Show r I IA Ir I r romonce An A I I Q 1 6 d STOry u The Love of Ikey By O. O Henry I Copyright 1920 b by lh the tho Wheeler Syndicate Inc I IThe The Blue Light Drug store Is dd between the thc thc Bowery Dowery 18 and First l avenue where wh re the distance distance dis dis- lis-I lis tance between tho tho two streets Is s I Tho Blue Light docs does not consider that than pharmacy Is a athing athing athing thing of ot a brae scent and Ice Ico cream soda If you ask It H for tor painkiller pain pair killer It will not give you a bon bon I IThe The Blue Light scorns the laborsavIng laborsaving laborsaving labor- labor saving arts of or modern pharmacy It macerates Its opium and percolates percolates percolates per per- Its Us own laudanum and paregoric par par- es To this day pills are made 1 behind Its tall taU prescription desk desk- desk I pills rolled out opt on Its own pill tile divided with a spatula rolled with I Ithe the finger and thumb dusted with magnesia and delivered in In little round pasteboard pill boxes The Thc store is on a corner about which coveys of ragged hilarious children play pia and become candidates for the cough drops and soothing syrups that walt wait for foi them inside Ike Ikey was the night clerk of oC the thc Blue Light and the thc I friend of oC his customers Thus It Itis itis is on the tho east side where the heart of pharmacy Is not glace There as It should be be the druggist Is a a. counsellor a confessor an adviser adviser ad nd- Iser an able and willing missionary mission mission- ary and mentor men lor whose learning Is respected whose occult wisdom Is la venerated and whose medicine Is la often poured un lasted Into the thc gutter S Therefore Ikey's corn l- l form bespectacled nose and row row knowledge bowed was well known In the vicinity of ot the thc Blue Light and his advice and noUv no- no tive Uv were much desired Ikc Ikey roomed and breakfasted at Mrs Riddles fiddles two squares away Mrs Irs Riddle fiddle had a daughter named Rosy Tho has be been n In vain you vain you must have guessed It it-Ikey it Ikey adored Rosy She tinctured all ali his thoughts she was wag the compound extract of or all aU that I was tas chemically pure and officinal the the contained I nothing equal to her But Ik Ikey YI was timid and his hopes remained I Insoluble In the of his I backwardness and fears lears Behind his counter he was a superior be being being be- be I be-I ing Ins calmly conscious of ot special knowledge and worth outside he ho was a weak kneed purblind motorman motorman mo- mo torman curs cursed d rambler with Hi m fitting clothes stained with chemIcals chemicals chemicals chem chem- and smelling of aloes and of ot ammo ammo- nia The Thc fly In Ikey's ointment thrice welcome pat trope was wal Chunk McGowan Mr McGowan was also striving to catch the bright smiles tossed about by Rosy Ros But Dul he was no outfielder as Ikey was he picked them off ott the tho bat baL At the thc same time he ho was Ikey's friend and customer cus cus- customer tomer lomer and often dropped in at the Blue Light Drug store to have havo a bruise painted with Iodine or g get t l a n acut acut cut rubber plastered after a a. pleasant pleasant pleas pleas- ant evening spent silent alon along the bow- bow ery cry One afternoon McGowan drifted In in his silent easy way and sat comely smooth faced hard indomitable In Indomitable In- In good natured upon a stool Ikey said Bald he ho when nhen his friend had fetched his mortar and sat sal opposite grinding gum benzoin to toa toa toa a powder get busy with your oar Its It's It drugs for tor mo It If It youve you've got gol the thc line I need Ikey scanned the thc countenance nce of Mr lr McGowan for the tho u usual ual evidence evidence evi evi- dence of ot conflict but found none Take your our coat off ott he ordered I guest tle already that tha t you ha have P. P b been en stuck in the ribs with a a a. knife I have many times told yot 0 those would do you up I Mr Ir McGowan smiled Not Nol them he said Not Nol any s But Dut youve you've located the diagnosis all right enough Its enough Its It's under my coat coal near the tho ribs Sa Say Ikey Ikey- Ikey Rosy Ros and me are goin to run away and get sel married tonight left s vas dou- dou over bled the edge edgo of holding It steady He lie gave It a wild wila rap with the pestle but felt tell It not not- Meanwhile Mr McGowans McGowan's smile faded to a n look of ot perplexed gloom That Is he continued If It she sheI I keeps in the thc notion until thc the time Urn comes Weve We've been lu pipes es for lor the getaway for two weeks week One day she says she will th same evenin she says pixy Wove agreed on tonight and Rosy's stuck to the affirmative e this time lime for two whole days das But Dut Its It's five hours yet yel till the time and Im I'm afraid shon stand me up when It comes to lo the scratch You said you OU wanted drugs remarked remark d Ikey Mr McGowan looked ill III at ease case and harassed harassed-a a condition opposed to his usual line of ot demeanor Homade Ho He Homade made a patent medicine almanac Into Inlo a roll ron and fitted tIlted It Il with unprofitable unprofitable un un- un- un profitable carefulness about his finger I wouldn't have this double handicap make a false start to tonight tonight tonight to- to night for tor a million he said Ive got a little flat up In Harlem all aU ready with chr chrysanthemums on tho table and a kettle ready to boll boil And Ive I've engaged a pulpit to be ready at his house for us at 9 30 Its It's got to como come off ott And If It Ros Rosy dont don't change her mind again again Mr McGowan ceased a aprey aprey aprey prey to his I HI dont don't see then yet said Ikey shortly what makes It that thal you OU talk of ot drugs or what I can be he doIng doing do- do doInG Ing about It Old man Riddle dont don't like Uke mo me a little muo bit went on the uneasy suitor bent upon marshalling his arguments l For or a week ho