I, THE KING
By WAY LAND WELLS WILLIAMS.
(Copyright. 3*24.)
s.__—
(Continued from Teeterdey.)
"But of course I am, frightfully. 1
can't hear to think of myself as a
young man of twenty flv* without
experience or knowledge, who ought
to take pretty nearly anything that's
ofTered to him. I think of myself as
King of Niarava 'On this head.' I
keep telling myself, 'a Crown has rest
ed. The sacred gift of Power has
lain In this little hands'—blah! And
vet—and yet. You don't know how
it was out there, how I worked and
worried. If I hadn't taken it so seri
ously, and didn't rememher it seri
ously. I’d he lacking in proper self
respect, seems to me. Oh, it s a mess,
all round."
"Life, Kit, Is an episodic thing,
and you want to have it continuous."
,1en was in his best analytical vein;
he spoke slowly and with shining
eves. Kit watched the workings of
his mind as he might watch some
sort of a show "You won t recognize
1 he brute power of circumstance over
human destiny. Life threw you up
on a pinnacle; you can't bear to haw
it throw you hack on the flat. V ou
sprawl on your belly, and cry for an
other plnnahle. I have flown—r can t
grub! . . . Perfectly natural, hut it
won t do. We must all grub at times.
Most of us grub always. Anyway, you
can fly and then grub and still re
tain your ifrlf-respect and dignity.
That fool Henley said ‘I am the cap
lain of my soul.' That s rot, hut
there's something there, something.
A* all events, a man can't say I have
been a captain of an Atlantic liner,
1 won't he the captain of a miserable
raft ’ If circumstance throws him
on a raft he must do what he can
with it.” . ,, .,
1 never was on a raft, said Kit
petulantly, "so 1 cant sav how 1
should act. But I was adrift in a
fnurteen-foot dory, and conducted my
self fairly cr.editably. And the dory
threw me up on an island, where 1
became king Circumstance did that,
and it can do it again. It damned
well must do it again, if it expects
touch of me. . . . I've got a certain
hold on circumstances, you know , I ve
got money. I can wait for circum
stance to become reasonable again.
Circumstance be damned.
"And your own soul?" said .Ten soft
ly "Oh well, it hasn’t come to that,
and it won't, I'm sure. It's too good
a soul to go under. I ran t help you.
and T think you're silly, but I still
have faith in you. at bottom, vou
can take that for what it s worth.
•It s worth something, said Kit,
ashamed of his petulance. "Thanks
Hr loved .Ten and .Ten loved him.
but that did not appear to do any
im0d. The same was true in the case
,,f Mmrv. He tried once to confide
hits difficulties to her, but found her
singularly baffling. "Dear boy she
said in a voice that though full of
love sounded casual, "I’m so sorry.
But Tm afraid 1 can t advise you.
1 don't know what's good for you.
Kit was not sure, but he thought
ho ^w her eyes give a sudden and
inappropriate snap. "I believe you do
/
New York
••Day by Day
___—/
By 0. 0. MTNTYRE.
New York. Dec. 1.—Broadway with
its quick blonds, tin horn sports,
men-about-town, wise guys and
pudgy papas play havoc with inno
cence. The young girl who is caught
in Its cross currents finds the descent
is swift.
It was Just eight months ago that
there came to a producer's office a
shy. auburn haired girl who had won
a beauty prize in her home town in
the south. This achelvsment • blazed
the ambition for a Broadway career.
Her beauty and nalvette struck a
responsive chord and she was given a
small bit in the chorus. Her life up
to this time had been circumscribed
to small town gaieties—strawberry
suppers, once a week movies and
literary societies.
A song writer fell in love with her
He moved In a fast, sporty set and it
was among their paths that the girl
strayed. She had never had a cock
tail or breakfasted at Child's in Co
lumbus circle at dawn. It was new
stuff and she was seeing life.
A friend of her fmlly is a friend
of mine. Now and then he invited her
to his apartment for a home cooked
dinner, asked In substantial friends
of his for a healthy atmosphere and
tried as a friend of the family to
keep in touch with her.
Once she cam# tipsy from too
many cocktails. He tried to reason
with her and point out the pitfalls.
There were tears, remorse and many
promises. Next came a hurriedly
scribbled note for a small loan. She
had lost her Job.
