Life — August 22, 1907 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

PATENT DEVICE TO PROTECT PEDESTRIANS FROM AUTOMOBILE DUST up and leading down. Why, I can keep some young men going for days just by smiling at them once or twice a day. 1 usually select a couple of steady chaps to cling to and then but I'm giving away my business. Remember, sir, that time is money. All L ask is ten per cent. of your gross business and my board. Will you accept my proposition or not? There are my references. You see I’m endorsed by some of the best people. Being a professional, every young man who comes here is perfectly safe with me.” Mr. Dobson hesitated no longer. He was in that financial condition where anything was worth trying. “Very well,” he said; “I'll accept your offer. And you can’t start any too soon.” In two weeks the first instalment of guests began to arrive, and with them came the professional. Dobson had to admit, as he found his rooms filling up, that the young woman he had engaged was a “wonder.” On Saturday afternoon she took him aside. “Here,” she said, “vill you keep these engagement rings in the safe?’ I’m afraid Pl lose them. And, of course, by and by I shall have to return them to their owners.” “How do you doit?” asked Dobson, his voice teeming with admiration. “I should think they’d get mad at you. And, of course, you have to deceive them.” “Nothing of the sort. I tell them the truth helieve me.” In spite of himself, this young man, who had never been far away from his native town, except to graduate at a near-by high-school, was interested. “Well,” he said, “I'd just like to know how you do it. You couldn't show me, could you?” he asked, blushing at his own words. “Of course I could, but I haven’t time. I’m rushed enough as it is. Besides, it would interfere with business.” only they don’t “But couldn’t you take a’ few hours off and””— “Not a moment. Why don't you watch me, if you're in- terested? Don’t get close enough to interfere. But you people who've always lived in the country are observant anyway.” “T can’t do that,” choked Dobson, She was so irresistible that even he was caught in the mesh She got up hurried “Weil!”? she exclaimed, “I must be off. I have an engage ment. Do you know’’—she lowered her voice—‘‘I’ve almost been kissed five times already to-day.” “And haven't you been once?” he asked. “Don’t talk shop,” she replied, and vanished Dobson began to realize that, even if business was not being interfered with, his happiness was Every evening, as he counted up his cash receipts large sum daily—he viewed them with mingled feelings of satisfaction and despair. ‘They represented two things: prosperity and misery It was her very innocence, her complete disinterestedness, that won him to her. It was her only way of earning an honest living. He realized instinctively that if she were a real flirt she couldn't do it. Her very ingenuousness was what made her attractive, and what filled the hotel with young men They came and went, two weeks being the limit, as a rule, for any one of them to stay. It seemed to Dobson, viewing atters from his office, as if the whole place was being strewn with broken hearts. But it was business, after all. And so he counted his cash and his own heartaches every night. One day, when there seemed to be a lull, he managed to take her aside, and drew her into his little office. “Never mind,” he whispered, “he—or they—can wait a few moments. But I want to ask you just one thing. Say: honest—has any of ’em ever kissed you—actually ?” now a comicbooks:com