Evening journal., 1912-02-02


we're draped four kitchen chairs which have been
partly used for wood aud look II they'd been
made to prop doors open with in the first place IN the
paror" tho second floor Of the Meropole Hotel in
Tombstone, Ariz. The whole first floor of the dump
harroom and the parlor amt bedroom simply because
they bed shy.
Tex Crowley, him with the build like the guy Jack
the-GiantNcr walloped for the count, hanging to
the back his throne with the Of his skull Grin
Smiley the used 10 call Wheegrease until be
turned aswcll job and had 10 get the
nebean monaker, looks all caved in, and is killing time
trying pull his feet up into his side coat pockets
Jerry-theSoap is sitting comfortablelike the small
of his bacl with his chin boring hole in his chest
Not being able to lamp myself from the front, aint
sayin how look Jerrys face is longer than we've
been in town when ne pulls the sob stuff about the
merry Christmas and his speech don't shoot any gee
"Aw, can that" barbs Tex at the outburst
you've got no kick comm, Soap. You had peach
of time last Christmas, didn't youy Too bad you
haven't got your ty board with you, could all
boot the rails TO frsco"
At that Jerry kicks another rung of his chair and
slams out of the before anybody ask where
he's goin sit on him TO prevent t. Tex might have
known tho Soap would explode.
You see, we used 20 hang out in the Rapids, back
in Michigan, during the Winter and get chow money
sitting in quiet little pay-night games with the train
men down around the yards This handed MS fine
edge with the passenger crews and saved us considerable
change when had short jumps make What
won OF lost didn't give us the nightmare because we
generally had our stakes saved mp from the easy pcns
the tracks and fairs during the weather. When
Ne wanted 10 choo out Of town we just grabbed the
oIfside of local. slipped the con two bits and wink
and got of when felt like il.
Well year Jerry Sits into town with about
two thousand he's cleaned selling his SOAP all wrapped
mp in tencase notes out Of the satchel at ten cents
plunge. lie gets lot Of minstrel clothes and hosses
around town like the guy who invented the village,
with the result that by Thanksgiving he's trimmed
pretty close, aud by the middl of December hcs
dcrng why he's only got fifty left About three nights
before Christmas he hurrahs into Hanks place. down by
the depot where everything smells like hothox, all
forohod up. Rather than disappoint the boys the
late runs he keeps the illumination going until closing
time During the festivities he shouts lot about what
kinds OF simps the conductors 10 let ride thou
sand miles for quarter particularly one prunc he's
heard of by the Of Smiggs. Next day he picks
up and chrps the groggy dings that he's got twenty
bucks left 10 last him till Spring. We think it's bunk
and stall by trying to touch for piece Of the twenty
That listens like torture Jerry and he blows, with
the funny crack that he's got idea The idea
tivol board and that night he drags us around to
what's left of his Hat TO see IL.
The only place he can buy board is Chi so he
makes himself Tidy piece OF work. Couldn't
get piece of solid, smooth wood wide enough anywhere
short notice. so he takes the top off round ma
hogany card table, two sides Hat CLUES pine rails
along the straight Sides using pieces Of barrel hoops
te round ends and drives the mahogany fun of ten
penny nals For the gates he tears a couple OF Stats
of the shutters on his bedroom window IT'S nice
board-about neat lookin' as freight wreck-when
he gets il finished. and il don't weigh ounce over
half ton We take peek and begin to cry.
why you poor little shrimp" screams Grin, what
are you going to do with that laugh? On the grave
Soap il you that crime in front of regular
human being who doesn't love you for yourself alone
you'll get pegged into the nut factory so fast youl
think you're skyrocket'
"Thats right, kid" agrees Tex. THE board is all
driven some of those spikes in almost straight"
Then we al give him the boot and jump before
he leans against US with a bed sat. That night he's
cooled of some, and wises us 10 logging camp he's
been hcpped to whore the vol thing will bring home
the e and whore he expects TO land the next evening
about the right time catch the Christmas Eve spread
He Mt take the soap, because the umberiacks
all seNod up for the Winter and have for it,
but he does lug c blond bill he's got left for bank He
hgues TO mitt with six bits n the smoker and get by
hyin', like a pal.
lf~-us ~. n . To
IN throws a big front aud craws into the cigarette
right in tho station.
Eyerythings breakin' immense at the start. The
conductor through and Jerry gives him the same
orb he'd throw chorus girl. Slipping him the SIX bits
viia jingle So the punch person will notice he's
hcu' oyernad. IL works hnc About two hours later,
though the stops in the aisle and hangs the dogeye
on SOAP
"oh, just mp the line a bit" answers Jerry.
II didn't got your ticket
"sure you did" pipes the Soar. You know, The
CEcrlysivo 'C-don't you get mef' All this time he's
s2aih' the glad eye
no. ] don't get you" bites the
"Aw. come on. loosen" begs Jerry. Get al
Aanks n the Ropids-onc Of the nerd. You're on.
"Oh, yes IL just comes back to him-not "
guess can make you Aoare the mutt that hawie'
out in Hanks place night before last-my namel
fmiccs and YOU'RE the boob that put la Smaltz viii
ths c. p AIS Office. Wen, il you paid your fare
where's your hat-checki'
"You didn't give me'
mo hat check? Well. then, this patch Of wood
IS the station you're going to-
And what does the Sorehead do but hang on IN
bell rope until the brakes begin 10 grind. Then h
takes the Soap by the neck and drops him into tn
ditch calling to the brakeman TO throw the iyoi ga
out after him. If Jerry had much noodle as plat
Of SOUP ned have left the board where it III an
snagged a freight for the ride back. Instead Of tina
he breaks his back dragging it down the track, ben
on getting home won't think he's got yeloY
streak. Carrying that weight he don't smash an
records.
While he's taking his thirty seventh rest, the sec
ond mile three hoboes gallop out Of the woods besd
the track and give him the howdy
whats the idea Of the barn door with the mail
in it2' asks the tenor Of the trio.
'Tivol board says Jerry, short.
"Oh" says the bass. Taking it homo TO your littl
gill'
"Naw-nothing like that, You bet @ IT,"
Bet iti' marvels the baritone. "a gainst what
Against nothing. You see," explains the Soar
reaching into his pocket you take these balls and pu
'em back Of this gate. Then you open the gate. an
the balls bangin through these pins 10 the othe
end Of the board. The FIRST through wins pay
7H7S :