The Irish standard., 1913-09-20
Old MAN

MEDDlESoME Old MAN
~ DonoTes4A Tttoaspeoes.
Thsy used 10 ~, when ! was o
bog a3 home. that e I grew up WIN.
out being 3ailed for forgery 1t would
speak wen for my homo training.
Howsvsr that h. had . knaok Of
copying 10 n3oely any signatures or
addresses taak I Picked up. used to
Do It tor the fun Of Tie thtng. but
nsvss. even In school bog crises when
. note from homo would have worried
wonders With . haFd hsaxted tsacher.
did I use The Git 10 my own ends. BE.
yond. that ID, making the boyr eyes
pop at the way could reproduce their
crude boyish signatures or the moro
flowing and aowesy onss Of the teach
en-. I'm IN Cd man now, and oom.
fortahy enough on. but Whist I have
has come TO mo honestly. I have won
dered, sometimes. whether the accom-
pishment was still at my fingers
ends, butt stin isi
Next to my Nttas fusz.1oom baoass-
Tor apartment b its twin. q rear nat;
and not 90 many months ago It was
taken by two girls-gentle and we'll.
bred, or I'm no jadgs Of character.
The older Of the two I had no love
tor quist. DARK GIRL too sober BY
far for her years. But the young one!
! could hear her singing through the
paper thin walls Of the cheap nat.
and grew to distinguish her voice in
the fndisttn0t murmur when they
were talking. She was as full Of
songs and thrills and sheer lishtheart.
edness ~ bird.
The, first time I saw her thought
to myself that she deserved better
than to be cooped up In q four-room
fat with sister who would probably
be Just as happy without her. But
there I was mistaken. Her sister
adored her. However, I discovered
before long that was not alone in my
opinion Of her deserts, and many IN
the time I've heard her laughing voics
in the hall answered by a masculine
one. and mt always the same one, ut
that.
But she had her favorite. ccald
hear the note Of real welcome IN her
voice for one Of them-a hne lad, a.
deserving Of her a. ever a man was
Of q woman. Tall and strong and
wellborn, her choice was easily my
choice. too. used to pass them in
the hall often on their way to some
merry-making. and she had ever .
bright nod and word for me. And
then, when they came back, many's
the time I've caught the note Of ten.
derness in her voice az she said good
night to him at the door. And he
adored her-one look at him when
they wefe together would have told
that. 80 ~ - ihf
In the snatches Of their converse
ton got a. they passed through tho
haAs-enything said in the halls was
common property to all four iats-l
learned several things about them.
For one thing. there was real sympa-
-. .,,,.,s.,.s ...s.ss-.-- 49,
so,,+,, Ana .s' ~ sA .sae aug g. 'ne -.
60 s.ssa. "..,' 'os "eI -
49, -. ~. ~. ~. $3.50. e 49, ~ " .NL.
hsx. ~ a.nssd ~ +,,,,s' . =, ~ a,.aM sas
sort.
Coin. +h,orr, ~. h.,,. . a. &,
eonnd q .cr.n - n.,.r . $50 ,o,S.s
IN ha,f Int r,+h hi .dd-ass -, ~ =
oranad ana ,..d q r.ths- 81. 1000
IL r ~ = rr.nch arG ..,d th.+
the vr4ter had. .nn.. mt .,o,,a ~
hac,r tn..n hoa,r .rd nlae.a ~ v..t
Then 2 ItttlA. .ent1ncs - an.-*,on
that Ill mi am MIA nv ,s.r+ 49,
caster -, ~ sv;non atlv = :,voa s,sn.d
.Mer.,;, !. .rG r.r.v ~ ,.res -
NV vorne fnvcrfta tnrns., ~ ovsr
and s.w, what h.d ar..,e.nedym m. ha,ora
fh.4.at sh.a .thraa ,nti,sls N Tho out
s,da.-R11. r. -amamher.a ss,,.
tenca. = 1,n.h,nr ramonstrancs M.
-.Whv Rat ,car+ar,. Tndo,,hto,,v
.ha had trcrad the nota hah,nd h..
-,.u. 49, 49, Mt, - 49, a. =.