The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-09-26
THE RED-HEADED
BOYS BIG BONFIRE

When young woman has just fin
ished hanging out a perfectly good
wash on perilous lines run on pulleys
from the back porch OF her fiat to the
telephone pole In the alley, no right
minded person could blame her for
losing her temper II q red-headed boy
with q wide mouth and the ingenuity
of flend should start smudgy bop
fire directly below.
The red-headed boy worked in
Simms' grocery. one of the stores that
occupied the ground floor of the fiat
building. He was poking the fire as
though he enjoyed It when Miss
Clancy saw him.
Say, you, Tommy Herkimeri" Miss
Clancy called threateningly. see
what you're doing TO my wash"
Tommy grinned up at her and gave
the fire another stirring. Great clouds
Of smoke and black smudges wavered
upward, seeking the chaste wilderness
of the Clancy linen.
Stop IT." Miss Clancy shrieked.
shaking one fist in the offenders d.
rection. The fist was small and white
for 1t was Miss Clancy's mother who
had washed the clothes, her pretty
daughters share in the work being the
hanging out process. Mrs. Clancy was
proud of Sadies hands just as she
was proud of Sadie's crisply curling
black hair and blue eyes and the gen.
eral freshness of her. stop 1t. / say!
You're horrld, and II you don't stop
1t I'LL"
"Yah-h-hl" yelled Tommy, derisive-
ly. 81 amt afraid of you. Sadie Clan
cy! You can't do nothini"
Sadie Clancy shot down the one
flight of stairs like an angry comet
and catapulted toward Tommy. Drop
ping the broom handle with which he
was stirring the fire. Tommy bolted.
with Sadie after him. He darted to-
ward the back door of the grocery and
swerved Just as that door filled with
the bulk Of young Simms himself.
Young Simms being Sadie's devoted
worshiper, Tommy recognized that
here was no safe haven. Indeed, after
a breathless word from Sadie. Simms
also joined the chase down the alley.
AS he rushed past one Of the delivery
wagons he caught his foot in the
trailing lines and pitched headlong in
the dust.
Pickles and prunes!" young Simms
exploded as he staggered up.
ooh, did you hurt yourself?" Sadie
cried, looking around in horror Right
in her course was the water hydrant
and hitting 1t, she, too. ornamented
the alley pavement.
Don't you know anything worse
than that?" she gasped out furiously
as Simms picked her up, roaring.
Coffee cakes and buns! Let me get
my hands on hlm!"
Tommy, who had paused interested
ly to view the unexpected gymnastics.
was doubled up In mirth. He began
to run again when his furious pur-
suers darted toward him. Spying an
open door into the basement under
Leighs furniture store. he dashed in
and his pursuers followed. Sadie was
in the lead. Rounding some crates of
dressers, she saw human object
shrunk up close to the last crate She
grabbed 1t with a shrek of triumph
to which the object responded with
howl Young Simms, arriving. also
grabbed.
'Gotchu!" the object yelled in terri
Bile glee. "Y'will play tag In my base
ment and carve initials all over the
mahogany, will yer? I'll teach you
kids a lessoni I've been a-layin for
yeh and now I've got yeh!"
Leigh, the furniture man, as he
spoke was shaking Sadie and young
Simms, occasionally knocking their
heads together for emphasis. Sudden
ly the size of Simms seemed to con-
fuse him and he jerked his captiyes
into the light of a gas Jet.
Good land!" Leigh gurgled. releas-
ing his hold. He stared at his neigh
hors whom he had been shaking.
why why" stammered Leigh.
and sat down meekly. Then he gave
a sort of groan and scrambled to his
feet. He had sat down in a bucket of
varnish.
"Oh-h-h-hi" Sadie wept Historically.
to young Simms He put his
arm around her proteotingly and jam
med 1t against a nail point that was
projecting through one of the uprights
In the wall.
"Woo-o-of!" roared Simms. clasping
his wound.
Somewhere In the distance OF the
basement there was a strangled but
demoniac laugh that sounded as
though emanating from red-headed
boy with a wide mouth.
LET him CO." said young Simms as
he put his arm around Sadie again.
Somehow l don't seem to miBd him
now-do you. Sadief"
Lets help Mr.. Leigh get that var
nish off him." said Sadie with very
pink cheeks. She did not move away
from the arm. Anyhow, mas taken
the clothes in by nowi"-Chicago
Daily News.