he hasn't let lel Ros Rosy step outside the door with me If It It wasn't for losin a boarder board board- er they'd thed have bounced me mo long ago aso Im I'm makin 20 20 a week and ands s shell she'll ell never regret the coop with Chunk l IcI McKowan owan You will win excuse rne me me Chunk said Ikey key I must make a prescription proscription pro pro- that is to bo be called for tor soon Say Sa said McGowan looking up suddenly say Ike Ikey aint there a dru drug of ot some kind some kind some kind of or powders that'll make a girl I I like you OU better j if you give em to her Ikey's lip Up beneath his nose noso curled I with the scorn corn of ot superior enlightenment but before berof ho could answer an an- McGowan continued I Tim Lack told mo ma he got gol some flome once from a n croaker uptown and fed cd em cm to his girl In soda water I From the very en first t dose he was ace high and everybody else elso looked like thirty cents to her They was I married In less than two weeks Strong and simple was Chunk i McGowan A better reader of or ormen men than Ikey was could have seen that his tough frame was strung upon fine fino wires Like a a. good gen gen- ral r-ral who was about to Invade the enemy's territory he was seeking sackinG to guard Juard every ovary point against possible possible possible pos pos- sible failure I I thought went on Chunk hopefully that If It I had one ono of Ir them powders to give Rosy when hen 1 I Isee see her at al supper tonight It might brace her up and keep her from reneging on the tho proposition to skip I guess she dont don't nce need a n mule team to drag her awn away but women women women wom wom- en aro are better at al coaching than they are at running bases If It the work Just for tor a couple of ot hours It'll illI do the tho trick When Is this foolishness of ot Continued ou on page 4 s I ITHE THE LOVE i I Continued from from page pase 1 running away to bo be happening asked naked Ikey Nine o'clock said McGowan Suppers at seven seen At eight Rosy goes to bed with a headache At t nine old lets mo mo me through to his back yard where theres there's a board off oft Riddles Riddle's les le's fence tence nert pert door I go FO under her window wando and help her down the fire escape Weve We've got to mako make It early earh on the preachers preacher's account Its It's all dead tasy easy If It Rosy dont don't balk when tho the thona na flag drops Can you fix mo me one ono of ot them powders Ikey Ikey rubbed his nose slowly Chunk said he ne it t Is of at drugs of ot that nature that must have much carefulness To you u alone of or m my acquaintance would I a powder like that B ut t for tor yo you I shall make it It and you jou OU shall see ce ee how It makes Rosy think of or you Ikey went behind the prescription tion desk Thero There ho cr crushed crashed shed to a powder two soluble tablets each containing a a. quarter of or a grain groin of morphia To them he added a a. little little lit lit- Ill Ill-I tle tie sugar of ot milk to increase the I bulk and folded the mixture neatly neatly neat neat- ly In a white paper Taken by an I adult this powder would Insure I several hours of ot heavy slumber without danger to the sleeper he ho handed to Chunk McGowan I telling him to administer it in a n liquid If It possible and received the tho hearty thanks of ot tho backyard Tho of ot Ikey's action becomes apparent upon recital ro- ro cital of ot his subsequent move Ho sent a a. messenger for tor Mr Riddle and disclosed the plans of ot Mr McGowan for tor eloping with Ro Rosy y I Mr Riddle was a stout man brick brick- 1 dusty of 01 complexion and sudden Inaction in inaction action I II I Much obliged ho he said briefly brief brief- ly Iy to Ikey Iker The lazy Irish loafer My own rooms room's Just above c Rosy's Ill I'll Just go up there myself after supper and load the shotgun and walt wait If It ho comes in hl my backard backyard backyard back back- yard ard holl hell go away In an ambulance ambulance lance Instead of ot a bridal chaise With Rosy held in the clutches of ot for tor a many hours deep slumber and tho bloodthirsty bloodthirsty blood blood- thirsty parent wafting armed and forewarned Ikey felt that his rival was close indeed 1 upon dis dis- All night In tho the Blue Light Drug Store he waited at his du duties duties duties du- du ties for tor chanco chance news s of ot the tragedy but none came At 8 o'clock in the morning the I day clerk arrived and Ikey started hurriedly for tor Mrs Riddles Riddle's to learn the outcome And lo 10 ashe as ashe he stepped out of ot the store who but Chunk McGowan sprang from froma I Ia a passing streetcar and grasped his h hand Chunk hand Chunk McGowan with witha I a a. victors victor's smile and flushed with I Joy toy Pulled If It off ott said BAld Chunk with I Elysium In his grin Rosy hit the fire escape on time to Jo a second second sec sec- I ond and he was under the wire at the reverends reverend's aV at 30 She's up at the flat the flat she he cooked eggs this mornin In a Ii blue kimono LordI Lord how lucky I am kimono kimono-I You must pace up some lome day Ikey and I feed with us Ive I've got a a. Job I down near the bridge e and that's where Im I'm heading for tor now now I The tho the powder stammered slam stam I etam-I Ikey I Oh that stuff stutt you gave nave me me said Chunk bro broadening his grin well It was this way I sat down at the supper table last I night at Riddles Riddle's and I looked at it Rosy and I says to myself Chunk if It you OU get the girl get gett gether gether her on the square dont don't don't dont tl try any hocus hocus-pocus with a a. thoroughbred like her And I keeps the paper you iou OU give me In my pocket And then my lamps fall tall on another party present who I says US to myself my my- self sette Is J. fallen In a proper affection lon tion toward his comin son law so 60 I watches my chance and dumps lumps that powder in old man Riddle Riddles coffee cottee see |