The Hope pioneer., 1920-12-09

ginning to tell upon them, We're pes
SimiStic of his chances of success. nor
could they resist expressing their fore
bodingS.
The old folks loved their boy too
we'll TO reproach him for his dcSertion
now in the first flush OF his young
manhood. but their hearts did ache at
thought Of the separation.
you'll soon get tired Of all that
hurly-burly there in the city, Tom,"
his old father told him. And when
you do. want you always to remem-
Der that we've still got a place for you
back here at the old homestead. 1t
mayn't be as fine and showy as lots
you'll see there in the city, but its
more the sort that the good Lord In
tended you for. Ma and l are hoping
the best for you, son, but--when you
do find out that your fortunes not
away off there-just pocket your pride
and come back here to US who love
YOU"
So young Tom left the farm with
shining eyes and high heart and ad-
ventured into the great. far-away city
In quest of fame and fortune.
How he Jared there and all the sor-
ry disappointments that repeatedly
overlook him during that year of alb
sence would be long and narrowing
story to tell. He chased his rainbow
to its end, yet found the tabled pot of
gold not there as he had so confidently
and blarantly expected.
Tom made applications for all sorts
of office positions only to find himself
quickly rejected because of his lack
of experience in those specific liz
"Well. anyway. I'm young and hus-
ky and used to hard manual labor"
Tom consolea himself. II can at least
get job with contracting gang. as
painter, or plumbers assistant, or
teamster. That will suffice to keep me
going for while until the sort Of no-
ston l want turns up
But even in those lines of work the
green country boy found himself sud-
denly brought up short against blank
wall. He had no references as to past
city employment and nobody would
hire him after once finding out that he
had no union card.
Huddled in his shabby overcoat on
street corner in the squalid section
of the city-the icy wind wtistling
around him and biting through his
threadbare garments-poor Tom stood
on the evening before Christmas. Won
dering where ne might find shelter
in, ,,.1,i 70 of iyht
freezing.
Just how long he had stood there
shiverng in the chill wind on the
street cOrner-bitterness against the
great, unfeeling city ranking in his
heart-TOm did not know. He was
startled from his moody reverie by
hearing a hoarse. wheedlng voice at
his very elbow. saying what was in.
tended as confidential tone:
How'd y'lilie a nice hot feed and
some coin to jingle in yer pants. bo?
Amt hungry, are ya:'
Whirling about, Tom saw that his
accostcr was an der-siZed, burly fel-
low with a tough, truculent vSage and
hands showed deep into the side pock-
cap with the visor pulled low down
over his eyes and spat malevolently
upon the sidewalk each time before he
spoke.
How'd y'like the idea huh:" he re-
lterated in his rauc0uS, grating voice,
siding closer as he spoke and casting
81 wary eye up and down the nearly
InSf ny a.I ,y1n ri
Tom regarded him with diStuste and
undiSSuised mistrust. He looked like
Il typical thug. But misery cannot be
TOO fastidious about the company it
keeps. Finally Tom scowlcd blackly
and answered:
"Whats that to you, anyway:'
well. you're outta luck, amt cha,
pal? Yer on yer uppers, stony broke
and maybe with an empty belly, too,
huh, DO: Well, l guessed that much.
amt blind yet, l amt. Well, l
need pal for Il little Job tonight ant.
we both can make otta jack out of
it, sec?"
"iou-you mean-burgary?' Tom
muttered heSitanily. with an involun-
tary contraction of his heart.
"Iumph! No, anything like safe
cracking or breaking into Il house. l
don't. Too many people staying up
with the kids over Christmas trees to.
night. I amt keen on tnkiu' fool
chances like that. I'm telln' va. Nav
this ! wantchn for is something soft
safe and easy as falling off lo.. You
know the big prices pcnplr are willing
to pay for real booze since the co,ln.
'ry went dry don't cha? Well, right
near here ] know Il certain warehouse
that's got 20 cases of whisky stored M
the basement. Real bonded stuff
The wntclman Is an old pal o. mine
nnd is willing to let us swipc it II