The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-12-23

thru, remember I'm there with the
little helpin' mitt.
Il was up at the Press Club to.
night. The place sounded kind OF
still when | come up the steps, and
| wondered where all the boys was
Well, l steered for the dining
room, an there was the bunch
An just as | come in they give 9
roar, and | started to investigate
Up against the fireplace stood 9
man-stranger t. me. He was
talkin' kind of low, and quick
bitin' off his words like a English,
man. An the boys they was
starin' with their eyes, an theil
mouths, and forgettin' t. smoke
while he talked. Talk. Sa-ay
girl, that guy, he could talk the
leads right out of a ruled, locked
FORM"
"Pete!" l moaned, and buried
my face in my hands. Won Ger.
hard put quick hand on my arm
But | shook it off. I'm not goinl
to faint" | said thru set teeth
I'm not going to do anything silly
| want to think. | want to
Go on, Blackie."
Just a minute" interrupted
Won Gerhard. Does he know
where Mrs. Orme is living?"
Pm coming t. that" returned
Blackie TRANQUILITY. Tho fol
Dawn's sake I'll say right here he
don't know. l told him later, that
she was takin' vacation up at hei
folks in Michigan"
Thank Godn'I breathed.
Wore New York Press Club
button. this guy did. / asked one
of the boys standin' on the outer
edge of the circle what the fellows
name was, but he only says: Shut
up, Black! An listen. He's seen
every darn thing in the world.
Well, listened. He wasn't brag.
gin. He was Just talkin'. Seems
like he's been war correspondent
in the Boer war, and the Spanish
American, an heaven knows
where.
He knew everybody an every
thing. All OF a sudden one of the
boys points to the Roosevelt sig
nature on the wall-the one he
scrawled up there along with all
the other celebrities first time he
was entertained by the Press Club
boys. Well, this guy, he looked
at the name for minute. "Roose-
velt?' he says, slow. oh, yes.
Seems t. me I've heard Of him.
We'll. at that the boys yelled.
Thought 1t was a good joke, seem
that Ted had been smeared all
over the first page of everything
for years. But kid, I seen tn look
in that mans eyes when he said 1t,
and he wasn't jokin', girl. An 1t
same t. me, all of a sudden, that
all the things he'd been talkin'
about had happened almost ten
years back. After he'd made that
break about Roosevelt he kind of
shut up.
"Somethin' seemed t. urge me t
go up t. him an say, Have a game
of billiards.
=" Don't care IL l do says he,
and we made for the billiard room
with the whole gang after us.
Sa-a-ay, girl, I'm a modest violet,
| am, but l don't mind mentionin'
that the general opinion up at the
club is that I'm little wizard with
the cue. Well, wen he gets thru
with me | looked like little sister
when big brother is tryin' t. teach
her how to hold the cue in her
fingers.
"All this time" continued
Blaekie, 81 didn't know his name.
When we'd finished our game of
billiards he hung up his cue, and
he turned around like lightning,
and faced the biys that we're stand
ing around with their hands in
their pockets.
Boys says he, boys, I'm look
in for a job. I'm not much Of a
talker, and my game of billiards is
ragged. But there's one thing
can do, fellows, from abe up to
x-y-z. and that's write. I don't
promise to stick. AS soon as ! get
on my feet again I'm going back to
New York. But not just yet. Mean
while, I'm going I the highest bid
DER
well, you know since Merkle
left us we haven't had a day when
we wasn't scooped on some politi-
cal CUFF. 4 guess we can use You
some place. I says, If your ideas
on salary can take slump between
New York and Milwaukee. What's
your name, Boz
I" Manner says he, smiling
gain. Maybe it'll be familiar T.
you. That is, It will II my wife is
usin' IL. Orme's my name-Peter
orme. Know q lady of that name?
Good
81 hadn't said did, but those
eyes of his had seen the look on
my face.
f" Friends in New York told me
she was here he says. Where Is
she now? Got her address?' he
says.
".Shs expectin' your asked.
'N-not exactly he says. with
that crooked grin.
q" Thought not answered, be-
fore I knew what was sayin.
She's up north with her folks on
q vacation"
Blackie came over to me as sat
In my chair. He patted
my shoulder with one lean brown
hand. Now, kid, you dig, see7 Go
home for week. I'll fix Il mp With
Norberg. No teIlin' what guy
like that's goin' to do. Send your
brofher-in-law down here n you
want to mako II . family affair,