The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-22


 lane busted herself with the closing knock on the door of the private of flee. To her answer their appeared the red head of the office boy.
 Just wanted to say good night, Miss Brown, said the little fellow, with his ingratiatingly tough" smile Tanks for what you done for me today. I aint had nobody nice to me as long as I kin remember Miss Brown"
 Jane smiled at him, albeit the sugges- ton of tears was in her black eyes.
 T will always be your friend, Tommy. 1 will not forget what you did for me when I was, insulted by that man." she concluded. with increasing hesitation.
 She shuddered as she remembered the scene with Pedro Cabannello, and at the humiliating finale of the incident when she had told an untruth to avoid a worse one.
 Say, Miss Brown, if that guy gets fresh wit youse again I'll get me gang down from the Newsboys Home and we'll croak him, that's wot we'll do to inn"
 What does 'croak' mean, Tommy?'' she asked, ingenuously You know I don't speak New Yorkese very well yet and some of your language is unfamiliar to me-"
 'Oh, hoi'' chuckled the youngster, swelling with importance and menace. ''It jes' means to bounce a lead pipe on his beam and blow the whistle for the morgue wagon. It means to make him stop bkockin' traffic for the rest of his life. It means hangin' out crepe on his grandmother's doorl''
 The youngsters blue eyes sparkleds with animation and hatred for the Latin American Jane's eyes widened as she looked at this youthful impersonation of the god of vengeance
 Why, you don't mean to say that yor would injure him mortally-that little boy like you would want to kill a man? she added. incredulously.
 Say, Miss Brown, lsten That gink done me mean, but he done youse meaner. Dye think he's gonna get away wid it? I'm little, but, oh, my! No ginny kin treat me, and worse still an angel like you that way! Why, I'd do anything fer youse Miss Brown. Youse a regular angel, and you'n see that I'll pay you back yer kindness to me-
 With which startling declaration of adoration the small. tousled office boy abruptly slammed the door and disap- peared. Jane laughed quietly to herself. yet there was a warm crinkly feeling about her heart as she thought of this diminutive champion of a maiden in dis tressi
 Poor little chap!" she pondered. What pity he can not grow to manhood in a sweeter, happier, cleaner environment. among trees and flowers. Some day I will take him out to the country if there is any country within trolley distance of this enormous city. I will see how na- ture appeals to him. and perhaps through the aid of Mrs. Van Blocker I may be able to have him sent to some place where he may grow strong and happy, and be noble in thought as his little hungry soul is ln it's aspirations"
 With these generous thoughts in her mind, driving out the unhappiness which had occupied it so short time before Jane Brown closed her desk. She tidied up the papers, dusted off the top and took her hat from the steel locker. A final glance around the room satisfied her that all was neat and ship shape, as it should be. Jane took three of the roses from the desk and pinned them be- low her collar. She wondered what had become of Dick Holladay, and if she should ever see him again, after the de- termined manner in which she had told him that she mast devote all her time to her work.
 '.He is like all writers and poets and painters, suppose she said to herself with a sigh which she did not realize herself Well, I must devote all m' thoughts ana powers to great accomplish ment. There are more bitter things tt overcome. even for humble stenograpbe from the country, than I had realized And the hours are fleeting."
 After replenishing the water of the roses which remained on her desk she hurried out of the roorn anxious for g little relation in the tiny quarters at Mrs Selden's boarding house. For the first time since morning she realized that she was hungry and now she remembereS X that the strange events of the day ha :. with her plans for luncheon.
 Mir Marshall, the stcop shouldered ac eountaHt was still boring over his books He, like Jane, thought more of work than of the hours of labor. she could see
 Good evening" MT. Marshall" shQ called to him. almost bashfullY.