, 1918-07-11
Strike of the
John Kelly Local
(copyright, The Frank 4. Munsey Cos
BY lanes Gardner sanderson

Annie raised her hand ~menacingly,
but the quick duck and upward, fend-
ing swing of Johnny's arm failed to
follow. Instead of this usual maneu-
yer, her son caught the hand and held
it, looking angrily and fearlessly into
her eyes. Annie gasped in bewilder-
ment and struggled weakly. The sig
%nificance of the resistance became sud-
denly clear, and she cast herself into
the low chair beside the window.
"Wurra !" she sobbed. "Wurrai Oh,
JOHNNY Oh, Johnny boyI"
h rocked her body to and fro, and
the walls lost nothing in volume by
reason of the apron over her head.
Her son eyed her in disfavor.
Jaw, u it out" he muttered I'M
easily. "Tm thirteen and big enough
to be me own boss, I guessi"
"Kapin' company wild a cross-eyed
girl in Oliver Streetl' interjected An
ME sharply.
"She amt cross-eyed"
you'd ought to be glad of tn good
home I've give We since your father
died. God have mercy on his sowlI
It's not afther cross-eyed girls he'd be
goin', neither" walled Annie.
"She amt cross-eyed ~ snarled John
ny, stung by the repetition. "If 1
likes a girl I likes her, and it's not
even ne mothers business, under
stand?''
M wild my rheumatismaticsl
Many's tn time I've stood in tn snow
earnin' a living to support you'll If I
was many tn mother, I'd bat you
acrost tn face for talking back t. me-"
reproached Annie.
you'd only bat me once, then" re-
torted Johnny stoutly.
Mrs. Kelly's grief broke forth afresh.
Her son surveyed her sullenly and
reached for his hat.
Tn goin' out" he remarked.
Mrs. Kelly gave no sign Of having
heard.
'Tm goin' down to Oliver street."
he added tauntingly.
Then Mrs. Kelly removed the apron.
you go down to Oliver street and
you car stay there" she said, trem-
bling.
"Al right" replied Johnny. "rn
stay therel And you can be getting
some one else to help sell your pa
Pcs ne auueu shriiy' won't!
Inc Siam OF a door closed the dis
CUSTOM ana Mrs. Kelly sat by the
"inuo" a,one' Inc fountain Oh tears
eVapoia'eu s",iuy III the neat OF her
sa.hs "ra'h'
Snlruck, d heF n muttered
aiouu 10 uhe silent room.
.him eoai NINE stories' It's Ike. And
heo De lawn me IF a ~ed-headed nus
Syn uivA siho her JOY OF MIMI All
risht, iea M! N not TAX m pack,
MT ~ Frisiuent ohooseVeit n TN
whoie crowd or arpitraries. l know
me pusihessE
with the final sentence Mrs. Kelly
rose and set about her evenings work.
The vigor with which she banged the
iron fryin'-pan upon the table beside
the Kitchen sink spoke volumes for
the earnestness OF her resolve.
Me wurrkin' me hands to tn bone
an him lettin' mel It's on a grating
ne car sleep this night" she said saw
ageiy' at the end OF Two hours OF un-
assisleu pon'
AS h from the Kitchen,
outraged motherhood caused her to
lock the door v~iciously, and to indulge
IN M nope tina n autumn g
might De cold.
During all the following day Annie
stood at her post in front Of one of
the newspaper buildings on Park Row.
Annie had been selling papers at this
particular stand for more than fen
years, and in the crowds streaming to
n from the bridge there were dozens
whose days would not have been fully
begun or ended without a CHEEKY word
and a hurried purchase as they paused
before her. And usually as CHEEKY a
word had been tossed back t them.