Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-12-17

ton, hence the suspicious nature of his
last remarks, and the sudden transit
ton OF his manner from that of real
delight to gravity, which change, IN
my opinion, rather denotes lying to be
new thing to him. can't be mis-
taken in the boy, for ! noticed, as he
turned to go, bald place on the back
of his head, the left side, trade
mark. first discovered last evening, as
ne bent over the PROSTATE form Of his
father"
Il noticed thin spot in his hair.
said |. "and wondered at the time
what caused it."
And don't you know?"
! shook my head.
Goal bins and entry floors. That
little fellow hasn't slept within bed
for years, perhaps"
But he told you, as you say, last
night, he was taking the old man
homer"
Yes, home | can imagine that
boys home. There are myriads like it
in the city here-a cellar or shed-a
box car or loft in some old shop, with
a father to chase him from it in his
sober interludes, and to hold him from
it in unconscious shame when help
lessly drunk Home, Sweet Homei'
That boy has heard it on the hand
organ, perhaps, but never in his heart
you couldn't grind it out Of there
with a thousand cranks."
The picture he drew was gloomy
enough, to be sure, but we recognized
it as true to life, for we, too, were not
unfamiliar with the sordid, ugly side
OF existence in a large city Our mer-
riment seemed to have evaporated,
our conversation languished and with
thoughts perhaps too sober for the
holiday time we soon separated and
went our respective ways
The remainder of that day eluded
me somehow; | don't know how or
where it passed. suppose it just
dropped into a comatose condition, and
SO slipped away "unknelled, uncof-
fined, and unknown"
But one clear memory survives-an
experience so wildly imprinted on my
mind that / now recall its every de-
tail; Entering the Union depot that
evening to meet the train that was to
carry me away at six o'clock, muffled
closely in my overcoat, yet more close
ly nuft1ed in my gloomy thoughts, |
was rather abruptly stopped by small
boy with cry of : Here. you man
with the cigar; don't you want them
boots BACKED? Shine 'em fer ten
cents! Shine EN- fer a nickel-on'y
you mustn't give me away on that" he
added, dropping on his knees near the
entrance, and motioning me to set my
foot upon the box.
1t was then too dark for me to see
his face clearly, but | had recognized
the voice the instant he had spoken,
and had paused and looked around.
"Oh, you'll have plenty O. time" he
urged, guessing at the cause of my ap-
parent hesitation None o. the trains
on time tonighton'y the Panhandle,
and she's jist a-backin' in-won't start
fer 80 minutes" and he again beck
oned, and ratified a seductive tattoo on
the side of his box.
WELL said |, with compromising
air, come inside, then, out of the
cold"
Ginst the rules-cops won't have
it. They jist fired me out O. there not
ten minutes ago. Oh, come, cap step
out here; it won't take two minutes. 4"
and the little fellow spat professional
ly upon his brush, with covert glance
OF pleasure as he noted the apparent
success Of the maneuver. you don't
live here, III BET" said the boy, setting
the first boot on the box, and pausing
to blow his hands
How do you know that? Did you
never see me here before?"
No, never see you here before,
but that amt no reason. / can tell
you don't live here by them shoes
cause they've been put up in some lit
tie pennyroyal shop-that's how When
you want a fly shoe you want to git
her put up som'er's where they know
somepin' about style. They's good
enough mater'l in that shoe, only she's
about two years off in style"
You're posted, then, in Shoes said
I. with laugh.
Il ort to be-" he went on, pantingly,
brush in either hand gyrating with a
velocity that jostled his hat over his
eyes, leaving most plainly exposed to
my investigating eye the trademark
before alluded to; Il ort to be posted
in shoes, cause / amt done nothin' but
black EN- fer five years."
You're an old hand, then, at the
business" said l. Il didn't know but
maybe you were just starting out.
What's an outfit like that worth?"
"Thinkin' O. startin' up?" he asked
facetiously.
"Oh, no" said Il good humoredly 81