The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-24

The Boys ON Joy Square.
hate introductions, and am glad this one
is over. I'll never write another.
One afternoon on Joy Square, when the
girls had all gone TO picnic, a group of
five boys were lying, two on their stom-
achs, two on their backs, and one ON his
side, all talking busily. The subject Of
their conversation changed every five min
utes, and in the lulls between subjects Billy
Brag talked about himself. Al the boys
laughed at him occasionally, yet hey made
no attempt to slight him. The free-mason-
ry of boys is the best and truest on
earth. Each goes on his merits; and Billy
Brag was accepted as a part OF the crowd
even as a sore toe is a part of the body
disagreeable, but indispensable.
But here am introducing again.
The boys lay on the lawn OF the Man Who
Saw. He listened to their conversation while
his gray book lay idle on the step and the
baby pulled leaves of the honeysuckle and
laid them in her fathers hand with 'tank
oo'' after each presentation. Billy Brag was
delivering an grafton on his fighting quail
tiles and Pickles was quietly poking fun.
Pickles was witty.
'"Spose you could whip most any boy In
town." said Pickles with mock solemnity.
Course" said Billy Brag. whose vanity
would not let him feel that he was being
rddiculed.
'If you'd get mixed up In a right rough
scrap with some Teller, though, you'd want
us fellows to be round. all the samey."
mo. SIR scornfully declared Billy Brag
I'D tend to that same like you fellers was
MT anywhere"
"Al right"-but Just then a rattle OF
wheels was heard. and a stranger boy was
seen lying breast downward on e small toy
blackboard, holding the tongue up In the
air with one hand and guiding and propelilns
the craft with one plump bare leg that stuck
out Of abbreviated jeans pants with patches
ON them. The boy had a round, red face.
a pot" hat, one suspender, a dirty shirt
and looked very Independent and very
happy. 1t was down, grade for the blackboard
ON Joy street, and 1t went at spinning
gait until Billy Brag did a very foolish thing
With the taunt of Pickles ringing in his
ears. he yelled derisively at the strange boy,
''Where'd We get your new suit?'
The big, bare foot was Immediately applied
to the pavement as a lock, the blackboard
stopped, and voice as round and hearty as
the stranger boys face said, Come round
the corner an I'll dress you right"
Run on, HERO said Pickles, sa- sastically
you've said you needed no ASSISTANCE"
Billy Brag hesitated. The big boy was q
| forlorn hope to him. But the taunt Of Pick.
| les-the worst licking on earth was sweet u
that: and in spirit of genuine pluck and
| ieroism he followed the stranger boy round
| the corner, accompanied only by Billy's
| dog Colonel.
| 1t was bitter task for boy flesh ant
blood to lie on the grass while a good fgh
was in progress just around the corner. We
Pickles had a bag Of peanut candy, and hi
brides held the others.
| In abaut ten minutes u dslapidated rennnan
| Of Billy Brag was seen coming around tn.
corner with brisk step. His tie was tori
loose, his collar unbuttoned. his coat coveret
with dirt, had a drop of blood on his shir
front. cut and swollen lip, a purple eye,
poorly disguised limp and a skinned nose
His first expression was: ooh, boys! yo'
ought to "a seen me lick 'im!''
A blind man could have detected the lie Il
| his tone. Colonel was the only eye-witnes
| present, and he couldn't talk: but he locke,
| sneaking.
Pickles gazed seriously at the battered
bruised and bedraggled figure Of Bill.
Brag, and remarked sagely:
I'm glad-awful glad you licked i'm, bu
say, Billy, didn't he kind o. rally littl
towards the last?"
And Colonel trotted hastily around tn
| house