The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1912-10-02
THE RED HEADED
BOYS BIG BONFIRE

+@-@4 AsA6AA9 AAA @ ANAA=---a
wash on perilous lines run on pulleys
from The back porch OF her Fat to the
telephone pole IN the alley, no right
minded person could blame her for
losing her temper il q Fed-headed boy
with a vide mouth and the ingenuity
OF a fend should start smudE bon
fire directly below.
The red-headed boy worked IN
simms' grocery, one Of the stores that
occupied the ground floor Of the hat
building. He was poking the Are Is
though be enjoyed It when Mss
Clancy saw him.
"eay, you, Tommy Herkimer!- Miss
Clancy called threateningiy. See
what you're doing to my wash 7
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 II 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 Sadie's hands Just as she
was proud OF Sadle's crisply curling
black hair and blue eyes and the gen.
erai freshness Of her stop It. say
You're horrid, and II you don't stop
It I'll"
"Yah-h.hw yelled Tommy derisive-
ly. Il amt afraid Of you, Sadie Clan
cy! You can't do nothin'i"
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 filed 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, Slnms
also Joined the chase down the alley.
AS he rushed past one of tho 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.
"Oh, did you hurt yourself?" Sadie
cried, looking around in horror. Right
IN her course was the water hydrant
and, hitting it, 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 bunsl Let me get
my hands on himl"
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
Leigh's furniture store, he dashed In
and his pursuers followed. Sadie was
in the lead. Rounding some crates Of
dressers, she saw a human object
shrunk up close to the last crate. She
grabbed It with @ shrek Of triumph,
to which the object responded with
howl Young Simms. arriving, also
grabbed.
'Gotehul' the object yelled IN terri
bic glee "Y'will play tag in my base
ment and carve initials all over the
mahogany, viii yer? I'll teach you
kids a lessenl I've been a-layin for
yeh and now I've got yehl'
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 ierked his captives
into the light Of a gas jet
Good land" Leigh gurgled, releas-
Ing his hold He stared at his neigh
bors whom he had been shaking.
"Why-why-" stammered Leigh.
and sat down meekly. Then he gave
sort Of groan and scrambled to his
feet. He had sat down in a bucket Of
varnish.
"Oh.h-h-hl" Sadie wept Historically,
cllnging to young Simms lie put his
arm around her protectingIy and jam
med It against nail point that was
projecting through one Of the uprlghts
in the wall.
"woo-o-ofi" roared simms, clasping
hts wound
Somewhere in the distance Of the
basement there was a strangled but
demonlao laugh that sounded as
though emanating from a red-headed
boy with a wide mouth.
''Let him 60" said young simms as
he put his arm around Sadie again.
Somehow | don't seem to mind him
now-do you, Sadief
lets help Mr.. Leigh get that var.
nish OF him." said Sadie with very
pink cheeks. She did not move away
from the arm Anyhow, mas taken
tho clothes IN By nowl"-Chieago
Daily News.