Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 3, 1924 — page 65: what you’re looking at

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

A STRANGER IN TOWN. How the dickens did it finish? Dies— dies—with— With what? There was some- thing about the setting of the sun. That was the idea but—just how did the poet express it? It was of no consequence, but Eddie endeavored to recall it as one will— trying a half dozen groupings of words to complete the couplet and embrace the con- tained conception. And then—all at once—seemingly that last line materialized in concrete form. Seemingly it took the shape of a blackjack 855 or some other similar object. It seemed to rise up out of the nothingness of a shadow and hit him behind the ear. Eddie saw more stars in more varied con- stellations than are contained in either the heavens or a text book. They flared in scintillating orbits, flamed briefly and van- ished. Without intending to do so, he sank down with his back against the supporting sub- stance of a private fence. And then black- ness rose up and engulfed him. TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK Le} Lv} U LIFE, AS IT IS BELLA had a pretty face, Stockings shiny, frills of lace, Hers, at will, charms to enhance, As she whirled from show to dance. Maggie’s skin was dull as dough, So she had to scrub and sew, Working early, working late, With no time to decorate. Bella ate hors d’ceuvres, and dipped Fingers, dainty and pink tipped, Into bowls of scented water, As her-reading books had taught her, Maggie, coming home at night, Crawled to bed—she was a sight— Working hard for meat and bread, Fear of idleness Years went on. Lost its beauty, her dread. Bell’s pretty iace and her grace Melted into fat, that rolled Into chins, as she grew old. Maggie, too, time changed a lot; How I’d like to say ’twas not For the worse! But, truth compels— Maggie’s looks went off like Bell's. Vet, Bell’s fingers still were white, Cold creamed was her face each night; For, although she’d not a penny, Sister Mag had saved up many. ‘And, by drudging for the beauty, Never shirking task or duty, She could still keep Bella’s face, Once so pretty, set in lace. Helen E. Haskell. comiclaool (©