The other day I wa* in his apart
ment and he told me of the girl. She
had arrived at his place long after
midnight In a drizzling rain. She
seemed befuddled and finally fell
asleep in a chair. Her purse fell open
end from it fell a half empty vial
•f cocaine.
St. Gaudens' famotia Blana that has
poised for ao many year* on old
Madison Square Garden la to be pre
aervrd. Arthur Brisbane, the editor,
Is to place It atop the tower of the
80 story apartment house he is build
ing on Park avenue and Fifty
seventh atrset. Mr. Brisbane's new
building la to be the largest of Its
kind In town and he will occupy an
18 room apartment on the 19th floor.
Montreal is becoming a great
week ending apot for N»w Torkera.
They go in groups and when they
arrive In New Tork and are restored
to conarlousnesa they are usually a
bit ahaahed at having Invited all the
Northwest Monted police to visit
them a month or ao.
At one of those white and sanitary
sarcophagi that add to the glitter of
Broadway they have installed a mas
sive pipe organ and one may order
corn beef and cabbage and devour
it to the tune of some heavy Wag
rterian bit.
One of the gayest of coon shooters
is non' being billed with the prefix
*.VIme." She did It more as a publicity
stunt She Is large, buxom and thick
nrikled and has always been known
for her rather Jovial commonness.
But since she look on the prefix her
friends say she has become very
much changed. Her voire has mndu
Is'ed. She has some good manners.
The other day she appeared In a res.
tanrant carrying a lorgnette, of
course, It Is all publicity but some
how moat of us like people who »ro
genuine even when !he\ are In the
Unreal world of the stage
(Copyright. 1P84. > M l, I
zJi , J
know, and won't tell me," he said
peevishly.
"Do I?" Mary's eyes. raised
straight at him; were frank as a
child's. "Well, possibly." And then
she openly smiled.
Kit, at a complete loss, fell back
on a reproachful plalntiveness. I
think you're mean, if you know and
won't, tell me "
"Well, I'm a very mean woman,"
said Mary with annoying • heerful
ness. But she softened slightly as she
went on: “But I'll tell you one thing.
I'm sure no one can help you hut
yourself. You’re not the kind that
can be helped.—Thank Hea\rn," she
finished vigorously.
This, though encouraging. was
scarcely helpful. He never tried her
again.. What was the use'.' What she
said was true, and he recognized a
certain fineness in her withholding
the pretense of assistance, when she
could not give the real thing'.
To keep himself occupied in the
mornings he started to write a book
ahout his Nairavan experience. It
was a respectable thing to do, and
it was reasonable to do it now, while
his memory was still fresh, it also
sounded well: "Kit? Oh, writing his
hook, I suppose." "Yes, I'm at work
on a hook—about X'airava, you
know," But no one knew how badly
It went. X'o one knew the pain, the
bewilderment, the sense of dust, that
came to him as he tried to put the
clamoring events of those days into
words; as he looked over the hot,
pain-wrung pages of his diary and
thought: "This was I. actually I. this
brave, active, thinking, aspiring be
ing. Where has it all gone? What
have 1 done to lose it?"
VI.
Through It all he kept missing
Jark. The pain lost its freshness
and unconscious pleasure and became
a bitter, dull ache, impossible not to
feel and not to hate.
One fantastic thought came and
gnawed at him of nights, when the
lack of fresh air and exercise marie
It difficult to sleep. Suppose, he kept
thinking, I had mv choice of being
as I am now, with Jack dead, or
back in the dory with Masson, hut
knowing Jack was alive anil well;
how would I ohoose? It was easy
to say "Choose the dory," but if
would be another thing to mean it.
He would wake up with a start,
thinking he was pitching about In
open water; in the first wrenching
of the heart, as he returned to the
horror of that time, the belief that
Jark was on earth again meant less
than it should.
He alsrr kept wondering. Why am
I unhappy? I'm safe, at home, rich,
happily married, healthy in mind and
body, well liked by other people;
what earthly right have I to be tin
happy. I can't pretend It's Jack;
he died for his country, gloriously,
and already I miss him less. Is It
the loss of some self-erected Ideal?
Then why can't T find the ideal again,
and know pp.tre? If It is simple fate,
why should I bother” It's something
lacking in me. no doubt; hut as I ni
not responsible for the lack, or even
able to see what It Is, why should
I suffer for It?
