Show TOP TODAY'S A YS Y'S SHORT STORY I Fiction by Americas America's Greatest Writers by bi U thi Frank A. A c CO ca HIS RAG AND BONE By J. J J. J DeLong Business having havin been concluded for fortim tho tim do day John Henry boarded board board- ed cd d an elevated at ot Rector street At Thirty third street ho consulted his watch and antl learning that ho lie had bad timo to burn left tho train for a o. shave a a. cocktail and a n. walk Ho JIo took tho the cocktail first Then he hc stepped Into a a. barber shop removed d his hat and coat and dropped into a chair Tho The obsequious barbor barb after noting a three-day three growth of ot beard Inquired his pleasure I L I want a shave a a. massage and a shampoo said John Henr Henry And a manicure Yes mechanically for tor ho be was va gazing gazing gaz z ing at tho the mirrored ceiling and thinking thinkIng thinking think think- ing nothing but at the tho first stroke of or ortho tho razor he ho b became o aware of ot tho preliminary preliminary preliminary pre pre- work being dono done b by tho the lad lady of or tho the files flies and and md closing his eyes to the glare of tho the shop ho he began a review of or the tho events of thed the tho d day wife and How liow after kissing his shaking a da to little J. J H. H ho he j had found a da day of ot good business aW awaiting IUn l him m at tho the office His wife had phoned about noon to inquire If It ho he h had hnot not tor forgotten something something some some- thing and how she eho ho had refused to say s. what that something was when heI he ho I failed to place It I How lIow mysteriously happy she seemed to be bo under the tho circumstances How I I persistently happy sho she was under nil all circumstances and how Interested In Inke ke keeping at a n. minimum to tho the I end that they ml might ht in good g season build a a. home In tho the country A good wife was Mary and a good bood mother as well considerate thoughtful thought thought- ful fu a. a and 1 altogether the tho right kind of or a n. helpmeet Ho would stick to business mako make mone money and save savo it It until ho could build bull tho the homo home In the country upon I which she ha had set et her heart h At that point John Henl Henry attention was distracted b by three little muo taps of ot a velvety hand on the tho back of or his own on and a moment later tho the other hand was at rest under the tho refining In Influence In- In fluence luence of or snugly comfortable quarters quarters and comforting manipulation and he hc went back to his dreaming Tho The home in the tho country countr was now nov a 3 material fact tact Vine clad low gabled and spacious It set well ell back from the thc road and was ices protected from tho gaze of ot Inquisitive e eyes by a towering hedge e. e There Thero were stately maples and arching I elms There was a a. g garden grden many fruit trees and a a. choice of or white cochins and red rel hackles i Over and beyond the tho hedge a stretch t Of Qt meadow land lowing cattle and tinkling bells bella Beyond again tho the ver- ver ver-I ver ilant green of ot the hills bills and tho the white gleaming homes of or the tho farmers tanners Came Camo again tho tap tap tapping of or the tho velvet velvety hand and ancl with It the tho faintest Imaginable little Imaginable little squeeze It brought down tho Urn curtain on the tho home In the country and an John Henry opening his eyes to observe what manner manner man man- ner ncr of ot person It was that insisted upon his remaining In tho the city had them closed again by a n hot towel in tho the hands W f the barber before his ambition was satisfied When he attempted to return to the country ho found that a mist had settled settled set set- tied upon the verdure-clad verdure hills the sowIng lowing cattle and the meadow The hedge the trees and tho the flowering flower flower- ing things disappearing ono one b by one were ere replaced by fawning waiters walters gleaming gleaming- tableware and a fairy whose bright eyes and gay spirits fascinated him He began t to wonder If it she sho would ac accept accept accept ac- ac his hospitality but before beCore he could put the question another vision came camo to him It was a a. ride In the tho park with hero here and there a stop for tor additional refreshments tho fairy becoming