Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-14
BY ROY NORTON

have good look at the disturber She recognized him
as the odger through whose door she had sometimes
crept before tumbling into the areaway and being
strapped with braces by large grave with whis-
kers who lived at the public dispensary round the
whats the matter, Kid?' again asked Skaggs, with
what meant to be charming SMILE but looked just
what it was, exconvicts grin. Got the tnmy ache
somethin'?'
SANDY Caus!" promptly howled Miss Callahan.
Skaggs scratched the hair on his head, bristng and
coarse through much prison cutting, and looked per-
pexed but he must make conversation of sort
end this mournful yowl.
"Oh yes, he said, che is all right guy, this
Sandy Claus. | wish-say, don't make much fuss.
Wait Hold on minute I'll tell you story. It's
about this Sandy Claus. He's a-naybe he'll come
here all right"
Mary Kathleen promptly subsidized, and eyed him
questioningly.
@Wheres Lou and Pat?" demanded Skaggs, ignoring
the promised story, inasmuch he of the few
burglars at large who not fiction writer.
"Gone to Sandy Claus, = whmpered Mary Kath-
een, her lips trembling with envous sorrow and Skaggs
discovered for the first time that they very sweet
baby lips and felt unusual sensation somewhere
der his heavy ribs.
@Oh see," he said, scratching his chin this time
"Give you the rinkydnk did they, SOS they could go
and bat their eyes through the Window I'll bet the
old womanll give EN- blazes when she hears on it.
'Tan't right, nohow, leavin poor little like you
here all alone
He sustained sudden throb of pity for Mary Kath-
leen Callahan lying there in bed all day with the cruel
braces on her back. He squrmed little he thought
of strait jackets he had filled twice his career
and wondered if @them iron things amt heap worse"
He tempted to them; but decided that the
doctor who put them on knew his business just the
he, Skaggs, knew his. Maybe the doctor
just expert in his line. -Skaggs hoped so. He was
not allowed much time for ruminaton; for the young
lady insisted the promised story and be it to Skagg
credit, he did his best.
ONCE a time he said, @the' girl kid just
your size and just like you that got hurried, and
she was dom time, the you and says My! 1
wisht had diamond tararun! And so she prayed
for it. because that's what the settlement worker told
EN- all to do when they wanted anything at all But
her didn't have money, and was worllin' in
boiler factory it looked this here pore little kid
due to be bunked. But-let see | most forgit
that story, Kid. Oh, yes! Her wicked sisters went off
and left her to in coach with glass Slippers
sornethin like that and she give EN- the hooks for
fair and away with the other young 1ady's hus-
band, and got the glass after all And she's very
grand LADY that works in the chorus. Amt that
story, eh?"
Mary Kathleen seemed little mixed on it. and threat
ened to ask distressing questions; SO he said:
Gee! Guess better take another whack at it,! and
boldly plunged into another yarn; but he very
thankful when the door burst open and the missing adj
venturers burst in with excited tales of things be
seen through the department store windows against
which they had geeully and ongingy scrubbed their
until driven away by the heartless Waterman
Skaggs the edge of the bed to listen to these
rapdhre Stories and grnned and suddenly abashed
when something and soft burrowed into his big
hand if for love and protection and discovered that
it the dirty little fist of Mary Kathleen. His fin
gers closed it very gently lest he crush thing
weak and tiny, and he inpulsvely let loose mighty
oath; but the Callahan kids didn't mind for in
that part of the city that swarmed around them such
were common.
I'm goin' to see said Skaggs witt grim humor