The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-04-17

ridicule that obstinate boy In the In
trenchments OF his own home was q
pleasant one. And then the water
milyun an sweet taters" and the pos
sibility OF fried chickenl They decided
| him.
as yo' cake" he grinned.
The two boys walked cautiously te
the edge OF Wung Sins laundry root
and peered down. Crap shooting was d
serious oftense, and Shack was careful
to keep this retreat ON the laundry ROOT
from the knowledge of the police.
"See anything. Cuffy?" he whispered
as they glanced sharply from side Il
side.
'0nly dat fruit seller ON de corner
He ain min"
GraspIng the edge of the roof with
their hands. they swung over and
dropped lightly to the ground. Then
they scurried round the corner into
Bay street and we're lost in the crowd
Cuffy's mother lived in small tene
ment In the colored district She was
ironing when the boys arrived.
Dat yo', Cufty?" she called as they
darkened the low doorway, Come
right in. honey. An who's yo' frlen'?'
Him Shack. nanny" answered
Cuffy rather nSNudly "yo' done heah
me tole bout him."
Goose has, honey, co'se l has" the
woman exclaimed, leaving her ironing
and coming forward cordially. Glad
to see yo', Shack. Come right In, boy
l done heah bout yo' heaps O. times
Sit down in dat rockin' cheer. Oar,
dat's right. So yo's Shack. Law, law!
My boys done tole bout yo' no end.
Say yo's able do anything yo set out
for; dat yo's de mos promlsin' black
boy In de whole city," She returned
to her ironing and worked vigorously
for several minutes, then: Does 20
know, honey, dat's mighty fine say.
SO? De mos promisIn' boy! Dat
means dar's gran wuk befo' yo'-gran'
wuk, honey We black folks need jes'
sech boys to grow up an lead US, Ts
glad you an Cuffy am frien's. He's a
good boy, but easy led. He needs
strong, true trien's to show de way.
Wha's dat, Cuffy? Shack goln' stay
all night? Shore 'nough? Law, law!
OATS good! Now yo' boys jes' placate
'mong yo'se'fs while / get dis ironIn'
of; den we's hab supper an mo- talk.
Cuffy, yo' put dat milyun in pail o
coP water"
Shack had listened without any at
tempt to answer, but his eyes and ears
were keenly alert. This was an ex.
perience which was entirely new and
which 1t would take him time to ad.
just He had peered into rooms be-
fore now and had generally been driv-
en- away with broom or poker, but be
did not remember any of them that had
been quite so clean and cozy as this
scantily furnished room, and certainly
none Of the women had been like this
one who was actually treating him as
though his presence was desirable. But
of course he was right In his declara.
ton that a nanny was detriment to
a big boy. This was only an unusual
side he was seeing; presently would
appear some weakness with which he
could overwhelm Cuffy.
But what appeared presently brought
him half to his feet in sudden wonder
derision, contempt. There was Cuffy
actually telling his nanny about the
crap shooting and the money he had
lost, and more wonderful yet, instead
of scolding and Furnishing him as ordl.
nary women would have done, this
nanny was patting her boys cheeks
and talking in low, earnest voice
and, yes, they were both crying.
Shack drew a hard, deep breath and
waited in momentary expectation OF
hearing his own name. But, no, Cuffy
only spoke Of himself and then went
back to bis chair by the window, where
he sat very sober and thoughtful. And
his nanny began to put away her
Ironing and prepare for supper
After supper Shack returned to the
rocking chair, feeling very comfortable
and contented And the puz"ling MAN
my, after she had cleared the tabla and
washed the dishes, came ana sat dJni
between him and Cufy.
"Cose yo' goin' to Tu5kesae when 81
get able, honey" she began. ana t-e4
accepting this for fact ana aI2o
servant of the indignant scorr Oh H.
face, she went on In an almost rei +
ent voice: Tits u gran thy III
school; a gran, noble ting Wat va
black folks lax Is KNOWN ti&.,j, q
dis school will glib as DIT, aeap1' =
an runnin' ober. Yo' bo~s d"t pro q
for schoolln' can be mos Gnr""@
:im for-preachers, doctors, lawye:s,
railroaders-ies' lax wife fo'Bs L.f