Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-20

II VHE one point I'm clear on about that Sunday
afternoon is that it soaker. Must have
been month or back, about when the
drought went out of business and the weather begun
averagin up the rainfall. Anyway, it comm down
good and plenty, and the Sixthave. surface
blocked and was beatin it down from 23d-st. with
bum umbrella that had cute little trick of closn up
on me just when needed it most.
That's why was hangin up in deiCatessen door
way waitin for lull Oh sure, nice and CHEEKY
there stampin my feet to hear EN- make that squshy
sound, and thinkn' what chump was. Maybe you
know too how homelike it looks down under the l.
tracks on wet Sunday afternoon.
And then, right in the middle of the worst shower
that had been turned loose that day up ashes this OBJ
ect in the thin coat and the old slippers, and
joins me under the awnin.
"Why hello" says he, chirky and clipper as if it
was bright spring mornin You waiting here too?"
three-legged race with pink ostrich up and down the
hot sands. What else would be dom in such lovely
weather.
And that peculiar twist to them thin lips placed him
for me in a FASH. Course, knew I'd seen him some
where's before; but he has of these peaked, pie
coored insignificant faces that it's hard to keep in
mind unless there's something you can tie it to-
1t only when he sprung that smile of his that
remembers the dairy lunch, and him. with the white
coat and apron uggn cups behind the coffee tank
Not that we d been what you might call acquainted
there for the rush hour at that joint don't leave time
for anything more in the way of conversation than
shoutin' your order in; but that this smile
again knew what it was I'd been missn for the past
"Oh, yes says l, "Ive got you cross indexed now.
Used to work the chicory fountain at Schlosss didn't
your Was it case of bein' handed the fresh aira"
NO." says he "They locked me eighty cents for
breakage week. SO l left
"You re missed, all right says "The gink they We
got on the urn has face that almost curdes the
cornstarch puddin Stckn to the same line, your?
"Oh, no." says he. I'm helper for the film handler
at a moving picture arcade down on 14th-st. Come
around some noon and I'll pass you in We're putting
on The Bandits Daughter next week and need ex
behind the to work the blank shot pistols
"Honest?" says l. Say, count me in on that
DON'T know how it was, either; but the first thing
1 knew was forgettn about the weather and the
of my feet, and workin up real chatty inter-
view with this ex-coffee singer. He want much to
look at that's fact,-one of these slim, understood,
hungry lookin parties with faded blue eyes, faded hair
and faded clothes There kind of old look to his
face; but whether he over or under twenty was
moren could say.
Besides his smile, though, he had way of listenn'
earnest what you said that made you feel like you
was putin something important and valuable;
and when l confdes how I'm head offceboy for the
Corrugated Trust people you might have thought, to
watch him, that I'd said vice president instead
Il know now,' says he. Don't they sometimes call
you Torchy?"
Its almost habit" says 1; but didn't know the