His fastidiousness also played Its
part; a mean kind of devil to be
damned by. It was largely his Inabil
ity to lose himself In anything great
er than himself that made him
wretched And vet that under bred,
parvenu little devil was as obnoxious
in its absence as in Us presence. He
found a certain relief in parties, and
at a certain hour of the night fa*
tidlnusneiis would desert him. Dead
ened by liquor fthough never respect
ably drunk), he allowed himself to do
and think things that were unspeak
ably hateful next morning. Thank
Heaven, he thought, that squashv lit
tle VI Fieldes was not here! What
fastidiousness denying him even Its
benefits, leaving him when it became
capable of doing him anv good, vi
Fieldes would drive him mad. Fra
glle, bending little thing. Crisp, too
just enough resistance to be Inter
esting—like celery. . . .
VII.
A letter arrived from TTnrle Jeff,
asking him and Mary to come down
for Christmas. They were particn
larly anxious to see Mary, none of
them exeepf Kllse having been able
to attend the wedding. The tone of
the letter was affectionate, and
stinjoi him faintly.
was willing to go, but she
had a dinner engagement for the 23d
and another for the 28th. That left
a scant two days, but he decided It
would be enough, and then forgot
about the whole thing. Mary also
forgot, and asked some people to
lunch on Christmas day. She called
tt lunch: he supposed at first she
meant midday dinner, with turkey
and mistletoe. But. no. tt transpired
that she meant simple lunch, and
planned to have dinner at night, as
usual.
He became violently and unreason
ably angry, really at hl« own negli
gence, but outwardly at Mary's disre
gard of the Puritan tradition of
Christmas dinner He accused her
of worshiping worldly gawds, of sel
fishness, of Impiety, of unwtfely con
duct. Mary opened her large eyes at
him and met him more than half
way.
"But, dear, you forget things your
self, sometimes. Of course, I'll call
off the Jenningses. They had no
where to go, as their house Isn't In
order, and I thought they'd rather
have lunrh with us than in a hotel
I’ll put them off, and we'll go. - Only
don’t storm so. It Isn’t nice."
He was sorry then, and apologized.
He telegraphed his acceptance to
Dlmchurch. Mary could only stay
her two days, but hs determined V1
remain on for a week. It would bore
him, no doubt, but It would be a dlf
ferent kind of boredom.
CHAPTF.R XIV.
They arrived at Plmchurch At
something after five, it was pitch
dark already and the air smelt of
snow. The station was ill lit and
redolent, of food, and no relatives
were visible In the crowd of people
that hurried about It. Kit left Mary
on a high restaurant stool, with their
baggage at her feet, and went to look
outside. There was a line of motors,
mostly filling up and driving awav.
hut no sign of the old stuffy coupe
that Uncle Jeff kept for winter use
Mary received this baleful news
With fortitude. She wore a dark blue
suit and a small hat with one smart
feather. Her fur and coat collar were
thrown hack and revealed her smooth
brown throat, and a string of pearls,
also a touch of while at the top of
her dress. Never had she seemed so
exquisitely and perfectly dressed as
In this smelly provincial station, and
he hated to tell her that his relative
had failed to meet or send for them.
It was the sort of mismanagement
that she never allowed.
With perfect good humor *h<
picked tjp the bags hr could not carry
— there was of course no porter and
followed him to the curb outside.
Here thing* became much worse;
there appeared to he no cabs, not
was there even any one who could
tell them how to get one. \ftei
freefing for ten minute* the' bundled
Into a trolley which strolled up, Kit
^seethin* with irritation, Mary di*
tantly amused In the ear she sat
staring at the advertisements, quietly
remarking nn them.
"How fasclnatlne all those things
do look. If I could have syrup and
i-akes like that at this moment I'd
die happy. I suppose we use a lot of
those thlnR* and don't know it When
T kept house down In the Mews I
knew all their names and price*, but
the\ didn't seem fascinating then
'either. Art is a wonderful thing
They had n walk of two long blocksi
fmm the ear line. It was the sort I
of thine that most people did all the
time and all people a few times, but j
It wa* non* th* )*** hateful. Th*
numerous and heavy bats wrung
Kite shoulder*. What an Idea Mary
must he getting of hi* relatives!—
hut how wonderfully *he wa* show
Ins up' She was a great lad>. pur*
and simple taking the had with the
good Surprise and admiration burned
beneath hie anger.
