Judge — June 3, 1916 — page 6: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Farmer—What's your hoss power? ISS CHESTER was a good half hour too early for her train. She bought a uzine at the news-stand, and sat down on the uncomfortable waiting-room bench, facing the huge clock. Miss Chester was a trim, girlish figure in her well-cut travel- ing dress, her hand- some furs, her hat set at just’ the right angle, and even some of the most hurried commuters turned to look at the soft flush of her rounded cheek, the exquisite neatness of her shining hair, though if the truth were ester was thirty and a would say. In short, she was the sort of girl that inspires some people to remark, “I wonder why she doesn’t marry?” the real reason being— though few people knew it—that deep in her heart was the memory of a man, and tear for what might have been. She loosened her furs and settled herself as comfortably as possible to read the long minutes away. Two seats away sat a tired, draggled-looking woman, with three small children stickily c linging to her skirts. The eldest, a girl of about six, showed signs of interest in Miss Chester’s muff, lying on the seat beside its owner, and began sur- reptitiously caressing it with gummy fingers. Miss Chester drew the muff aside, and the child’s mother called sharply, Never mind,” she said, with the quick smile that brought her many friends, “never mind, little Natalie The child backed shyly against her mother’s knee, her two small brothers star- ing round-eyed at Miss Chester from behind their sister’s small serge shoulders. The mother looked up wearily, her voice half fretful, half apologetic. “It’s so hard to keep them clean,” she said, waving a limp hand at the children, “and harder still to keep them amused. Candy’s the only thing they scem to want, Owner of car—Sixty. Why? Farmer THE MEETING BY DEWITTE KAPLAN and I know it’s bad for them Here one of the small boys began to choke, and she turned and slapped him vigorously on the back, until a huge lemon drop he had been sucking flew out of his little red mouth, and although the child started a wild howl, she went on as though there had been no interruption “Te wfully hard traveling with three small children, but you see my husband lost all his money, and we can’t afford a nurse. He's just got a new position in Pennsyl- vania, and that’s where we're going now. Orville,—” this to the second boy, and Miss Chester’s heart beat faster. The name stirred memories. “Orville,” went on the tired mother, “come here and let me wipe your nose! I wonder why children are such little pigs!” And while the vigorous operation was going on, Natalie sidled close to Miss Chester. “You're pretty,” she said “My Mamma used to be ’fore we were borned—you'd say so too, if you saw her picture —but she’s too busy now!” “You should try and help mother,” Miss Chester said didactically. The child held something that troubled her vaguely. “T do,” was the proud answer, “I sweep sometimes, but we don’t sweep much, only when Papa comes home and that’s not often. When he comes home, ’nd we haven't swept, he gets mad, ‘nd goes out, ’nd gets drunk! “Natalie! Again Miss Wall, why not make it sixty-one an’ maybe ye can git to town tefore night. with the small Orville being finished, his mother had had a chance to overhear a word or so of her daughter's conversation. “Natalie, if you're not good. T'll take you right back home to Carrington you bad Miss Chester stared unseeingly ahead of her as the child began to snivel. “ Carring: ton—Orville.— Natalie—" it was too queer! worried Chester jumped, for the siege Bobbie (proud possessor of new waders) Another fine day, darn it comicbooks.com