Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-17
AND THEN, THERE WAS TODD n NJ = z=::$:::=

get my full growth. But. for all of
that, I've been a man, more or less. TN
til 1 got stuck here. hoistin women up
and down all day long. Nothin' but
full of 'em. mostly old hens-cacklin'.
jabberin'. jawin' old hens. And then,
when I'm through at night, home
among more of 'em. Yes, three more
old hens at home"
STEADY. there. Todd" says I. eff
you're a Mormon you shouldn't
Think I'd marry one. let alone
three?' he snaps.
Then he explains how he lives with
sister who's a widow and runs a board
in house. Sister is helped out by an
old maid cousin and an antique mother
in-law; and, accordin' to Todd, the
combination is one that would drive a
saint into the souse class.
Jawin' and naggin'," says he. from
the minute l stick my head in the base
ment door at night until l sneak out in
the mornin'. I'd like to quit 'em some
da l, and never show up again"
We'll, why not?" says l.
En- says he, starin' as if I'd sug-
gested he tackle some miracle.
Listen. Todd says /. You come
beef1t, to me about the way you're pes
ions mighty free and bold-when they
can't hear you. Know what you sound
like? A yellow pup yappin' down an
alley. Uh-huh. Like worthless. meas
~ yellow pup that would run if two
week-old kitten bumped it's back at
nm. Now, if you must zap, do your
yappin' where it'll register. Buck up!
Don't be an imitation man. IL your
women-folk at home are pickin' on you.
give EN- as good as they send. Tell 'em
where they get off. The saple with Mrs
Rosenbaum. Ten to one they'll lay off it
after that. Anyway. take a chance.
That is. if you got any nerve left"
He takes it without a squirm, all ex-
ia paf Z
skim / could see him stiffen and his
fingers bunch up.
You think | amt got any nerve?"
says he, gettin' on his feet. 'T'll show
you. And I'll show them. too
Yes, you wi1l-not," says over my
shoulder as he drifts through the door
Maybe that was rubin in the salt.
didn't have anything special against
him to get the idea he could run in here
and give me an earful whenever he got
caIl-down that he most likely de-
served And I had no more notion he'd
try to follow my advice than I did OF
seem him turn handsome overnight.
just threw it off casual and careless.
Must have been nearly 1 o'clock be-
fore L got chance to beat it out to
lunch, SO as I swings onto 42d street
I'm in considerable of hurry. That's
how I happened to pillow right into the
middle of this young mob of females
punched about the next entrance before
time I'd lodged around a couple and
caromed off third into a wide, husky
party in a blond transformation, I de-
c1des to slow up 1t was then ] heard
this chorus of wild squeals and panicky
shrieks f1oatin' out from the doorway.
Whats happenin'?'' 1 asks an excited
young lady who's hoppin' up and down.
'Oh. it's perfectly awful" she groans.
Cant some one stop him?
stop what-who?" says l.
THAT wretch in the elevator" saws
she. He'll kill them ALL know he
will. He has the car full, and he's rum
ming it up and down like a crazy man,
stopping and starting jerky, not let
ting them out, and swearing something
frightful. They say that Nine. Jezinski
is IN there. and that two girls from the
manicure parlors have tainted, and"
1T amt Todd, is it?'' / demands.
I'm sure 1 don't know his name"
says she. IT'S that surly. smelly little
runt with the squinty eyes-the one
that's always here"
That's him." says l. Todd" And
does my best to smother a grin
They've phoned for the police and
the owner of the building. hear" says
the young lady. II wish they'd come
before anything awful happens"
oh, guess it won't" says 1, "if it's
only Todd"
With that 1 works my way out of the
crowd and starts on. chucklin' a bit.
So Todd had really cut loosel He was
takin' 1t out in bouncin' around a lot
OF his pet enemies. Unique way of
gettin back at 'em and one that
would most likely earn him his re-
lease. But that was his lookout
meant 10 stop on my way back and
ask somebody how the affair came out;
but after lunch I took my regular stroll
up 9th avenue and ran across Pickney
cruisin' along in his town car, with the
usual results. From then on all sched-
ules was of. He insists on my climb
In In, whirls me up through the park
and back, drags me into picture ex-
hibit on the return trip, makes a stop
at one OF his clubs. and lands me at
the studio again about $3.50. Havins
nothing better to do, he says how he
guesses he'll trail along in too.
All right" says I; but amt ufgin'
it."
your apology noted" says he, "and
such an. impulsive invitation can