil brunet
with «n Egyptian coiffure. They
are said to t* Instructors In s private
balblpg pool on West Forty second
street. They also carry walking
st irk*.
tCopyilsht. 1114)
You’re his memory. Many a secre
tary’a a good deal of a conscience,
too. If we let him have his own
memory, let us say that you're his
recollection. ’Ihere’e a subtlety. But
I’m not Joking, if I could tell you
how much this Glebler thing means
to me—"
“Don’t tell me," said Jo Ellen.
IX.
Describing to Marty an Incident—
or a group of incidents—like this was
quite Impossible. Merely sketching
It left him free to cut through with
some questions that could have the
effect of implying an Intentional omis
sion. If she tiled to evade anything,
simply because It was hard to get it
all out. he looked as if she had sin
ister reasons.
‘‘They’re a tough lot,” he said.
"They’d be tickled to make you like
the rest of them. I can see that."
“You're very wise, Marty.”
“O I can see! I think you see it
yourself. Cannerton! He's the one
you told me was stewed that way.
and you thought he was funny. I
can Imagine the kind of a rounder
lie is. And these smoking women.
Tough. All alike. Living around
with a string of husbands. Painted
up. You must make them uneasy.
They won't be satisfied until they get
you like them.”
"I hope you won't worry. They
don’t bother about me.”
"This Cora what’s-her-name. What’s
she after?"
"She just seemed to feel friendly.”
"That's it. that's the way they be
gin. Gosh. Jo Ellen! You’re Inno
cent!”
"It’s good I’ve got a husband to
watch over me.”
Marty stiffened In hls chair. “There's
the trouble. The damned cripple can't
watch over you. You're slung into
that Broadway rabble—”
“What you're not rendy to say, but
you're coming to it. is that you don’t
quite trust me.”
He glared at her angrily.
“Who said anything about trust
ing? You’re slipping that in. Trust
you! God Almighty! I got to trust
you. haven’t I? What can 1 do?
Who’s to stop you doing as you want
to? How do I know what you do?
I got to take what you tell me. I
got to sit around here while you
mix with the gang of them, and then
be sweet about it.”
“You're not very sweet,” declared
Jo Ellen, in a tone he recognized as
dangerous.
His face grew ugly.
“You’re learning, all right. You're
getting their ways. I can see you
changing every day. Nasty sarcastic
tricks you learn from them. Loaded
cn me. the useless broken-down one.
the poor simp who dares to think
about—about your wifely honor!”
"Wifely honor" rather’lightened the
strain for Jo Ellen; It was so obvi
ously out of a book.
He may have seen her lips twitch.
“Is that funny? Probably it Is, to
you. Those people all laugh at such
things. Marriage and decency—a
great joke. That’s the way they have
it I m old-fashioned. Being straight's
old-fashioned. If they knew about it
they’d think this was a bully Joke.
Tile husband doubled up in the house.
Put away safe. The redheaded
wife—"
Jo Ellen looked at him squarely.
"You're going pretty far.’’
He brought his hands down jerkily
on the arms of the chair. "O my
God!" And he began to whimper.
X.
Marty’s contrition took various
forms. When he tried caresses, and
she drew awn} or abbreviated the con
tact. he believed that she was sulk
ing. Extravagant praise of her cook
Ing or of some fruit she brought him,
often seemed to lead toward peace.
\\ ondering when Jo Ellen's mother
was coming again had some advan
tages as a device. Perhaps he was
most successful when he asked no
questions and stressed some remark
to the effect that she must he tired.
She seldom admitted being tired.
Marty had one grave for which she
was grateful. It appeared that he
didn't discuss her life with hls people.
It was evident, too. that the question
of the future had been debated con
siderably, and that he had hetn in
fluenced to the extent of becoming
less positive in his allusions to the
established character of the present
arrangement. It was after Arnold
Pearson had carried him downstairs
and wheeled him r:s far as the river
that Marty reverted to the advantage
of an elevator. The elevator in his
father's building didn't run all the
way to the roof apartment, hut the
roof was a sort of playground in It
self. Very likely there wasn't any
view In the world quite so fine.
His mother’s visit on a Sunday
afternoon had a flavor quite different
from that of any earlier visit. She
was especially pleasant with Jo El
len—invited herself to supper, and
helped companlonably with the prep
aration and the clearing away of
that meal. In the course of the kitch
en talk she brought up the subject
of the change.
“You shouldn't have the burden of
all this on your shoulders,” she said.
"It's too much. You’ll wear your
self out, and that would be pretty
bad. Downtown would have a lot of
advantages, don't you think? I could
fix up that corner room for you and
Marty.”
1 "■ i. ■ —. ■ ^ . - — i i. ... ■ . ■ — . ..
She didn’t emphasize the special ad
vantage to Marty. This she had
doubtless laid before him—the advan
tage of not being alone during the
day.
