The Winslow mail., 1918-12-27

under his arm and despairingly caught
on behind a truck that was rafting
towards the Battery. AS he swung
off at the city hall his heart grew sud
denly light, and he ran across the park
in elatiOn. At the foot of the city
hall steps he sprang with a joyous
Whoop upon the back of an acquaint-
ance who, in company with a group
ct other newsboys, was beguiling the
tedium of the afternoons slack hours
by pitching pennies. The acquaint-
ance leaped to his feet and mixed
things until a policeman scattered the
ring.
On native soil the lifeless insipidity
Of upper Broadway fell rapidly into
the dim recesses of memory, and John
ny heaved a sigh of relief.
By six o'clock he had lodged guilt
lily into Park Row to get the extras,
catching a glimpse, on his way, of his
mGther's back as she stood in her
regular place and cried her wares.
There was something about the lines
of her figure which made Johnny un-
comfortable, but he ducked behind the
nearby Franklin statue and COM
menced business hurriedly.
From time to time he peeped around
Ben Franklin. He noticed the tac-
tics of the piratical outsiders as they
boarded Annies customers, and his
blood boiled over. When restraint
ceased to be q possibility, and while
his mothers attention was engaged,
he crept up behind the intruders and
cuffed one Of them soundly. The 9th
ers fed, and it was noised swiftly
abroad that Johnny had returned to
his own.
Mrs. Kelly got the news at last,
and an absurd wave of something shot
from her ankles to the top of her
head, leaving her trembling and weak,
but happier than she had been for
three days. A wisp of iron-gray hair
falling over her eyes caught a drop
that trickled down the side of her
Weather-beaten nose, and two custom
ers each bore away cent too much
in change before she discovered its
binding influence.
When greater self-possession came
she hastened automatically to a spot
from which she might catch an occa-
sional glimpse of Johnny. Because he
looked detected, her heart smote her,
and she sent out newsgirl scouts to
see how many papers he was getting
rid of.
Johnny, after cutting his mothers
competitors, went back to the Frank
lin statue and tried to shout extra !"
In an overwhelming rush Of emotion
his voice choked. He counted up his
days receipts, and drew his coat
sleeve across his nose as he found that
his profits amounted to but twenty
seven cents. The image of the half
dollar which his mother had present
ed to him every night rose swimming
ly before his eyes when he gazed
miserably into space and thought of
supper time.
"Hey, kid" he called to another
newsboy In wistful bravado, task me
mother if she's goin' t. lock nae outer
the house tonight"
"I don't want to ak her." replied
the boy. "She might soak me. Dere's
me sister talkin' to her; wen dey
breaks away I3l ak her to ak her."
Meanwhile Annie was grimly re-
questing the little newsgirl to ask her
Johnny how long he intended to stay
on strike.
81 don't want to ak i'm. He might
swat me. I'll ak me brudder to ak
'im," said the girl.
The two negotiators met, and, lean
ing on the subway fence, talked for
moment or two in whispers, while
two pairs of eyes, old and young,
watched them In anxious suspense.
"Sure!" said the little boy. "Tll
bring up him an you get Annie, an
we'll make 'em shake. Well be the
argitators' commissariat, what settles
strikes"
"Sure," echoed the little girl.
Annie furtively wiped away a tear
upon her apron. Johnny surreptitious-
ly fell back again upon his sleeve.
Then mother and son shook hands.
"You fool you!" said Annie.
GAS much as that?" asked Johnny,
ducking and Tending, as a matter of
course, the swing of Annie's palm
which followed.
Then they backed up to Annie's
place beside the wall and threw their
stocks together.
"D'ye need any Wall street
Newses?" asked Johnny.
''D'ye want yer supper money!"
asked Annie.
"Yeh," they answered in chorus;
and at the cheerful note in their cries
of extra !" customer here and there
in the hurrying crowd paused, looked
backward, and smiled.