Evening star., 1918-04-14

-HE gray gates Of the prison were
opening for Slimmy Hohck to
pass out It was eight years
4 and eoven months since they
ermly opened for him to pass IN.
Good behavior had shortened q ten
year sentence.
This sentence had not been pro-
nounoed unjustly. No odor OF perse-
cuted innocency emanated from Slimmy
-sly-eyeti sullen-lipped. sandy-haired
eairnmy with his flaccid. hangdog pro-
Ale. He had been sentenced with ap-
solute Justice and to his great desert
He and an associate George Swan
son. both typical young city "toughs''
poolroom habitues street-oorner ioiter-
erH one midnight broke into small
delieatessen store The Prussian pro-
nxtstor had the lack OF tact to enter
hysterically. while they were disap-
po,ntsdly counting the small change
in tho cash register. thus compelilns
than to hit him harshly with the hafo
back OF an oak chair.
II hurt the old man: it was reared
for a time, fatally. 1t hurt the court
In the end 1t hurt them most OF all
They had no excuse except that the
.Ilev window of the store had peeh
fnyttinsly left unbarred: no 3ust1nca-
tton exospt that they were out OF
work and wanted money; no defense
except John Barleyoorn.
Judge Pickney. cold, old man WIN
tired ewes. a trim fringe Of sanity silver
hair and high, impressive, yellow NECK
which rose out Of his collar like scroll
Of parchment, held the excuse tne
justification and the defense to pc I'M
nertinent aggravations of the offense.
Evidence against them was SO quien
only q sullen, spineless fight. Policeman
Murphy Of that beat, who knew them
as well-so he took oath-as ne knew
his own big, beefy face. had glimpseo
them sneaking into the alley. anyway,
Slimmy's folks had no money. HIS
father was q discouraged. ill-paid labor
ar. His mother had been dead three
years. His brothers were married ana
could hardly finance their daily preao
70 his discredit Gas the court. aided by
Murphy and Hogan. a vindictive, bull
paved detective. unkindly ferreted out)
he had already had two short Jail terms;
one for street fighting and the other for
borrowing a limousinS.while its un-
whiting owner was placidly consuming
fried blue points and clover cocktails
three doors down the street So he got
the ten years and SO scathing lecture
on the rights of the state from old
Judge Pickney that he cringed physi-
cally at the time, had cringed mentally
ever since and forevermore would asso-
ciate trim silver hair with tyranny
handouts. his eighteen-year- sister
Bella's blowsy. tear-swollen face, iron
grated windows. chair making. monot-
ony Of diet and other hateful things.
Swanson. big-boned. sulky. worklSaA
loathinG. young good-for-nothing, with a
too long upper lip and under-eyelids toe
thick for beauty, morality or eugenics.
happened to have an old widowed moth
Or who industriously scrubbed for her
Beloved Georgia. With her tears and
her savings she managed to beat his
punishment down to eight years.
:. Slimmy Holick was twenty-four
years old when the ten years were pro-
nounced.
And you've got plenty Of years be-
Tore you yet" the warden assured him
~ he unwound the last of the red tape
connected with the gate opening.
warden Kelly was q good man-of
not weary. though its possessor may.
He had the pugilistic round chin of a
natural boss the stiff, uncurving lips
Of q born disciplinarian, the saturnine
cheek seams Of one whom life's reality
has knitted. and the patient eyes of q
habitual reader of the fourteenth chap
Ter or st. John In his time Warden
Kelly had given that same brisk as
surance to some eight thousand or more
men passing from under him. But he
spoke as brislly and as personally and
~ hopefully as though Slimmy were
the hrst man to be so heartened
Slimmy, however, gave no large signs
OF being heartened. He listened He
had to. He was still inside the gates.
But he listened without visible enthu-
siasm.
You'll be out of here in five min
utes. continued Kelly in congratula-
tory tones.
s.slimmys whole fean body twitched
as though galvanized. as in fact it was
by the freedom in front Of him.
And when you're out. Holick, stay
cut please"-whfmsically I'm an In
hosp1table cusa don't banker to well
come you again under my roof"
Slfmmy said nothing. But his lean
underlip frightened against his teeth in
fhat sulky tautness which Is pessi-
nisrl's own trade mark.
Warden Kelly saw. Come now.
Holick; buck up" he urged, earnestly.
go 1t straight
"Will II I get the chance" mumbled
SHnmy. coldly. eyes down
Kelly frowned. Look for the chance" !"
he advised. crtsply. "And. by the way,
Holtok, whatsver you do when you're
00& do this; Dodge that fellow who
yas oenf MP with yoo-Swanson. HSe
been out now. let's sse-
0iznny found htD tooguA
.s6SS boen cut q year And tAsos