The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-05-04
CHORTY'S 3 O CELEBRATION
By Fredehek White
Copyright, 1901, by Froderiot white

| kuoWu III NtEtAlH NANANe Na oeNNae story man." Ills friends respected him for his undeniable ability for getting and. what was really quite as impor. tant. for getting away.
 The police respected him, but prln- clpally for the latter gift.
 Shorty respected himself sometimes, but not often. After Q particularly good piece of work, when hls finances would permit. shorty gave himself up to a period of dull responsibility, a proceeding rather foreign to the dis- position of second story man." For days he would keep to bis room, read ing voraclOusly every book upon which he could lay his hands. Dickens was his favorlte author, and he loved sto- rles of children.
 Shorty was fond of children and never disturbed them more than was necessary when engaged In his busi- ness.
 It was when his finances thus per mltted him to rest and dip Into litera' ture that shorty came nearest to re- spectlng himself, but unfortunately there always came day when he was forced to sally forth and again become the hunter and the hunted. usually the central figure. though unknown, In Items of various length in the newspa. pers.
 The residence section of the city was invariably the field of his efforts. A days stroll would disclose the oppor- tunlty. and then night and few nee essary implements Of trade enabled him 10 do the rest
 As he walked brlskly up the avenue this winter afternoon nothing in Shor- tvs appearance would attract particu- lar attention. Plenty Of young men were doing the same thing. However, a discerning eye might have noted that when be passed a policeman Shorty seemed suddenly afflicted with a se- we're cold in his head, which necessi- tated the use of large handkerchief. Between policemen Shorty's head seemed to be In Q perfectly normal condition.
 Turning up a side street. he slacken. cd his pace somewhat, and hls trained eve searched every detail of the houses on either side of the way. Ordinary people might have thought them palm fully alike. but Shorty knew other wise. Here was a basement window unguarded by the usual iron frame; there a balcony gave promise of shel' ter from passing eyes while the win dow was being forced.
 At the corner Shorty passed a church. He had no designs on the church, but the swell of the organ and the sound of chlldren's voices came to him through a half open window. They were devotlng all their energies to the last verse Of the carol;
 Ring the ioy bells over an the earth.
 Stealing. pcaling. let them tell his birth
 Angel music. let it swectly fan,
 Singing, bringing peace and Joy to ah
 The extra power thrown Into the words "joy to all" recalled to Shorty the fact that Sunday schools frequent ly gave celebrations for thelr faithful scholars. Exactlyl These children were having a Christmas tree at the church after exhaustlng the holiday season at home
 Suddenly he had a desire to see the real thing if they would let him in. The main door opened around the ave nuc. but the vestry door was at hls hand. He'd take a look at 1t anyway. Shorty started forward, then stopped. Through a swinging baize door came the murmur of voices, then a strange . cracking sound and the cry "FireP
 Shorty was trained to act quickly whatever the emergency. On the cor ner was a red frebox. and it was the work of only a second to smash the glass and turn in the alarm.
 As he ran from the box the children. pale faced and frightened, were pour Ing through the doors, and above their heads far back In the church he could sec the gayly decorated tree blazing In a cloud of smoke. He saw that the youngsters were being well handled by two young men who stood on either side of the doorway. Then his other nature asserted Itself.
 To Shorty and his ilk a Ire always means loot. The habit of years was strong upon him. Back to the vestry be ran and crept through the narrow corridor and the balze door. Through an archway he looked Into the smoke filled church. There was no one In sight. The burning tree and the smoke screened hlm from view. He glanced about hastily, and his eye rested on the aims basin, piled high with the chlldren's annual offering. It stood on a table near the reading desk, and sparks from the burning tree were fall ing upon It.
 He rushed forward, snatched lt and began to cram the envelopes containing the money Into his overcoat pockets. He must get away before the fremen arrived on the scene. The silver plate he would button under his overcoat
 He worked feverlshly, for already the choir stalls were smoldering. He had the money at last and. ripping open the coat, was about to conceal the plate when a voice rang through the smoke ladpn air.