Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-10

wSSn WIN " VIC THO OcSI NTSL as
sistant director Of physical Gull
ture on West 4ad street, and bar
mono. he'd still be useful-as a watch
dog. You ought to see him work
when he thinks he's guardin' the
sanctity Of the, studios front office.
Says he has old Horatius at the bridge
lookin' like gutter. Any panhan-
der or gas mantle agent or member
OF the Down-and- Out Club that gets
by him has Eogt to leak through the
keyhole.
I remember here one day a while
back how Swiftly pokes his head
through the gym door and announces
out Of the left side Of his mouth that
somebody wants to have speech with
me. And I could tell by the way
Swiftly wore his face that he was
tryin' to register deep disgust.
WELL don't he give name?" I
asks.
Nah" says Swiftly. mot that bird.
If he did 1t wouldn't be the right one.
tells him to take a hop. pronto. but
he puts up . whine about how he's
got to see you. so I leaves him ON the
outside mat while passes you the
word. Shall give him the shunt?''
I expect should have taken Swifty's
judgment on the case. for he seldom
misses spottin' a touch artist. but.
havin' half an hour to kill before
lunch. I decides to do the shooin' my
self.
"Oh. I might as well hear his tale,''
says /. Let him trickle In. Swiftly.
TIL be out in a minute"
knewT made a mistake, though,
as soon rs I got glimpse of this
seedy party with the slack underiip
and the ingrowin' chin.
Hello. Shortly" says he. II expect
you don't remember me, eh?''
Your manners familiar enough"
says I. land your face amt at all
strange, but don't connect you with
any name"
mo. you wouldn't" says he. ITS
Stuckey-Jim Stuckey."
sounds like good ht," says I.
"stew-ky Huh! Just where have our
paths crossed before, Jim?'
why" says he. II used to be your
fav-rite waiter at the old chop house,
you know"
II never did have much sense when
It came to pickin' out walters" says
I. Maybe you're right. though. Sup
pose you were all you say; what's the
argumentr'
1t was nothing unique; no job. the
wife and three children cryin' for
bread. and q dispossess notice tackled
on the door. Also couldn't help him
out with q ten spot until he could get
on his feet. While he was spislin'
this OF smooth and rapid I gives him
the mp and down.
He don't quite tally with my idea Of
a typical hash singer. For one thing
he's costumed too sporty. Course. the
cheap black and white checked suit
is Baxter street bargain that shows
as many spots a. leopard. but II
ain't the sort . waiter would cling to
II II was his last. And the soft col
lar with the pink and blue stripes -
another suspicious item. That fscs
might be q walters face. Or II might
not One Of these maps shaped liRo .
piece Of pie and ornamented with q
long nose and q pair OF cIose.-sst
shifty eyes. Just as honest a. rats,
them eyes.
stuckey goes on to give me details
about how long he's been on the blUs
ticket shin. on account Of bein' called
out on strike and 80 many Of the
hotels putin Ltszie Mauds In the
dinin' rooms. Then he switches to
how hard It IL to buy shoes and
things for the kids. and how the little
wife would take job scrubbin' floors
only ~ hack amt strong enough.
AND z seii you. HoCsbe." he adds.
"its mighty tough luggin' along
family these days"
Let's see." says /. You didn't con-
suit me about gettip' married. did
you? No, I thought not So don't
feel more'n half responsible. In fact.
don't quite figure Why you como to
me at al. Amt yen got any one
nearer?"
II got a brother" says stuckey.