The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-15
THE EVENING STORY
The Kids Sacrifice.
TRu n01a15 Allan I

| smut on his chin. He was neWSbOy,
| bootblack and baggage smasher He
knew his city and its tricks. He wasn't
| looking for sympathy, and it was sell
| dom that he extended any. 1t was his
business to live, and he succeeded. If
a man bought his evening paper of
! him well and good; If he bought it of
| the next boy there was no row over it.
| But when person had bought of him
several times, and had perhaps passed
a few words with him, he came to feel
proprietary interest in his customer.
| This was especially true in the case
| of the many girls leaving their desks
in the Park row offices at o'clock for
Brooklyn or the suburban homes reach
| ed by subway or elevated.
| The little stenographer had been
| steady customer of the Kid for a
month, and every time she bought a
paper she had a smile for him. He
| just called her a stenographer to dis
| tinguish her from the typist and 9TH
She was certainly petite. She had
blond hair, eyes to go with it, and her
sunny smile was good to see.
| The Kid found himself taking an in
terest in the little stenographer, and
! he wondered at it. Where did she live?
| ing a widowed mother and a sister or
| brother? Were they paying her fair
| salary in the office? he had never spent
two minutes wondering about any other
| felt contempt for himself. 1t was
nonsense. And yet when five
| o'clock came he found himself looking
for the little girl with the blue eyes
| and blond hair.
| After some weeks had gone by the
Kid spotted what he had for some
time been looking for. AS the girl
came UP Park row, looking neither to
the right nor left, the masher was at
her heels. The Kid didn't know his
l.,,f In n tic ind n
anger was aroused in minute. pa
per was bought, a smile given, and
the girl passed on without suspicion
that anything was amiss. Then the
Kid laid a OBTAINING hand on the mash
er's arm and quietly said:
Drop it! If you don't III make
trobule!"
"What do you mean. you young
1oafer!" was Kissed at him in reply
"Cool off You see I know you ana
your boss. Mashin' on the street don't
go with him. Let the little gal alone
or you'n be lokin' for job. See?"
The masher saw. He was an office
employee and the threat scared him.
He didn't know the KID, Dut the ria
might know him.
The second masher appeared. He
was not as bold as the first. He was
going to follow the little stenographer
subway he might find excuse to ad-
dress her. The Kid passed his bundle
of papers to boy friend ana IolloW-
ed the follower. He entered the sub
way and took seat beside the girl:
He slipped into it just a second ahead
of the masher and got a scowl and a
curse for his action. 1t was long
time before the little stonographer
looked up and recognized him, and
then she uttered little laugh and the
ssWhy. I never thought of seeing you
here!'
ats business, ma'am," he replied,
looking as important as he could:
She talked with him in chatty,
friendly way. and when far up in the
Bronx they left the train together
something was said that brought ABOUT
an exchange of names, and he also
learned her street and NUMBER. He
saw her to her own door before he
left her and for the first time in his |
life felt that he was something OF a |
hero. He was only kid, out ne hao
assumed a mans responsibilities HE
had guarded woman.
The masher had not followed on, |
hut had laid in wait. AS the Kid was
returning to the station the man step
ned out and halted him, and holding
out a dollar bill said:
"You keep out of this from now
"The little girl?" was queried,
Cert You don't mix in. Take
this
you're a scoundreI, sir"
'fWhat! What's that LOOK mere,
boy, you give me any lip and L IL tWlst
your neck for you
"And if you fol1er that girl again
I'll put a knife into you'
The masher reached out his hand,
but drew it back again me klo mao
drawn a knife and was ready for him
They stood and glared at each otner
for a moment and then passed on.
AS time passed by third man
came. He was a puzzle to the k1d. he
came up the row behind the little
stenoerapher. and he took the same
car and got off at the same station.
Then he went another way. Time !
after time the Kid followed him. He
caught him looking at his ward, but
nothing beyond that He was young
man with a rather serious face and by |
and by the Kid got the idea that he |
was in love with the blond hair and |
blue eyes, honorably but hopeless1y in |
love. There were times when he heard |
him sigh. There were times when he
looked back at the girl.
In a big city a worthy young man
may be attracted by the face of a |
worthy young woman, and yet find it
irnpossible to secure an Introduction
and become a lover, so the Kid figured.
It seemed so in this case. Half a
dozen times, as he rode up on the car
with the little stenOgrapher without
her being aware of the fact. he
thought he saw her glances wandering
to the young man with the serious
face. Was the Kid jealous? He was.
He forgot his age and station in life
and gave way to natural feeling. In
a little while he came to his senses and |
reasoned:
s'Too heightened for me She'd want
an eight-room fat with a tiled bath
room and a 'lectric door opener. She'd
want diamonds and the theater and
Coney Island and I'd go broke the first
week We talk the same Language, but
1 leave off the grammar. And 1 hain't
old huff anyhow to swear out the Ii
cense. Shake it off, Cully-shake it
off"
And he did and then came the idea
that really made him a hero. He followed
the young man and ascertained that he
was employed In a brokers office at a