Motion Picture Story Magazine (Feb-Jul 1911)

100 THE MOTION PICTURE STORY MAGAZINE "As true as I stand here, Jimmie, I clean forgot all about it. I sent the boys to rent the hall, and Schultz's orchestra's going to play for the dance, gratis. I talked with Schultz myself but I've never thought of the program since." By way of emphasis Tom's great hand came down on Jim's shoulder with a force that made even that young Hercules start. "Look out!" he roared, good humoredly. "What're you trying to do ? 1 might make a speech there myself, on the high cost of living and the starvation wages those poor duffers have been getting that are out on strike in Chicago, if you don't knock all the breath out of me before the affair comes off. Why not ask Cecelia to help? She'd sing, you know. I believe she'd map out a whole program for us in short order." "Of course she would. I ought to have thought of that before." Tom was beginning to brighten. The Benefit for Keenan's widow was one in which they had all felt deep interest, but the picnic and their own individual affairs of the heart had temporarily placed it in the background. The two workmen were now directly in front of Tom's home. Jimmie lived further down the street. "Perhaps I'd better drop in after supper and talk it over with Cecelia," suggested Jimmie. "Time's getting rather short, you know, if we're to have the programs printed." Alarmed at his own oversight in the matter of making the benefit a success, Tom assented quickly. "Yes, I wish you would," he said. as he turned to enter the house. "Tell her I'm chairman and I'll appoint her to take charge of anything she wants. Some of the girls might make up a reception committee. Tell her I'd have come over myself but Peterson said he was coming up this evening with some insurance papers that he wanted me to look over with him. He'd get a grouch on for sure, if I wasn't here." Tom was entering the door now, but turned to call once more after the rapidly retreating messenger. "Tell her to fix up something good, for the boys have sold lots of tickets and we want the folks to get their money's worth." In a surprisingly short time a very clean, immaculate James, in a new suit of clothes, with a purple necktie and dark green cloth hat, very different from the blackened workman with the dinner pail who had shouted a lusty "all right" to Tom's last admonition, presented himself at the Logan home. He had been very fearful that Cecelia would not be there, but he was not disappointed. She admitted him, herself, and took especial pains to call his attention to little Elizabeth, smiling thru a generous coat of tan and freckles, who had just returned from a visit to the country. To Jimmie it was like being one of the family. He had so long dwelt in a boarding house that the cosy home life at the Logan's always appealed to him doubly. Of course Cecelia was willing to help make the benefit a success. She took a remarkable degree of interest and wrote names and made suggestions that Jimmie knew would delight his friend who always felt responsibilities far more seriously than Jimmie thought was at all necessary. Even while the forgotten program was being brought to perfection, Tom was worrying very much because of his carelessness in not thinking of it earlier. Suppose Cecelia wouldn't want to undertake the task. Suppose Jimmie should forget to go over to ask her. Suppose he had not forgotten to go, -and they were talking of other things than the program ! Tom paced up and down the room, watching the clock with interest, for it was very evident now that Peterson was not going to come with those insurance papers, after all. "It's not late," thought Tom. "I'll just run up and see Cecelia myself. It won't matter if Jim is there." That was why Cecelia had to go a second time to answer the bell. That was how it happened that Jimmie, left to be entertained by Elizabeth for a few minutes, glancing up suddenly, could not believe his eyes when he looked into the mirror opposite.