The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-04-03

II
Hal her neck to see into the inter
Tor of toy shop between the
decorations in the window.
Her whole mind seemed 10 be cen
tered on observing someone In the Tar
interior OF the shop. Presently she
discovered a small crevice between
Noah's ark and a soldiers helmet. She
could see the far end of the shop be-
tween these toys, and she became
motionless.
A gentleman was watching her from
the hotel window on the opposite side
OF the street. He was handsome,
keen-featured man, dressed with the
careless elegance which bespeaks the
prosperous American.
The little girl continued TO gaze pa
tiently into the darkness OF the shop
opposite. The wind, rushing down the
street, tapped and tossed her hair,
and a little hand on the window pane
was turning blue with cold.
Suddenly she darted from the win
dow and jumped to meet small boy
who was leaving the shop.
The gentleman in the hotel put on
his hat and crossed the road
said come in twenty years burt
ed the little fellow angrily. He was
a youth some three feet In perpendicu-
lar height, and he patronized his SIS
ter. as became an elder brother.
IL was probably his magnificent
stature that caused his sister TO re-
gard him as an all-round phenome-
non. To her he was the Great I'm
surpa ssable. and she believed In him
wholly.
So when he told her that the people
In the shop had said. Come In twenty
years." she looked at him wide-eyed,
expecting that Tommy. with his usual
brilliancy, had put forth this as
rurfosfty waheHeF- preceding some
vital revelation. He. however, offered
no further explanation, and she ven
tnred:
whats they mean by that, Tom
N.Y."
.sWeu. they say I can't come. Don't
want a messenger. They laughed. and
called me a little boy"
The idea OF a toy-shop man call
ing Tommy ''little boy" was too much
for Katy's thin veneer OF politeness.
oh" she shifted haughtily, you
wouldn't be manager or their old shop
row IL they was to ask you. would
youg"
The loss OF the management OF this
Shop seemed to affect Tommy and his
sister so little that in moment or
two they were Specializing as TO what
they would buy II somebody came up
suddenly and said;
Little boy. here's a sovereign for
YOU
Katy's feminine instinct decided that
large. wide-eyed doll would be sum
Client TO satisfy all her cravings. while
Tommy considered that huge Noah's
ark. containing a selection OF all the
other TOYS In the shop. would be the
only thing that could satisfy him
During the conversation the gentle
man from the hotel stood listening be-
hind the children. In little while
Tommy grasped his sisters hand and
together they trotted hurriedly down
the bleak, wintry street.
Despite their threadbare clothes, the
boys dirty face and his sisters dusty.
tangled locks. the stranger looked wist-
fully after them as they ran. and then.
as IL suddenly awakened from rev.
erie, he walked smartly In the same
direction.
When the children reached home
the teeming lodging house, with its
back view OF chimney.pots and end
less roofs--they toiled zip the dark.
worn stairs toward the second land
ing. -
f3rawny, sf0ven1y women, With Jugs
under their aprons, passed up and
down the stairs.
On the first landing dirty-faced lit
| Tie girls played hop=scOtct ON the
eHaiked boards Nearly all OF -rhHm
staggered under the burden Of young
er brothers and sisters. One OF the
girls darted from the game to pull
Katy.s hair yiciously as she passed the