Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-23
HE best alibi I can think up is
that I did 1t off-hand and cas-.

r oiont seem like what people
would call an important step in my
career. No. Didn't strike me that
way at all. Looked like a side issue.
a, trihe. There was no long debate
over whether / would or wouldn't, no
family council, no advice from friends
Maybe took a second look, might
have rubbed my chin thoughtful once,
and then said I would.
But most of the big stuff, come to
mink OF 1t, gets put over like that;
from gettin' engaged to havin' the
news handed you that you're a grand
daddy. Course. you might be workin'
up to 1t for long time, but you're SO
busy on other lines that you hardly
notice. The n all Of q sudden-Bing!
Lots OF young hicks start in on a fox
trot all free and clear, and before the,
orchestra has swung into the, next
one-step they've said the fatal words
that get 'em pushin' baby carriage
within year. Same with a lot of
other moves that count big.
Gettin' Buddy wished on us. for in
stance. AS l remember, 1 wasn't nav
In much attention to what the bar
W." S"Sih. lou uOnt nave to,
you know; specially when they're
like Joe Sarello. who generally has a
lot to say. He'd been discoursin' on
several subjects-how his cousin Car
mel was gettin' on with his coal and
wood business up in New Rochelle.
what the league of nations really
ought to do to the Zechoslovaks. how
much the landlord has Jumped his
rent, and so on.
Then he begun talkfn' about puns q
was wonderin' IL Joe wasn't taking
too much hair off the sides, Just above
the ears. He's apt to when he gets
rnhnin on. Still. I'd rather take a
chance with him than get my trim
min done in the big shop at the ar.
cade OF the Corrugated buildin..
where they shift their shear and razor
artists so. often you hardly get to
know one by sight before he's missin'.
But Joe Sarello. out here at Harbor
HIS, with his little two-chair Joint
opposite the station, he's a fixture. a
cltizen. If he gets careless and hicks
you on the ear you can drop in every
mornin' and roast him about It. Re.
sides, when he opens a chat he don't
nave to hsh around and guess whether
you're reg lar person with business
IN town, or If you're weekend tour
ISL Just blown in from Oconomowoc
or Houston. He knows all about Won.
and the family, and your kitchen help.
ana Dominick. who does your outside
work and tends the furnace.
lie was tellin' me that his litter of
pups was comm on fine. I expect I
says 'Uh-huh" or something like that.
Inc news didn't mean much to me.
was about as thrilled as If he'd been
quotin the fob. price of new crop
Brazil nuts. In fact he'd mentioned
this side line Of his before. Barberin'
Tor commuters left him more or less
time for such enterprises. But it might
nave been Angora goats he was raisin'
or water buffalo, or white mice.
you no lika da dogs, hey?" asks Joe,
kind of hurt.
"Eh?" says I, starin' critical into the
mirror to see IL he hadn't amputated
more from the left side than the right.
"Oh, sure! / like dogs well enough.
That Is, real doggy dogs; not these lit
tie Imitation parlor insects, like Poms
and Fakes and such. Amt raisin' that
kind. are you. Joe?"
Joe chuckles, unbuttons me from the
apron. brushes lot Of short hair down
my neck. and holds hand mirror SO I
can get rear elevation view Of my
noble dome. !, "Hah!' says he. "You
must see. show you dogs what is
dogs. Come"
And after I've retrieved my collar and
tie / follow him out back where in a
lean-to shed he has chicken wire pen
with. a half dozen or SO Of as cute, roly-
poly little puppies as you'd want to see.
They're sort Of rusty brown and black,
with comical long heads and awkward
big paws and stubby tails. And the
way they was tumblin' over each other.
tryin' to chew with their tiny teeth, and
scrimmagin' around like SO many boys
playin' football In back lot-well.
couldn't help snickerin' just watchin'
'Am for minute.
"All spoke for but dees wan" says
Joe. fishin' out one Of the lot. "Meester
Parks he pick heem first wan. but now
he hafta go by Chicago and no can
take. Fine chance for YOU. With beeg
place like you got you need good watch
dog. Hey? What you say?"