Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-12
LIVING UP TO
BILLY
Dear Kate:
BY ELIZABETH COOPER

Dear Kate:
don't know how I'm going to tell YOU
70 you won't feel too bad. Jim is dead He
sent two or three times TO me asking me
for money. and I wouldn't send II TO him,
cause | didn't have it, and when the last
fellow threatened to take the kid, told
him to go to the devil, that the kid was
where they couldn't touch It, Well, that
night I Just got home from work and had
taken my waist of and was starting to
brush my hair when / saw my door open
sneaklng like. and Jim crept in. was
paralyzed for mint and couldn't move,
Just stood there with the brush on my hair.
lie had been drinking and looked awful l
said low like, "Jim, for Gods sake, Jim,
why do you come here?" He said, where
don't stay a mint"
lie didn't move, just stood and looked at
me. But, jim" / said, the police they're
watching the place" lie come up to me
AMI put his face close against mine and |
backed away and said Jim, get out You've
been drnkin'." Then he sort Of got sore
and he said, what do you mean by sendin'
me the messages you have2" 1 said, 81
mean Just what | said, amt got no more
money to give you" and he sneered at me.
"Oh, YOU amt got no money, and you amt
hauling down thirty a week, are you?
We'll" I said, suppose am, It's mine, ain
it?" And then he said I ought to divy up
when fellers in trouble, and at that ! got
mad "Divy up?' / said "Divy up. What
have I been doin' the last month but divy
up. I've give you all ! got why dom
you get out of the country, you'll be pinched
ths first thing you know" And then ne
said fierce like and with an awful look on
his face, you take II from me, Nan, they'll
never pinch Jim sheridan. If the bulls git
me, it'll be because l can't handle gun
I didn't know what to do with him and l
said again, Get out, Jim, I'm scared TO
death you've been seen" He said Gimme
some money. | got TO have money l %'ked
him, "Whatve you done with all | cent
you. I've give you enough 90 take you to
Australia" He said, i've had to pay for
my hidin and | got to put up some more
That kind Of made me sick and ! said,
We'll you'll have to get 1t from some one
else then, I've give you the last dollar I've
got. l'El busted lie kind of saw 1t was
true think cause he started looking around
the room then he said. where's the hd?"
/ said, Never you mind where he is and
he got sore again and said, Never mind my
own kid. Well believe me, he's mine, and
I've got an idea | want him. Where Is he?'
]
Jim come over to me again and stood in
front of me and says, "lIe is, is he? Well
I'm going to have him." and then l got mad
clear through and said, We'll, you can't
have him So help me God Jim, II you
try to touch Billy I'll peach on you as sure
as In. alive"
Jim laughed and said, eyes, you will,
you amt that kind" and / said quick,
"Oh, ] amt, amt |. No, | amt that kind.
! been brought up to believe that it's the
last trick to peach, but I'll go back on all
ever lSnowed. and put you behind the
bars if you ever try to touch that kid"
Jim kind of sneered. what do you want
Of him?" he said "he amt no better off
with you than with me-" | said, Perhaps
he amt But he won't he raised with
crooks and grow up feeling that crooked
ness is straight. He'll know decent people.
not lot Of cheap second story men and
dips"
Jim laughed. you're nice one to talk.
old Bill Lanes daughter" And then Kate,
oh ] said awful things, and l remember
every word and go over II all at night. ]
said, "Yes and Kate Lanes sister l know
I've had 1t rubbed in enough, No one ever
says Nancy Lane, they always say Bill
Lanes daughter, Kate Lanes sister or
Jim Sheridan's sister-in-law. Hain't | had
that to fight against all my life? Haint I
lost every good chance that | ever had to
work in the good places, just because I've
had. to buck against the reputation of my
family? And then when you come in the
family, l might a carried the others. but
no one could carry you. Why, you dirty
crook you're known from San Francisco
to New York. and I've had to work in cheap
shows and dirty Cabarets just because Of
you always coming and queering me when
/ got started. Look at the crowd | go
with" / said. "Do you suppose I'm crazy
about them? But | have to 60 with that
kind, the kind that don't fall dead, when
they find out who | am" Jim looked at
me a mint. then he said, You're getting
dam nice lately, what's the matter with
you?" l thought a mint and then I said,
Yes, I'm different, l know it, but I've
had most two years of not havin to be
scared to death, not having 10 look over my
shoulder for fear a cop was following me tc
find out about some of you. I've been able
to read the papers without being scared
I'd see some Of our names in II, and I've
been allowed to work in peace.
And I've done good work too, I've been
able to leave the rotten joints and I'm
workin' up, and I'd get TO the top II was
left alone. Why the only peace I've had in
all my life has been the last year when
you and Dad and Kate was all in Jail. l
been able to sleep nights knowing where
| you all was and that you couldn't be doing
nothing to get In trouble"
CONTINUED TOMORROW