Aunt Ella opened the door on them.
"Why!” ehe paid arrualngly. ‘ Where e
Henry?
”f don’t know Henry.” replied Kit
dumping hie hAge on the floor I
never *hw Mrnrv. 1 never henrd of
Henry, 1 don’t know Henry, damn
Henry’ Aunt Ella, this ip Mary.''
"Blit I rin't understand." ts-enf nn
Aunt Ella, absently rlaaptOK Marv to
her bosom. "I told him to look out for
you, and explain that Ellse had the
Junior Endeavor and 1 had a cold
and . .
(T« Hf leatfased Tnmorrowj_
Th* wdlght of "»rh of *b» iphint
*hown In the avenue «f Splint* In *h*
Rll.lo pari Of ' The T.n rnmmnnrf
nidnld." tnmlng In iho Hr irnloid donn, .
Id flvd tend. »hiid ll'*' h-ighl of "> 1 b \
of phmaoh'» "tond i’o * Id ■ ■ f* ■ ' ^»
weight :*> tend_9‘
THE NEBBS OH. THAT’S MY MISTAKE. Directed for The Om«h« B«> by Sol Hm.
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Barney Google and Spark Plug Drawn for The Omaha Bee by Billy DeBeck
'! I I Compound Tmat duke wuo owns ^1!
TvJAT ENSliSW MAS! UE WANTS i
i I \ To KNOW MOW MUCH 1M GONNA /
{ ;\ T’MT UP AS A Side BET TMAT /;!
IjV SPARKV WILL WIN - - • •
, f V | 'Nx i DONT WANT HIM TO KNOW /
)i \. I'M BROKE OR ITLL J
—^SPoiL TME WORKS - /
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\ pu/6 \
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'SAY JiM- Ra>^E *2000^. \
/ UCUEC6 CAM 1 An0 WHEN YOU OW* )
raise a Emery sow im \
, COUOLA TVICOSANO "TOWN—?? J
l BUCKS J 'DONJ'7 make J
^ \ lap F '^y/
i
t>UK£ • INSTEAD OF PuTYiNG UP
ANY MONEY in THIS RACE joe _OURS -
LlSSEN - IF I Lose
You SMASH ME /N
The JAK - ANO IN _
CA^e 1 KIN—- /
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[Copyright »+24. by Kmg I —tuf%i SybAmU It | Cf^i Bnfir. >'|W» rm**md
BRINGING UP FATHER u .R*p'i,VnTom«. SEE J,GGS AND MAGG,E ,N FULL Drawn for The Omaha Bee by McManus
1U V-/I 1 n I I ILiI\ U. S. Patent Office PAGE OF COLORS IN THE SUNDAY BEE (Co»rright !S2«»
( I'M C.L-AD THAT MT HAtR. ^
crowinc, i'm tieeo
or OoOOEO ha»r
C>Et)lOE^>- I HAO TO
WA*3TE *SO MUCH -
time coinc to the
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JERRY ON THE JOB PAYMENT POSTPONED. Drawn for The Omaha Bee by Hoban
lCepyri»ht I»2i)
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I a If* t» »»» * >,**»*« 4m*A* IW<»r»waW»t
When a Feller Needs a Friend. ** By Briggs
Ah-h gee! Our turkey weighed 30 pounds and I |
bet I ate nearly half of it! Ccc whiz! / had two /
drumsticks and a lotta oyster dressing and sweet pola
toes and pumpkin pie and—and—and—ah-h gee! a 1
lotta more stuff besides. I nearly busted!
~yp I
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*9lW1
ABIE THE AGENT Drawn for The Omaha Bee by Hershfit u
A Little Like Weber and Field*.
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P=s_771
BIBBLE ?J.
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/ THE ACME ANANUFACTL'FiM* Cc
( Gentlemen, \
I REFu&E Td TAKE , _
Back the gooas. do me |[j
\ Something =ujhat can too / I*
\bO ME??
f 'Ts h QR^ftT COM^ikWok."
I Vou OUQ+VT *TD COME
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