The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-09-03

through the bars. .'You-your're the
first one to say that since was ar
rested. All the others seem to think
there's no doubt that l did it and
they try TO get me to confess. oh. I'm
SO glad someone doesn't believe it.
You'll tell them, won't you, Professor
that
"A hot lot Of good that would do. I
says /, breakin in. "See here, Albert,
it's up to you to do some tellin'. Don't
you get that? Tell 'em where you
were between IL o'clock that evenin'
and A. M. next mornin'."
Albert drops his chin and lowers
them starey blue eyes. why" says
he, FL was in bed"
You're poor liar, Albert" says
I Anybody could see, just by the
way you say it, that you wasn't. Be
sides, they know different. The JAM
tor has spoiled it all-about the fire
escape and SO on"
"Oh!" says Albert, groanin' and
coverin' his face with his hands.
well, all you got to do is to tell
where you were," goes on.
81 don't want to-" says Albert.
"You got to. though" says /.
ooh, FL can't do it Professor
says he.
why, you poor fish," says /, don't
you see that unless you do they'll send
you to the chair?' Sure they will.
They've got to pin this on somebody.
and you're the goat. That is, unless
the gun-man comes forward and gives
himself up, which amt likely. Come
now! You know where you were
Give up and let's see If we can't get
you out of this"
"Oh, on!" groans Albert, rockin'
back and forth. what will Sister
Alice say?"
HUH" says l. "That's it, Ell? You
was out pullin' somethin' that would
give her jolt If she knew"
He mods and lets out another groom.
"What?" says l.
Il don't want to TELL" says ne,
"Alice would
"Ah, forget Alice for minute. =
says /, sand remember that your own
fool neck Is in danger Besides, yon
amt confessin' to her. I'm only askin'
you to tell me-"
"Mum-must II" says he.
sUnless you're yearnin' for a dose
of high voltage" says l. "Come, what
are you up to-"
WELL" says Albert. I'll was play.
ing the piano."
'Wh-a-at" gasps. Say, do you
think this is any time to get comic?
Playin' the piano wnere?"
in Noonan's, on Ninth avenue, 7
says he.
"Eh says /. mot in the Caye?'-
"Yes," says he. 81 believe that's
what they call the back BASEMENT"
must have been gawpin' at him
by then. "But isn't Noonan,s Cave
the hang-out of the Spiders, the
toughest gang in the Hell's kitchen
district?' asks.
Its the Spiders Club play for"
says Albert, "every Thursday night
I've been doing it for several months. !"
"You have!" says i. "Well. of all
the places for you to be in. How did
you happen to get let in for a job
like that?'
1t was simple enough accordin' to
Albert. A friend Of his who was a
musician had told him, as joke on
himself, how he'd answered a want
ad for a pianist and discovered that
the number was the tough joint of the
Spiders. Course he'd turned it down.
$50 went around" says Albert,
"and took it,
"You did," says I. "Why?.
Because" says he, II wanted to
play jazz. Tits great fun, really
There were three of us, a yiolinist
land the fellow who played the saxa-
phone. We got along fine; that Is,
when the violinist wasn't sober. He
He had no touch then. and he was
apt to be ugly. But he was seldom
real sober. And the Austrian who
played the saxaphone used some kind
of dope. We gave them good music
though. Lots of ginger to it. You
can't imagine, unless you've played
jazz stun how it gets in your blood
And then. the Spiders are such jolly
crowd
81 should say they were," says /.
"Any one Of 'em would stick man
up for dollar and grin while he was
doing it. Don't you know that?"
"They were rather rough looking"
admits Albert, "and sometimes they