becoming be becoming be- be coming coming- more and moro more f fairylike until just just for tor fun you know ho caught her In his ls arms and learned that sho she wasn't a a. fairy at all all but an atom of or real reat humanity It pleased him mightily that sho she en entered entered entered en- en thoroughly into the spirit of ot a ag g Rood good d Ume Ho realized that th ho he would not get home until a late lato hour but oh ob happy Invention was there not an town out customer to detain him 1 C Camo another love lovo tap and thank heaven at tho the same moment tho the suspense BUB- BUB pense made necessary by the tho massago massage was ended There was convulsive uplifting uplifting- movement of the chair which brought ht th the dreamer Into close communion with the fairy of his vision who proved pro I to 10 bo be all he had pictured her She looked into his face smilinglY face-smilinglY smilingly Inquiringly and John Henry Henr Impetuously impetuously canceled the order for a n. shampoo sham sham- poo Poe You do tIo good work Little Bright Eyes sold sKId he when ho he had hall adjourned to one of or the little side ido tables which served so o well ivell for tor the finishing strokes of 01 the manicures manicure's artI artI art I am glad slad you OU think no o. o returned the tho fair fairy whoso name was vas M Geraldine and who cheerfully cheerful and confidently added If Ii you'll let me treat your our cut leal Ill I'll train it so 80 It wont won't need cutting at all And if IC you OU will let me treat you to toan toan toan an oyster I can cnn train you OU to like a anice anice anice nice little dinner said eald John Henry boldly but fearing a refusal to so ab abrupt abrupt abrupt ab- ab rupt a proposal made an answer unnecessary un un- necessary b by adding Ill smoke a cigarette if It you dont don't mind Not In the tho least said Geraldine I rather like liko the smell of tobacco And the thc taste inquired JohnHenry John JohnHenry Henry returning to his mutton I suppose you indulge e oc ca Not even oc ca returned the little lad lady smiling I shouldn't care to havo have m my fingers stained b by nicotine Stained fingers in ors Is not an unusual sight in tho the best of oe society said JohnHenry John JohnHenry Hen Henry encouragingly But Im I'm not a n society lad lady No o returned John Henry Henn re re- re You are arc Just a 0 ver very sensible sensible sen sen- sible Ittle manicure Just a manicure lady 1 Living with your our parents sensible lit littIe little little lit lit- No with wilh another vc very tle tIe manicure lady Just you two Just wo we e two Cook your own meals Be careful John lIen Hen Henry Yes said sald Geraldine and its it's lots lotsof lotsof of or fun tun It would bo lots of fun It se wo we were to have c a nice little snack together tonight dont don't you OU think And leave poor pOOl little Marion all alone No Indeed the tho poor child chillI would think something dreadful had Imd happened John Henry Honn su suggested that Marions Marion's principal hope for tor salvation consisted In acquiring the ability to ta take e care re of ot herself that Geraldine should prepare prepare pre pro pare tho the way aY for her occasionally throwing her upon her own resources and that th she ought not waste an any time in so doing They would have Just one ono cocktail a nice little dinner and It If she wished he would take tako her home homo in a taxi Meet teet me at tho the docker at quarter to seven said he lie confidently 0 The very sensible little manicure lad lady slowly raised her head and smiled Married Z she ho Inquired Oh I see said John Hoary Henry eva eva- You think that hotel a little conspicuous and I dont don't know but youre you're right Well We'll make moko it the lobb lobby of or the Uptown theatre This is ve very sudden said Geraldine Wh Why i I even dont don't know your name And she laughed outright ht said aid John Hen Henry with fth extraordinary astuteness And suppose your our wife were to come along Mr ventured Geraldino Ger Ger- aldino timid timidly Ah suppose Suppose was wa-s a big word If It a good bood time depended upon the tho disposal of ot alland nil all niland and sundry suppositions to the contra contrary contrary con con- tra there would be no such thing as a good time for anybody There Thero was waa no suppose In this matter