Show ONE GOOD F TURN by bly LILA ABBOTT mcclure mcclue syndicate service T IS only by combining wine I 1 IT woman and song that we court disaster taken separately they become the three graces and are found stimulating intriguing and inspiring but roy cummings had not yet learned his lesson in this respect after all was not he a privileged C character har acter his uncle godfrey cummings leading citizen of east baaford by I 1 reason reason of his considerable wealth had let it be known that roy was his favorite and heir so long as the he proved amenable to family traditions dit ions among these traditions was the im implied P lied condition that no member of the proud cummings family should marry below himself in social position yet paradoxically drinking and flirting were not under the old feli lows jows ban perhaps because he had the old fashioned plutocrats view view regarding the feudal privileges of the ruling class at any rate on this particular sunday evening of his second weeks vis vis it to his uncle roy had a few scruples concerning possible excesses upon his part he had during durina the day frequently imbibed from a pocket flask with the result that he was in a reckless mood and all pruned primed for a rollick ting jing country flirtation as he termed it his course lay rather unsteadily down the main street of the town where he fancied everyone was looking after him with admiring and envious eyes this was not a phase of his drunken condition as he was above all other things conceited really con si dering himself handsome and dashing with the proverbial way with the ladies but it is safe to say that such acclaim was not in the minds of most of the townspeople who happened to see him that evening and nd the fact that he was thus defying a local sabbath edict strict sobriety did not count in his favor however charity is a real virtue and with it mamie summers put to shame the passive condemnation of the community she was on her way to evening service and the sight of roy cummings of whom she knew so much was expected by his aged uncle making a public spectacle of himself aroused her charitable instincts she hesitated undecided how best a christian girl albeit a practical one could be of service to a drunken man upon the main street of a gossipy town she must have been a trifle reckless too in the light of her eventual decision or perhaps she was just impishly inspired in any case what she did make up her mind to do was sufficiently startling in a girl of her retiring type she paused and half turned toward roy that was enough with a flourish he had raised his hat where are you going my pretty maid he she might have answered tr truthfully uth yet flippantly 1 I am going to church sir she said but after all it was an impossible situation for a girl of her conventional upbringing she could only look upon him pityingly to his muddled intelligence this signified that she was struck dumb with admiration so he continued quickly well wherever you are going I 1 will go along too if you dont mind how about it sweetie somehow or other she found herself falling in step with him at the same time she realized how ridiculous the whole situation was she would have fled had he not grasped her arm and guided her down the street meanwhile she felt the censuring glances of her friends upon her defenseless fen seless back the two at length reached the lighted vestibule of the church here she halted her half formed plan put to the test 1 I am in here she said breathlessly all right he agreed any place I 1 you go suits me and unwittingly he followed her into the church she deposited him in one of the very bach seats where they attracted less attention than might have been expected owing to the fact that roys palpable surprise upon finding rig himself in a church of all places partially sobered him he sat quite still during the service saying over and over to himself the little joker she certainly put one over on me this time and this admiration of her cleverness was intermingled with his ad mi ration of her pleasing appearance as he glanced sidewise at her from time to time during the sermon what a pal she would make what a wife I 1 after the service roy still clung to his companion despite the fact that he was now supposed to be in normal possession of his faculties normal yet out in the grateful darkness on the way to her home one might have been pardoned doubting it when with fine fervor he proposed marriage and mamie with inexplicable judgment accept accepted edl 1 but by this time camies protecting angel made its belated appearance otherwise there is no telling just how far this spirit of momentary inducement du cement might have worried her she might even have gone through with a marriage with one she knew only as a wastrel and a flirt for strangely eno enough figh roy had held to his purpose A peach who could rope him in into to a church in his condition was a real thoroughbred he told himself and he would marry her in spite of old godfrey his uncle but old godfrey proved to have the stronger will marry that small town girl airl he bellowed 1 I should say not and not and not knot it was which was just as well for mamie five years later mamie was again walking in the direction of the church this time however when a long gray car of expensive make slowed up beside her and its occupant a dissipated looking man threw inviting glances in her direction she passed serenely on but knew at once that it was roy also she knew that he had fallen heir to his uncles fortune and was now in town with his wife on a short visit the wife by the way was the famous feminist lecturer who had consented to speak at the church that very evening A few minutes later upon reaching the church vestibule mamie was not surprised to see the car drawn up before the door nor was she surprised at the occupants condition he appeared quite helpless in intoxication he had the door of the car open but was undecided whether to attempt the distance to the church entrance upon seeing mamie his bleared eyes lighted but not with recognition say sister he pleaded help me up the steps will yuh im sick and I 1 want to speak to my wife mamie accordingly found herself again walking up the church steps with a drunken man on her arm inside of course was the regal mrs cummings the lecturer greeting all comers with a forced artificial smile at sight of her husbands entrance she approached with commendable sangfroid sang froid or was it brazenness and smiled at farrve mam e sweetly thank you my dear she said quite ignoring her husband this is very kind of you but dont you think you put yourself to too much trouble for me mamie considered the fate of a drunkards wife from which this woman had unwittingly saved her by taking roy off her hands after her early impetuous engagement and smiled cryptically not at all she returned one good turn deserves another |