The daily Alaskan., 1921-02-22
CHAPTER |.
"Tony"-For Short.

| ed robins and thousands of other birds | to build their homes In the Forest city. as Ithaca. N. r., Is well called, | for to the south, the east, the west, and even to the north where the lake cut sharply around corner, broad forests stretched their lengths and heights of leaf and bOugh on minia- ture mountains.
 One evening on the western side of the railroad tracks, a girl stood before a small building over which, like ropes | of green. drapcd the branches of a
 weeping willow tree. This building
 was different from any of the other habitations near ll in that It was well painted, and the door stood open all day.
 Twas a strange little girl that Cazed up with searching eagcrness at the TWO lighted signs that had arrest ed her attention. In her arms she
 held a diminuriyr guinea pig, and the way she hugEed 1t close demonstrated ! her love for f..
 THE SALVATION ARMY" she spelled out and lhoughtfully conSid- cred il.
 "Evcrynudy is welcome here" she
 read slowly. That meant that anyone could enter if he wanted 10, she de cidpd. and as Tounibel Devon did
 want to % in. she softly tiptOed up
 the steps and peeped Into the room. l AS there was nobody in sight, she sillpd in and looked about.
 "WeIcnme" was curved in letters of rcd above a table, and the silent young stranger sighed. She couldn't under stand how girl could be really wei come anvwhore. CT course her moth or liked her and missed her when she was away. but Tony knew of no other place where she was really wanted hur thr canal bnat. called Mary and Dirty Mary for short. which had been her home ever since she could re member
 "Grory loo 10 God in the highest" swung in letters of gold across the right wall. and co ,ln left. Stand Still oDl Sre 'hr Salvation ot the Lord ' kent lpr attention d little longer. She dldn't know what they meant, hut the varied co'nrs shining brilliant in the | bright Iigh, relmcd her turbulent spirit and made her happy. She hugrel inc pig closer bent her head .H.. .F
 'I "r,csS we're in a church, GuSSie.' she saM aloud. "and you mustn't grunt or squcal like you do on the Dirty i Mary. IrS awful nice and quiet, ain't | 1t, honcyE'
 "Wcre you speaking to me-" said a
 voice from near the door. Tunuihel Devon struggled to her 1 feet turned around and saw young man looking at her. A flame of red
 rushed over the tanned skin, but be- cause he was smiling and kindly, she smiled back, a dimple coming to life at each corner of her mouth.
 "Nope." she flung out in confusion. 'I was talkin' to GuSSie-Piglet here. i Mcbbc her and me hadn't ought to be
 here. You can kick Us out if you want to-"
 Philip MacCauIey, the captain of the Salvation army in Ithaca, bowed, and then he laughed. "Eycry one is welcome here" he uuoted. coming forward. "Where'd 1 vOu come from? I've never seen you before"
 "Tm staying up Hoghole way" re- 1 piled Tony. "I ain't been around
 Ithaca long. This is an awful nice room. ain't if, huh?' i "YeS, very. We like It." replied the young man. "Sit down; don't be in hurry. want to talk to you"
 Tonnibel did sit down but not very , comfortably. She was embarrassed in I the presence of this handsome young l stranger. abaShcd in the gIamor of his uniform, and all the beauty of him. With boyish admiration he was con | templutinC the sparkle of her gray eyes. shaded by long lashes as ebony black nS her hair which hung in ring | lets to her waist. He decided that ] she was very pretty, and that he liked to have her in the Salvation army quarters.
 Cant you stay for meeting this , evening"" he asked presently. "We have singing here.'
 Tony's eyes deepencd almost to lus- | trOuS black.
 "Oh. I'd love thatr Then she shook her head. Nope" she went on, q got to- go home to mummy. She's all 1 alone. Mchbe when my daddy gets 1 back. I'll come some time and sit clean through the night
 For an instant the smile stayed ! about the hoy'S lips. then gravity set tied once more over his earnest young
 face.
 "What'S done in this placeT she questioned after a while.
 "Oh. we sing and read and pray" replied the boy. eve do everything we can to help people. There's such lot of misery in the world"