It was a clear case of ot making makins- the best of ot ofa ofa a a. good opportunity He pressed a a. coin into her hand and with an Injunction Bo Be on time took his departure As tho the door closed behind him Geraldino Ger Ger- aldino opened a 3 little dla diary and turned to January 10 1917 added one stroke of or he her pencil to six other and similar strokes If It It isn't a cocktail Its It's a n dinner and it if it Isn't a dinner its it's its it's a ride In a taxi t. I dont don't understand It at all she sa said Id She Sho dropped John Henrys Henry's coin into her pocketbook and Its Jingling re reception reception reception re- re by other coins of ot similar de denomination denomination denomination de- de nomination closed an everyday IncIdent Incident Inci mci- dent of or her life John II Bent Henry en highly gratified at his good fortune prepared tho the way f a 1 I IT Jr Ire blow himself to in m n u a i nc cocktail Then with thirty minutes at nt his disposal disposal dis die he slowly meandered in the tho direction di direction dl- dl of ot the theatre at peace with the world and himself the typical monumental monumental mental ass he lie was wa originally intended I to portray portra and tho the story therefore comes to an end But But But- At he came face tace to face with his Rag and Bone and the rest of ot the tho sacrilege who with that nice faculty faculty fac fac- for remembering anniversaries which Is possessed by so flO many wives having nothing to do but to keep tho the house in order and buttons on their husbands husband's underwear had purchased I theatre tickets for that ve very evening intending a a. pleasant surprise for her lord and master For a moment the imbecile was speechless with amazement and mortification mortification mor mor- but rising to the occasion ho demanded an explanation What hot under tho the Bu sun brings you OU downtown this time of or day Mary Vh Why John dear Its It's your birthday Well but but but- Vell Well but hut what I asked you at I noon if It you OU hadn't forgotten som something and I knew from your answer answer that you had Now I am going t to punish y you u. u I want you OU to call up the house and say wo we wont bo be home to dinner and you Just take me mc to the tho We will have a nice little dinner and a bottle bottlo hottie bot- bot tie tle of ot wine and Ill I'll drink to your our h health alth and wish you many happy returns of the tho da day After dinner well we'll go KO to tho the Uptown theatre I hear Its It's a fine tine show and I have the tho tickets Tho The little lady of ot the m files 8 and snip snip- pers was contentedly flitting between sniP sniP-I the tho pantry the table and the diminutive live tive gas range on which stood a pot of of boiling water Vo She smiled when she heard n familiar step upon tho the landing and laughed outright when hen the door had hod been and am a somewhat I youn younger er girl entered d. d Youre a 1 little late kiddie said laid Geraldine I was beginning to o do some somo tall taU thinking Never No do an any real tall thinking on my cc returned tho the other Im all right Frankfurters for tor dinner Yes said Geraldine suspending a string of or six of oC them over the boiling bolling pot Do you OU OtI notice how much each I ono one of or these frankfurters resembles tho the others Why Yh yes why shouldn't the they What hat a question Well married men arc are as much alike aUko as these frankfurters Listen dear 4 Broadway and Twenty-third Twenty street at seven tor Bing-tor for yours She cut the connecting link Unk of ot the last sausage as It disappeared in the boiling caldron caldron cal- cal dron I Seventh avenue and Thirty-fourth Thirty street between 7 and a quarter quartel past for Bing-for for yours yours yours' A ride rido In tho the park Bins for Bing-for for yours A trip to Philadelphia Bing lUng for for yours Of MA A bottle of fizz izz Bing for Cor for yours H An oyster One little cocktail and lit If it you OU wish Ill I'll take you ou home borne In a CI taxi The rhe lobb lobby of or tho the Uptown theatre at Bing lUng for for yours And the tha last Jast of ot the frankfurters disappeared disappeared disappeared dis dis- appeared as Geraldine turning turning- to the newcomer added That is the gro gross s result of ot toda today my dear Tho net Is exactly 3 |