Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 3, 1924 — page 168: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

958 your interest, Shorty, and I sure did aim to pick up some hints from yuh on the way East, but I just couldn’t deliberately de- ceive May or make her think I’d look at another gal.” “I see where you're plumb aimin’ to lose her,” scowled Shorty, ‘an’ she’s a mighty swell gal. What are you so power- ful particular about how yuh win her so long as yuh get her. Love,” philosophized the little cowboy, fingernailing ashes from his tailor-made cigarette, “‘ ain’t no differ- ent from politics. They’s lots to it yuh like to forget. And there’s lots to it nobody sees on the surface. The main thing is grabbin’ the job or winnin’ the lady. Whether yuh get to either through stink weeds or a flower plot don’t matter after yuh get there.” “I guess maybe you’re right,” said Slim slowly digesting the other’s Platonian dis- course, “ but everybody ain’t cut out for playin’ the game that way. Now, if I could win May by bluffin’ a little I wouldn’t mind. Say, bein’ a hero or somethin’. Say,” Slim sat up. ‘“ Why couldn’t I be the star in the rodeo an’ win her that way? Seein’ you’re goin’ to write for the Larabee paper yuh could say that I sort of ran away with the show.” “That ain’t a bad idea,” said Shorty, getting up. ‘“‘ Shake. A damned good idea, I calls it.” They shook hands and Slim lighted up another cigarette and immediately focused rosy thoughts on May Markins. Shorty appraised him with a canny eye, then de- parted to indulge in a game of Red Dog. IV. NEw York! A city of a million noises. A giant with a _ continual rattle in his throat. A _ living piece of organism with a million tiny gnats scurrying, crawling, pausing, loafing or lounging on its belching, breathing carcass. Here, a bell. There, a whistle. A torrent of humanity swirling into one hole in the cround and reappearing from another. Strings of cars on trembling steel trestles whirling through space. Like a child’s play- things magnified. Automobiles spewing ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, from a thousand directions. Around cor- ners, up streets, down streets, passing, re- passing, backing, skidding, moving—always moving, looking like a Christmas display in a toy department, wound up but never running down. Sound of tin and steel and throb of metal. But sound, always sound. A vast Shing called a city, but resembling always a show window eternally trimmed. Full of pup- pets, hustling, bustling puppets. Some rich, some poor; some mean, some meaner. Some sad, some glad. Some strong, some weak. But all moving, moving, moving like leaves in an autumn gale. A dizzy, dizzy, dizzy whirl. = Into it stepped Cesar A. Watson, better known as Slim, and the rest of Tex Allen’s rodeo outfit and immediately herded to- . gether like cattle in a snow storm, lest they be separated and whirled to destruction. For an hour they had watched the approach of this monster, the city. And each passing minute had carved away its slice of their confidence. Just as the last ounce of cour- age was oozing through their popped eyes and gaping mouths they were unceremon- icusly dumped into the monster’s lap. ‘I don’t like it.” This from Slim, whose teeth chattered. “Oh, you'll get used to it,’ said Tex, casting an appreciative eye on modish young women who passed with curious glances at the group of cowmen. ‘* Never,”’ rejoined Slim. They moved from the railroad station to Madison Square Garden, a vast amphi- theater occupying a city block, where the rodeo was to be held. The journey was through Fourth Avenue from Forty-Second Street to Twenty-Sixth. It was a journey of thought and prayer for Slim. He thought it was harrowing and he prayed he would safely emerge from it whole and alive. Never had Larabee and Sunset Slope seemed so far away. Never had May Markins looked so sweet and fair. And never had he realized before what a comfortable eating joint was the Slope’s Greasy Spoon, until he viewed the strings of tiled restaurants so painfully clean, and so antiseptically un- inviting. Entrance to the Garden gained, via a back door, he sniffed in welcome as COMmMicoool S CO) nn