Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-26

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"Geei" he yelled. II got it! I got It.
Molly!"
With frantic haste Jimmy crumbled the
bread In his hand. Ana then with sudden
ecstacy he caught the girl by the waist
and waltxed with her around the room.
thought was there there was something
else And that something else was not a
silver dollar; 1t was not gold dollar; 1t
was not a five-dollar gold piece-that is.
not one five-dollar gold piece. but six Of
them, round half dozen. nothing more
and nothing less.
Thirty dollars!" exclaimed Jimmy;
thirty dollars. and it's mine. Gee! but old
Helmstaedter blew himself for fair: Won't
we have a time tomorrow. Say, WE'LL
He STOPPED. His face paled. He trem-
bled, for he had suddenly thought Of some
thing. He stepped to the side Of Moilie
Middleditch and put his hand upon her
shoulder and looked down upon the ground.
"Mollie. girl" he said. huskily, this must
mean somethin' to US: I was thinkin' that
we'd blow this in tomorrow: But I've
thought O. somethin' else. little girl. It's
what we've been lookin' for, Molly. We've
been encaitched FIR now goin on four
year He stopped: Molly; GIRL ne went woT
come with me down to tn alderman's-
down to Mulligans-and get hitched up,
f'r better. f'r worse. FIR richer, f'r poorer
".
how. I know will Will you come with
me. Molly. girl?'
Pretty Molly Middleditch hid her face
on Jimmys shoulder. I'll go with you,
Jimmy Burke" she said.
They went. And from that time on
pretty Molly Middleditch was Mrs. Jimmy
Burke. And it was even so as Jimmy
Burke had said. He did get Job, and
Burke is a mighty good man. whether
he's husband in the home or a hustler
in the shop. He's all right all the time.
That same night man sat in an OBJ
scure part of town with CLEAN OF salts It's
faction on his face. The man was Shlfty
Shift, and he was counting over roll or
bills and few glittering coins.
Gee" said Shifty Shift, Il got away
with old Tortoni all right. I'm thinking
But, say, wasn't / scared when 1 run
down them steps thinkin' that the cops
was on my coat tails. If it had been them
instead of the Dutchman, say, wouldn't
have had time to unload I'm only sorry
now it's all over. that slung them shin
ers away as 1 did. Well what of 1T. got
enough and the half dozen or dozen yell
lows that 1 fired across Dutchy's room
won't make much difference. Besides,
Dutchy or his men will pick EN- up, and
they'll make good New Years presents
for 'em. It's all right, Shifty Shift, my
boy. all right
The next day Tortoni did not disturb
Mrs. Jimmy Burke. He was very much
employed in bemoaning his substantial
loss. His misfortune gradually became
known in the neighborhood and there
was considerable enjoyment over his dis
comfiture.
One night Jimmy Burke came home to
find Mrs. Jimmy Burke with perpleXed
countenance.
jimmy said Mrs Burke, what do you
think? I asked old Helmstaedter if he put
those gold pieces in the bread that night.
He said he didn't
"What!' said Jimmy. whats that?''
"And what's more said Mrs. Jimmy,
from what he said 1 do believe that
those gold pieces used to belong in the safe
of John Tortoni. What will we do about
it?"
Jimmy was moral young man. But he
also was a philosopher. Molly" he said,
lis any of that money left?" Molly shook
her head. "All right" said Jimmy, I'm
earning good wages now and we don't need
1t. But, as for me. I'm willing to let by
cones be bygones with John Tortoni. And
want to tell you that John Tortonis
pile never did the good in the world that
these gold pieces did to you and me, and
I'm goin' to let 'em rest in peace I'm
honest enough at that, but / amt got no
kick a coming. And you amt either. little.
girl"
The next year. however Jimmy, who had
made a little strike, took six five-dollar
pieces to Helmstaedter and handed them
over. "Dutchy," he said, II want you to
put these in your bread tonight, one in a
loaf Just like as not some poor chapll
get one of 'em at the time when he's suf-
FERN for it,
Thus did Jimmy Burke even things up
with his conscience; for Jimmy's conscience
was in the right place. AS for Shfty Shift,
he was a man who had no use for con-
sciences. not much.