The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-02-05


| a twinkle in his eye.
''Then I must beg time to confer
again with my principals
Again .fhe trace of twinkle escaped
Marley9 eyes.
There is a time limit on my ultima
tum,' he returned. ''You stated that
you were empowered to act. I'll give
you five minutes to make up your mind.
After that my offer is WITHDRAWN
Mr. Bozzam quite obviously strug
gled with his pride.
'Sf accept said he, turning both his
palms upward.
/ A cheer, loud and prolonged, greeted
thai humiliating capitulationg In the
midst of it the huge Sledge arose, his
mere bulk symbol Of disaster.
t.Ni1H' he Numbered, and departed.
Both Phil and Blondy wore sincerely
nournful faces when Sledge walked
through to theIback room the next day
Hes game, all right" commented
Phil.
tfYou couldn't make him boiler If you
cut his head off, replied BIondy, pol
ishing a glass SO vigorously that it
! burned his hand. 81 wonder how Bob
is this morning.
Must be dead, from what the papers
! said judged Phil.
"That King Pin must be some dog"
"He's younger, that's ALL immedi-
| ately. explained BIondy. ''He never will
be the dog Bob was Match 'em at the
same age and Bob would chew him up
for an APPETIZER"
Bob ought've been retired criti-
cised Phil. cit wasn't fair to hand him
his first 1iclzin' when he's old like this.
The big boys late this morning. He's
been so busy he's been coming around
at O'Clock, and now it's 12.''
s'Bob's either dead or better, or he
wouldn't be here at ALL asserted
Blondy "You know. 1 like that big
slob''
That's easy carelessly commented
Phil ssThere goes his bell. think I'll
beat Adolph to it."
| He grabbed down Sledge's favorite
stein, filed it carefully with exactly
the right collar Of creamy foam, and
| hurried with it into the little back
room just five steps inyfront of Adolph,
who had been making change for an
early lunch customer.
S1edge sat in his accustomed seat, but
he was not looking out at the hand hole
in the gate. For the first time in all
their acquaintance Phil saw the chief
with his chin sunk on his collar. He
industriously wiped a dry spot moist
| to set the wet stein on, but Sledge
made no movement, even of his eyes,
and Phil, who had come in with the
express intention of asking about the
dog, changed his mind and turned to
tiptoe away. Adolph, however, was
more persistent in his eagerness.
~ IL.
in that particularly hushed tone one
uses in inquiring about the critical ILL
| ness of near and dear relatives.
The mighty breast of Sledge heaYed
with long, full sigh.
Hes all right he grumb1ed. t'Not
whimper out Of him. Call up and
find OUT
.sAsk for Mike?" suggested Phil
Nav, he may be asleep"
That's right apologized Phil. ST
know Mike. He hasn't slept nor eaten
since the fight
Nor took drink added Sledge,
and another sigh. which was almost
like sob, 1mpeded his utterance.
"By the way Phil informed him,
Sunny Jim Keller is dead"
Gee, the boss is cut up about Bobr'
Phil reported to B1ondy. ST told him
| about Sunny Jim, and he never even
gruhted. That means the whole third
| wards gone
Sledge was not so unimpressed as he
seemed to be, however, for presently
he sent for Phil and instructed that a
big floral piece be sent and THAT the
/ widows affairs be looked into.
4 Bendfx came in by and by, looking
very much worried, and sat down heav-
lily.
'How's Bob2" he asked.
Hes all right declared Sledge.
mot a whimper out of him.
Bendix hesitated a moment.
Did you hear that Sunny Jim Keller
is dead?'' he inquired.
4 Sledge nodded.
There amt man up there could
take the leadership of that ward went
on Bendix, much discoura ged< tits the
Third that has always saved u.s.
Sledge, sitting heavily. did not an
swer. He seemed to have collapsed
like a huge figure Of dough settling
into pan.
'"That means we lose the Third
| ward" Bendix spiritlessly pursued, $50
we're In bad, politically
Sledge was still motionless.
81 looked up Marley's Ridgewood
avente franchise resumed Bendix
Its good, all right Yesterdays meet
ing was a bright one for him. A few
shares of traction stock traded hands
on the board today. The last lot
brought fifty-one. Bert Glider is float
ing his amusement park. He's made a
dickef with the company already form
ed to abandon the Lincoln Road park
and they 'reSto take over the Person
| tract The lincoln road r1Tonertv is fo