Show He Was Just Juat the Janitor Br Dy SID SIDNEY EY M M. T O. O l l Western WiK Union post pot office International r re re- of ot Joys and sorrows full full- urea and successes news DeWI and gossip tact fact and ond fancy guardian fancy guardian of trifles and of at treasures r treasures remained remained tt open constantly con con- for tor the deposit of ot that eternal flood of ot flotsam and jetsam jetam crude crudely classed under the one head head mall The church clock opposite had tolled the long strokes of midnight A later Inter wanderer through the slot labeled la la- letters gently slid a long thin envelope Deep In personal musings or else pille a o little sleepy from a long and lonely session In a bleak and empty office be ortice-be be had not observed one who was WOI watching him with wide-eyed wide In In- ten She was huddled In a corner as though cold A woman Just a woman woman young foun probably under thirty You You you do that very very very-very very care- care lessly The absorbed young man wheeled curiously Do what haU She smiled palely not answering at once Suppose she nuked asked another r question suppose suppose what'd se you do da l lyou If It t tt you u wanted It back ulie lIe He stared at her not comprehend comprehend- In Kh Fh The Tho I letter A mistake If It you wanted It back hack hack- r hok f Oil Oh 0 he tie shrugged But Dut I dont don t Though I suppose It If I did did cotta lotta re retape red d tape tape tape- he mumbled Incoherently turning away aWRY Isn't Isn't there someone someone some some someone one some cl clerk rk or other I can can isn't Isn't there anyone In the post office now now she pleaded In low hurried tones tonee He Jle twisted his mouth toward her ber 1 In n brief accommodation Just the janitor jani jani- tor madam The janitor came came out of ot his seem seem- lon Ion to mop lIe He laid said nothing but h he be e lead had noted that twice she Ibe bad had paused bet before or the letter slot Going back through t the le murk murky gloom of ct mailbags he had passed last the tho canvas basket that and h held ld the offerings He lIe was passing passing pass PUI- pass pass- ing just JUM In time to see a letter projected projected pro pro- proJected partly partIr through and drawn hastily hastily hasti hasti- I ly out again and then with a sudden abandon was pushed violently in And ad then through the narrow slot come came the slender fingers of a womans woman's hand hand and and ns os quickly as they had hod wriggled led In the lingers fingers withdrew Dut But these episodes over the janitor janitor jani jani- tor did not hoar hear the plaintive accosting accost accost- lug ing of the stranger In the post office nor did lid he hear his own unobtrusive position In life so summarily described described de de- scribed d Just the janitor Yet the woman waited and waited The janitor came Come back lighting lights and ami tanking making sure nil all w was was s ready for tor the night shift As Aa he came by a a window In 10 the wall of ot lock boxes he saw the woman still standing out there On Onn n n IP Vf tn t. b li fl- fl IO rill Antl- Antl ft tI fat ful conscience he ho went out It Il was wasas wasas as ns he dimly suspected she suspected she spoke what pen what time time how how these letters be picked out and sent So that was It I 1 In halt half n hour maam Them letters II 11 bo be sent by then sure sure you you needn't worry none he added nut Hut she said there some someway way cant woy cant can't you get me a we-a n letter Of course he be misunderstood Sorry mm Im I'm the Iho janitor janItor we we never handles no mall It'll be In the mornIngs mornIng's mornings morning's morn morn- Ings Ing's delivery sure But Dut t. t I just mulled a letter hereby here hereby here here- by mistake I I-I I I want to get It back best sen send another letter maam ma'am I cant can't I J she objected almost angrily This Its It's Its It's a blue envelope small addressed addressed to to to-to to Mr Me Mr l Mr Cant Can't you get It back for tor forme forme torme me Its It's mine The janitor voiced n a cruel truth Not now Its It's his lila Then an after after- thought to your lIu husband No Xo o but I wish It was Oh I I- I wish It was wasl I IThe The old man mon was troubled Im just the Janitor he mumbled Swiftly she sought his con confidence My Dy husband was neglectful this neglectful-this this man this tilts other man mon was was was' studiously attentive c. c I came here tonight with witha a 1 letter telling him him to to come rome but but but- but bUt bUt- she choked overcome O with mingled rl 1 repentance rl and fear rear As long as I had hall m my hands on It this letter I brave brI determined I 1 waited waited waited thinking Then I I I-I 1 push pushed ell It In In you must b believe lIe p me the me-the the moment It left my hand It seemed as ns It If I was letting go of Jim go d ti II steady Jim w whose hose strong 11 hand Land Land- a fill A bro Ern a l down n Into A ruin v ulal tA 0 q- q no UV Then Then I I knew I I-I I I want It back The Janitor sh shook ol his Ills graying head bend Without a word dimly pondering he hI plodded buck bock through the Inn Inner r and stooped pd beside o the canvas basket antI and hastily reached In and und anddrew anddrew drew It out Behind him n a door opened and closed A voice 0 that of Fenton Fenton- en n a petty pUy fault tinder on the ton ton-I nightshift nIght shift snapped nt at the he Janitors Janitor's back What doing there old bird A A n letter sir sir sir- Fenton tossed his head hend In superior contempt Hereafter mull matt your our letters from the outside through the slot Dont Don't be bc dabbling your meddling fingers angers In that basket In the lobb lobby the tile woman still waited She Bhe seized the crumpled envelope In to frenzied haste She reached generously generously gener gener- Into luto her purse drew out a bill billI billI I I can never thank you Youve You've been kind kInder er very Kind The old man shook a n dubious head Im Just the tile and walked away awny somewhere some Into his un un- mown aown Janitorial |