There was no good answer to the
general argument; and the money
question was not to be left out. They
couldn’t bo on this way with forty
dollars a week.
■To Kllen had not been forced to a
decision. Marty's obstinate deter
mination to carry out their original
plan had left her free to drift. When
he began to show signs of wavering,
and at last of restlessness, she had
gone far enough to know that the
roof was Inevitable. Probably she
had misjudged Mrs. Simms. That
Sunday visit had been a revelation.
The actual moving downtown al
ways had the effect of having hap
pened suddenly and of being accom
plished with a sensational swiftness.
On n certain evening, after being up
very late parking the night before,
you went over to the Sixth avenue
elevated instead of taking a Seventh
avenue surface car. You got off at
Rector street when downtown had
been pretty well drained of life, with
the towers rising about you and shut
ting off the lowered sun from ths
patient spire of Trinity. You went
all the way up In the slippery shaft,
then mounted a flight of steps from
the last offkd lloor and entered a
short passage that led straight to
the Simms door.
(To He Continued Tomorrow t
THE NEBBS
WHAT’S RUDY CARE ABOUT MONEY?
Directed for The Omaha Bee by Sol He*»
Xwiirs to-tmc wwole\
/ GLORIOUS WORLD! I \ /OVER *30.000 iN \
rea like i was dealing \ advertising sills ! \
\N WEALTV-l AND UAPP\KlESS UE'6 SPENDING MONEV \
\ AND AM OVERSTOCKED / L\KE A WHOLE CREW
_\nr drunken S/mloRS\J
A JIG IN ~"T
TOY SWIG *~4 S /
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LOOK WERE, Captain K.IOD • Ov£fT\ (MOW 00 N00 EXPECT TO SELL STOCK \
( $30,000 IN ADVERTISING — WWAT \ IN AN ORGANIZATION THAT ISN'T ]
WAVE NOD GOT NO PANTMEM Vajitm ? ) DOinG ANN BUSINESS ? DIDN'T \
NOO'RC LIKE TME Guv VnWO vaJEnT \ REnROD TELL USTO PLACE AT \
Intonne RESTAURANT B^OVCC and
OR.DCRED ONSTER.S EKPECTInG To / AND MES A SUCCESSFUL MAN — WUEV1
SSJo A1peSl Sgf vjooTTm to Jy are NOO going to stop planing wnn
lSun^ER?atSrannvStw pennies And be Sonieboov? NOU.
RESTAURANT vajitm^X r__ NEVER GREW OP IN STATURE OR
---r-1---<IU6 MENTALITN - NOOREUUST ACWILO )
/ I n ^EVERNTNING But age •.
Barney Google and Spark Plug
After That, What’s $10,000 Extra to Barney.
Drawn for The Omaha Bee by Billy DeBeck
(Copyright 1924)
(Say barney, ft worth is om y
The long distance telephone . )_
They re offering *30.000°- / >
if vou ll chuqk Milwaukee /VJHAT 00 Y00
l For That TRoTski - spark, f -AY. BAROM ?
V PLUG RACE__^LET'S C.PAO IT ' y
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Cing Features Sy: i le. Inc |
BRINGING UP FATHER U. S. Patent Office
SEE jlGGS AND MAGCIE IN FULL
PACE OF COLORS IN THE SUNDAY BEE
Drawn for The Omaha Bee by McManus
(Copyright 1924) _
I WONDER WHOSe CEMENT
Nl*ER. TH»t> l*b >N Et?OtsT
or the HOOtiE •
“€STin
B( I AN -tVl TEACHING {
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*
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JERRY ON THE JOB
/lit Vwoass M'JStLT- )
H \S Js3Sw | OlW IF 1 OOfST /
Wl 'HAT ~dppp^ j Frbttv Soon 'TUivVA. ',
^°a *? l Vjmat i €oT that J
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f Big 3oVWou Look. !
1 LUIS' WOU O'OWT unotfi I // <
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/ ESAEM3SR, SowPitf*
( Sot i Toftser
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Drawn for The Omaha Bee by Hoban
(Copyright 1924)
l I.
*
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SLmJ
The Days of Real Sport
By Briggs
~ KISi 'T
\
*
ABIE THE AGENT Drawn for The Omaha Bee by Hershfield
Better Luck Next Time.
j =AKiD THIS ACODEMV \
( Policy ujill Cost j
You SEVIENTTY FtVJE
\ t>OUARS A YEAR^
kABlBBUe’ /
-7— ' -N I
/ OUR CASHIER \ * '^ROUJD TUKT^ ■'
| ^BRB.Umi \ WSibErtYC* 1 BROKE EviEN
l WY you -rHE 1'Tours come THE profits
V^MOUKiT DUE-y p OUT •?? j OKi THE
I 1 KiPXTO^Elt/
-1
