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

last remarks, and the sudden transit.
uon or his name from that of real
oenSnt TO gravity, which change. In:
my opinion, rather denotes lying to be-
a new thing to him. I can't be- mis-
taken In tho boy. for 1 noticed, al he,
turne to 90, a bald place on the back
or his head, the left side. q trade
mark nrst discovered last evening, as
ne Dent over the PROSTATE form of his
father"
l noticed a thin spot in his hair"
said l. and wondered at the time
what caused It,"
And don't you know"
shook my head.
bins and entry floors. That
little fellow hasn't slept within a bed
for years. perhaps"
But he told you, as you saw. last
night, he was taking the old man
home?"
Yes. home! l can imagine that
boys home. There are myriads like II
in the city here-a cellar or a shed-a
pox car or a loft in some old shop, with
a father to chase him from it in his
sober interludes, and to hold him from
II In unconscious shame when help.
lessly drunk. Home, Sweet Home!i
That boy has heard 1t on the hand!
organ. perhaps. but never in his hear,
you couldn't grind 1t out of there
with n thousand cranks."
The picture he drew was gloomy
enough, to be sure, but we recognized
IL as true to life, for we, too, we're not
unfamiliar with the sordid, ugly side
OF existence In a large city. Our mer,
rlment 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; l don't know how or
where 1t passed. l suppose it lust
dropped into a comatose condition. and
SO slipped away "unknelled, uncof-
fined, and unknown"
But one clear memory suryiyes-an
experience so wildly imprinted on my
mind that l now recall it's every de
tail: Entering the Union depot that
evening to meet the train that was to
carry me away at six o'clock, mufied
closely In my overcoat, yet more close
~ mufied in my gloomy thoughts, |
was rather abruptly stopped by a small
boy with a cry Of Here. you man.
with the cigar; don't you want them
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 h instant he had spoken
n 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 tonight-on'y the Panhandle,
n 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 I, with a COMPROMISING
air, come inside, then, out of the
cold"
"'Ginst the rules-cops won't have
1t. They jist fired me out O. there not
ten minutes ago. Oh, come, cap; step
out here; 1t won't take two minutes"
n the little fellow spat professional
iy upon his brush, with a covert glance
or pleasure as he noted the apparent
success of the You don't,
live here, I'll 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 PIT 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 mater1 In that shoe, on'y she's
two years off in style"
You're posted, then, in Shoes" said
1, with a laugh.
i ort to be" he went on, pantingly,
a 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 I amt done nothin' but
black EN- fer five years"
Your 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 I, good humoredly. at
just asked out OF idle curiosity. That's
n new box, amt III"
new he repeated with a laugh.
"pIf IN that ntA,, I.R Al