Evening star., 1915-03-28

birmingham across one oil
the boomers who struck with the brilliant idea that
he could make of my peculiar talents in making
known the coming glores of the South. But |
must join him at once, that very day. And he waved
yellow-backed bills at simply had to drop you and
go. Mother Leary promised to take care of YOU for
three months until your-well, until someone else
claimed you sent word to them both, at least tried
to, and rushed gaily down into Dixie. Perhaps you
heard of the bursting of that first Birmingham
boom? 1t was an abrupt but very complete smash. l
came out of owning two gorgeous suits of Clothes
silk hat, and opulentloo<ing pocketboos bulgng
with thirty day options lots One of the clerks
in office staked me with carfare to Atlanta where
got job collecting tenement house rents.
"Snce then I've been up and down. Half dozen
times I've almost had my fingers the tail feathers
Of fortune: only to stumble into some hidden pit of
poverty. And in time-wel, time mends all things.
Besides, hardly elished facing Mother Leary. There
the chance too that you longer needed rescung
I'm not trying to excuse my breach of faith: |
merely telling you how it about. You realize
that trust2"
Did l? don't know. | expect was just sittin'
there gain starry him. Only one thing was shapin'
itself clear in my head, and fnlly states it fiat.
"Say,' says |, "you-you ain't my reglar uncle,
your"
Maybe want enthusiastic as the called for.
He springs that smile of his Hardly aterng way to
put it, says he 4Would you be disappointed if was7'
"Well," says l, eyn' him up and down, "you don't
strike such swell uncle you know"
Don't faze him bit, either. "Our relatives
seldom quite satisfactory says he. @Of course,
though, if fail to suit" He lunches his shoulders
and reaches for his hat
So he had it on me, you see. Suppose you was as
shy relations am, would you turn down the
only one that ever showed up?
"Excuse me if don't get the cues right" says l;
"but-but this has been put over little sudden
Course I'll take Mrs. Learys word If she says you're
my Uncle Bill, that goes. Anyway, you can give me
a line on-on my folks suppose?"
Yes, he admits that he can: but he don't. And |
will say for him that he states his smooth enough
smiln that catchy smile Of his, and tappn friendly
on the knee But when he's all through it amounts to
this He needs the loan of couple of hundred cash
the worst way, and he wants to be put next to few
pues that in the market for trolley franchises
If boost him along that way, it'll relieve his mind
50 much that he'll be in just the right mood to go into
my personal hist'ry as deep as care to dip
"Gee!" says |. "But this rasn' family tree comes
high, don't it? Besides, Id have get Mother Learys
0. K. you first, you know
Naturally" says he. "And any time within the
next day will answer. Suppose l drop around
again. or look you up at your quarters?"
"Better make it at the house, says l. "Iere's the
street number Some evenn' after seven-thirty. L
Ill be thinkin' things over"
And / watches him swing jaunty through the door
| remarks under my breath to nobody in particlar,
"Uncle Bill eh? My Uncle Bill! Well, we'
VOU can be too that my first move is to sound
Mother Leary. She says he's the one, all right,
and gathers that she gave him the tongue lashin'
she'd been savin' up all these years But don't stop
for details. If I've really had uncle wished me,
it's up to to make the best of it, find out the
worst. But somehow | amt SO chesty about havin'
dug up relation. | don't brag about it to Martha
when go home In fact, Martha has family troubles
of her about now, you remember. | finds her
weepy eyed and solemn.
"They've been gone more than week" says she,
"Zenobia and that reckless Kyrle Ballard Pretty
soon they will be coming back, and then"
"Wel, what thcn?' says l.
"Ive been packing up today says she, swabbin'
off stray tear from the side Of her a have