The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1920-12-18

ginning TO tell upon them, were pes
Smistlc of his chances of success, nor
could they resist expressing their fore
bodings.
The old folks loved their boy too
well to reproach him for his desertion
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. I want you always to remem-
Der that we've still got a place for you
back here at the old homestead. II
mayn't be as fine and snowy as lots
you'll see there In the city. but It's
more the sort that the good Lord In
tended you for. Ma and 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 I'D
ventured into the great, far-away city
In quest of fame and fortune.
How he Jared there and all the sor-
ry dlsappolntments that repeatedly
overlook him during that year Of alb
sence would be long and narrowing
story to tell. He chased his rainbow
to It's end, yet found the tabled pot Of
gold not there as he had SO confidently
and blatantly 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 line
swell. anyway. I'm young and hus-
Ky and used to hard manual labor"
Tom consoled himself. 81 can at least
get u job with q contracting gang. as
d painter. or plumbers assistant, or
teamster. That will suffice to keep me
going for while until the sort of pO-
sItlOn 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 whistling
around him and biting through his
! threadbnre garments-poor Tom stood
on the evening before Christmas, won
dering where he might find a shelter
In which TO sleep that night without
freezing.
Just how long he had stood there,
shivering In the chill wind on the
street corner-bltterness against the
great. unfeellng city ranking In his
heart-Tom did not know. He was
startled from his moody reverie by
hearing honrse. wheedllng voice at
his very elbow, saying what was In
tended as n confidential tone:
"How'd yllke y nice hot feed and
some coin to jinxle In yer pants, boz
Amt hungry. are ya?"
| Whirling about, Tom saw that his
accoster was an under sized, burly fel-
low with q tough. truculent vlsage and
hands showed deep Into the side pock-
cts OF his coat. He wore a battered
! cap with the visor pulled low down
over his eyes and spat malevolently
upon the sidewalk each time before he
spoke.
How'd ynlke The idea, huhf" he re
itera,ed In his raucous, grating voice,
Siding closer az he spoke and casting
a wary eye up and down the nearly
| deserted. gloomy. wind-swept street.
Tom regarded him with distaste and
undisguiEed mistrust. He looked like
a typical thug. But misery cannot be
too fasrldiOus about the company 10
keeps. Finally Tom sc0wied blackly
and answered:
WHATS that 10 you, anyway
| swell. you're outta luck, amt cha,
pal7 Yer on yer uppers, stony broke
and maybe with an empty belly. too,
huh. bof Wen, ] guessed that much.
amt blind yet. ! amt! Well.
need n pal for n little job tonight and
we hoth can make a lotta Jack out Of
Il. see?'
"You-you mean-burgary2" Tom
mUtirTpd heSllnntly, Win an inv0iun-
, tary contraction OF his heart.
"Humph! Not anything like safe
cracking or breaking into house
don't Too many people staying up
with the Kids over Christmas trees to-
night. | amt keen on tnkin' fool
chances like that, I'm teIlin' va Nav.
this ! wantcha for is something soft :
safe and easy as falling OF log. You
know the big prices people nre willing
10 pay for real hOuZe since the coun.
try went dry dnn'i chal Wen rign'
near here Know certain VAR nous,
that's got 20 cases OF whisky stored II
the basement. Real bonded sun
rhe waichmdn is an old pal a. mir
end Is willing ia let us swine u