Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1920-12-09

8lnlStlc OF MS tllaiiCeS VI SuSNo'"' Iva
could they resist expressing their fore
bodlngs
The old folks loved their boy too
well to reproach him for his desertlon
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
Aurly-burly there in the city, Tom"
his old father told him. land when
you do, want You always to remem-
Der that we've ~f,ll got Il place for you
back here al the old homestead. 1t
maynt be rs 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 l are hoping
the best for YOU. son but-when you
do find out that your fortunes nor
away off there-.iust 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 adj
ventured into the great. PARKWAY city
In quest of fame and fortune.
How he Jared there and all the sor-
~ disappointments that repeatedly
overlook him during that year of alb
sence would be il long and narrowing
story to tell. He chased his rainbow
10 its end yet found the tabled pot of
gold not there as he had so confidently
and blatdntly expected.
Tom made applications for all sorts
of office positions ouly to find himself
quickly rejected because of his lack
of experience in those specific liz
swell. anyway Tia young and hus-
Ky and used to n9rd manual labor,
Tom conSoled hima<.f. Il can at least
get a job with a contracting gang, as
a painter. or plumbers assistant, or
teamster. That will suffice to keep me
going for a while until the sort of po-
sition I 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
threadhare garments-po0r Tom STOOD
on the evening before Christmas, won
slering where ne might find a shelter
in which to sleep tl..t night without
freezing.
Just how long he had stood there,
Shivering in the ell wind on the
street cornrr-bitterness against the
great. unfeelinc city ranking in his
heart-Tom did not know He was
startled from his moody revere by
hearing a hoarse. wheedling voice at
his very elbow. saying what was In
tended as confidential tone:
How'd y'likp a nice hot feed and
some coin to jingle in yer pants. BIO?
Amt hungry, are ya!"
Whirling about, Tom saw that his
accoster was an understood, burly fell
low with a tough truculent visage and
hands showed deep INFO the side peck
cap with the visor pulled low down
over his eyes and spat malevolently
upon the sidewalk each time before he
spoke.
How'd y'Iike the idea huhi" he re-
iterated in his rauc0uS. grating voice,
Siding closer az he spoke and casting
q wary eye up and down the nearly
deserted. gloomy. wnd-swept street.
Tom regarded him with distaste and
undisguised mstrust. He looked like
q typical thug But misery cannot be
too fastdious about the company it
keeps Finally Tom scowled backly
and answered:
whats thar 10 Won, anyway!
swell, you're outla luck, amt cha,
pal? Yer on yer uppers, stony broke
and maybe with IN empty belly. too.
huh. bo? Well, guessed that much.
] amt blind yet. amt, Well. |
need a pal for a little: job tonight and
we both can make lotta jack oui of
1t, seer
"You-you mean-burglaryY Tom
muttered heSiantly. with an involun-
tary contraction of his heart.
"Humph MOI anything like safe
cracking or breaking into a house
don't. Too many people staying up
with the kids over Christmas trees to-
night. / amt keen on takin' fool
chances like that. I'm teliin' va. Nav,
this ! wantcha for is something soft !;
safe and easy as falling off log. You
know the big prices people are willing
to pay for real booze since the coun-
try went dry, don't cha? Well. right
that's got 20 cases of whisky stored in
the basement Reat bonded stuff !
The watchmsn is an old pal O mine
and is willing 70 let us swipe IL II