Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1914-12-18

tie grated windows and low, scoWlinE
doors. Occasionally we passed .
clump OF empty boxes, barrels, and
such debris and merchandise as had
been crowded pell-mell from some In
Q storage by their newer and more
dignihed companions: and now and
then We passed an empty bus, bullying
up In the darkness like a behemoth
OF the olden times; or, jutting from
still narrower passages, the slopinE
endS OF drays and carts innumerable.i
And along even as %forbidding a defle
as this we CROPPED until we came upon;
q low, square brick building that
might have served at one time as a,
wase-house, or, less probably, perhaps:
a dairy. There was but one window
In the front, and that but little larger
than an ordinary pane of glass. In.
'the sides, however, and higher up
was a row Of gratings. evidently de-
signed more to serve as ventilation
than as openings for light. There was
but n opening, an upright doorway,
half above ground, half below, with
little narrow sidesteps leadir ; down
TO 1t. A light shone dimly from the
little window, and as the boy mo-
toned me to pause and listen. a sound
Iof female voices talking in under
tones was audible, mingled with a
sound like that of someone snoring
heavily.
Hear the old man a-gittin' In his
work." whispered the boy.
l nodded. He's ~asleep?"
You bet he's asleepi" said the boy,
still in a whisper; "and he'll list
about stay with it thataway fer five
hours, anyhow. What time you got
now, cap?"
"A quarter now till four" I replied,
peering at my watch.
wy, It's Christmas, them" he
cried In muf1ed rapture of delight:
but abruptly checking his emotion.
ne beckoned me a little farther from
the door, and spoke in a confidential
whisper.
Gap. look here, now; fore we go In
1 want you to promise me one thing
cause o a fix 1t and she'll never
drop! Now, here, I want to put up a
job on Sis. you understand" =.
What" I exclaimed, starting back
and staring at the boy in amazement
Put up a job on Sis?"
On, look here, now, q you amt
a-goin' back on a Teller like thati"
broke In the little fellow, in a min
gled tone of pleading and reproof:
and If you don't help a Teller I'll hat
10 wait till broad daylight, cause we
amt got no clock"
No clock!". I repeated with in
creased bewilderment.
oh, come, cap, what do you say?
1t ain't no lie, you know; all you got
to doll be to jist tell Sis it's Christ
mas-as though you didn't want me
to hear, you know; and then she'll
git my Christmas gift!' first, you
know;-and, oh, lordy! won't she
think she's played 1t fine!" And as
l slowly comprehended the meaning
OF the little fellows plot 1 nodded my
Willingness to assist in putting up
the job"
Now, hold on a second!" continued
the little fellow, In the widest glee,
darting through an opening IN a high
board fence a dozen steps away, and,
In an instant r~eappearing with a bulky
parcel, which, as he neared me I dis
covered was a paper flour sack half
filled, the other half Tapped down and
fastened with q large Irvine string.
NOW this stuff" he went on excited
ly. you must juggle in without Sis
seem itAhere, shove 1t under your
ben, here-there-that's business!
o when o go in, you're to set
down with h other side lords the
bed, o see, and when Sis hollers
Christmas gift you know, you jist
kind o let 1t slide down to the floor
like, and I'll nail 1t slick enough
though III ptend, you know, 1t amt
Christmas yet, and look sold out, and
say 1t wasn't fair fer you to tell her,
and all that; and then I'll open up
~suddent:like, and IL you don't see old
Sis bug out them eyes Of hern l don't
want a cent?" And as the gleeful boy
concluded this speech, he put his
hands over his mouth and dragged
me down the little, narrow steps.
Here's that Teller come to see you.
Sis," he announced abruptly, opening
the door and peering In. Come on"
he said, turning to me. l followed,
closing the door, and looking curious
ly around. A squabby, red-faced
woman, sitting on the edge Of a low
bed, leered upon me, but with no
saiutation. An old cook-stove, propped
up with bricks, stood back against the
wall directly opposite, and through
the warped and broken doors In front
sent out a dismal suggestion Of the
fire that burned within. At the side
OF this, prone upon the floor, lay the
wretched figure Of a man, evidently
In the deepest stage OF drunkenness,
and thrown loosely over him was an