Evening star., 1909-08-22

thing; honest don't, George I just feel bum"
What's the matter?" 1t came to George that his
chum's manner had been strange from the first and
there was now quick sympathy in his voice
Jack ranmed his hands deep into the pockets of
been going to smash up at our house. Pop and Nom
the outs; they re going to separate and Mons
going totake engagement, and Pops going his way
and-and I've got to go to blamed boarding SCHOOL,!
"Geel How did it all happen?"
Pops gettin too chummy with Jessie Dumont,
the dancer and Nom won't stand for it any longer.
Evsrybody's begun talking about it. 'Talnt square
of Pop is t?'
Georgie. evaded TT; too bad, old socks,' he
said I'm awful sorry
It's fierce that's what it is! 1t makes feel
just rotten Pops such bully fellow and Mons all
right, you bet, and we all had such good times,
didn't WEI"
I'VE sure did," assented George.
Pop wasn't home to dinner all week. woke up
when he came in the other night and wanted to see
him SO bad got out of bed but when got to their
door heard Nom talking and she crying, and
she told Pop that she had tried not notice things
and she knew he wasn't much different than big
boy, and she'd been hoping would wear out quickly
hike it had other times; but Nom said that now
everybody talking about it; and she simply
couldn't face people any more, she felt so-so-I
don't know, something and ashamed ;,
Il didn't hear Pop say anything and then Nom
said i guess it had better end right here with us,
Jack
And Pop said Has it got to be as bad that,
And Nom said, Yes, Jack. What else can you
And Pop said You don't believe all the talk do
yous'
Nom said No. Jack I'm willing to believe you
when you say that the worst of it isn't true But it is
only question of time, Jack, that is the way see it,
and there's of my waiting till the worst does
JACK JACK ' s ' " :
II got kind of scared to hear EN- talk like that,
and knocked on the door Pop yanked it open like
he expected to find burglar. When he saw 1T was
only me, he laughed and grabbed me and nearly
squeezed the breath out of me-
." No pillow fight tonight, said Pop, and laughed,
and then he hit wallop on the seat OF the pa
JaInaS-you know the way he dOes-and he said,
Back to bed for yours, you blamed little OWL and
beat it.
But l asked Nom about it all the next day and
she cried, and then she told me about her going to
take an engagement and me going to some boarding
school"
George considered. Did you tell her you didn't
want to go!
mo; was afraid it might make her cry more"
said little Jack huskily.
Yes l guess maybe it would" agreed George.
Hang it! If you go to boarding school, that1 bust
us up too.
Jackie nodded gloomy assent.
GEORGE considered again, finding nothing read
lily to say, but slipping sympathetic arm over
his chums shoulder as they stroed along by the
Central Park wall. And as he chanced to glance
the way toward the vivid theatrical posters
fence opposite, he lfesze in llthograph Jessie
Dumont the dancer. She had one foot raised, and
the dainty ankle surrounded by swirl of lin
gerie. After that for quite little while, George
walked with his big brown eyes staring just staring
without really seeing anything, until he suddenly
turned his head and glanced closely and curously at
Jack; George spoke
would be able to do the thing that it had
ing straight ahead 1t was funny Jacks mother
and father were fine actors; but Jack ddnt know