The news & observer., 1905-12-24
KNUCKLES SWIPES a
..-..TREE--.--
K0bo and Coyote and Christmas in Os-
tTich Alley.
By.R. L. Gray.


trickle of siryer upon the counter
pane
Mrs. Manners" she said, I'VE beg
your pardon. We have not understood.
What do you want? Food? Wood :
Clothing? Those moor little things!
My doctor shall call. l will call! Be-
lieve me, We are not SO selfish as We
seem! We do not understand"
The little woman took command
as OF right. From the boot of the
carriage. the coachman entered with
bundles, which he undid and spreaC
upon the bed and chairs. Raped from.
their huddled place in the chimney
jamb, Kobo and Coyote, threatene.
TO silence by whip-lke look from.
Violette, stood shifting among strang,
and gaudy toys. while the visiting
committee hunted for their handker-
chiefs and the coachman ran to and
from the carriage like a black genius
of wonderland. The tension was too
great and the Summers commenced
TO back towards the door The little
woman produced a miniature bottle OF
French Brandy. Take it, she said t.
VIoIetIe, a tablespoonful three times
a day."
The Summers entered their car,
riage and the cOachman fiicked his
horses. The pale faced little woman
|
to Violette mopping her eyes in tn,
open doorway:
1--WE will remember" she chirped
like a bird and her cheeks We're as
pink as the roses on her breast and
the tears shone like dew upon her
la,shes. "a merry Christmas" she
shouted again in a childlike treble
that drowned itself in a sob.
Violette turned and re-entered the
house. Coyote was rummaging for rib
bons among the boxes. Kobo stood
surveying the plunder With hands
placed ostentatiously in his pockets.
He looked on his mother with deep
admiration:
wi" he said approvingly, ''yo sho
did do EN- good"
vi cackled with pride and toolz@a
cracked glass from the mantel ledge.
Into il she poured full tWo-thirds of
the little woman's brandy. AS she
raised the glass her nostrils shook
with emotion and her green eyes gilt
tered above its rim.
Here's howl you little devil!' she
exclaimed, in Kobos direction. Here ;
to ChriSmuSi"
vi had reached the mature age of
twenty-three years. She felt that she
lived, in fact, a long time. Indeed, she
could not remember when she had not
lived. Life with her had also been
exciting. She had faint memories of
q time when she was something OF the
size of Coyote. although her hair was
black and Coyotes red. 1t was to the
color of her offspring's hair that she
attributed her differences from the
maternal stock. vi. herself, had al
ways been a quiet person. She had
in her day witnessed many fights anc
been many times witness, but never
a defendant vi avoided trouble when
she could and shifted the burden
when she could not. She was no hand
at row. albeit she permitted her.
self to be imposed on only by
Knuckles. She understood Knuckles
and many times she had perjured
herself manfully in his behalf
Knuckles had the drink habit and she
understood his emotions with respecr
to the beverage. although vi her
self never got drunk. The capacity
of KnuckleS was a constant source
of admiration to her. She could not
understand personally the effect of his
libations, we'll as she knew the Symp-
toms. With herself. drink meant a
comfortable stupor; witE Knuckles, ii
had the effect of making him wish
to fight coppers. Foreign as this
forcing of intimacy on the police was
to vi, she felt that it was an evil
dence of greatness. When Knuckles
was in drink he had to hit some
thing-even had he moro than orle
smitten vi herself, who was his best
friend--and the polits. were the most
conspicuous of citizens. There were
periods when Knuckles did not call
for months, but he always came back.
He was faithful fellow and vi would
not have been so cognizant of her
life if he had not been in it. This,
however she had never considered Sc
riously Knuckles she had always
known. Kobo, who Worshipped at
Knuckles' shrine was of a CONNER
cial bent; Coyote, feminine
Knuckles, initiated her mother. SO
that all unconsciously vi was really
fond of both children though, that
they might be raised in the way they
should go, her affection never got be-
yond a jocular malediction. Once,
however, vi had surprised Knuckles
embracing Coyote, Whereupon the
man had called her a name which
she had ever afterwards remembered
and Coyote had set upon her like
demon. She had felt that the incl
dent was a good joke but never had
she dared to recall il. I&nucKleS, IN
deed, had afterwards fallen into the
habit of cutting Coyotes ears-a pro-
ceeding which she always honored
with a howl and most thoroughly un-
derstood as a yelled careSS.
On the night of the visit of the
Summers vi had sent word by KoDo
and Knuckles had called in time for
supper. 1t was an extravagant meal.
Supplies which had been meant for
week were piled ind;scriminately upon
the board. Knuckles was in good hu-
NOR. The silver had gone for a col
lection of black bottles prominently
displayed. On these Knuclzles dis
ported himself happily. Kobo and
Coyote stuffed and stuffed. After
wards they retired to the middle of
the floor and dabbled in the toys,
while Knuckles spread himself be-
fore the fire and puffed his black cigar
and told of his last fight:
can when the mucker tried ter
give me the gouge, | didn't do ting
ter him but mouth his feeier wit my
grinders. Gee! you'd ought to hear
him scueal" Knuckles spread himself
the more at the satisfaction of the
thought Looking about for approval
he observed Coyote standing. at his
chair with n red and gold and some
what dirty book in her hand. Coyote