Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-03-28
ROMANCE and THE
TILLAMO0K KID
(By G. w. Robison)

Heigh- ho-the days of Romance
are dead? Gone is the field of the
cloth of gold and the Knights of
the tourney are myths. Heigh-
no. Romance is oiead!-So:
The Tillamook Kid arose.
Arose is right. The better word.
however, would be scared. A
number eleven boot on the pedal
extremity of six-foot "copper""
has the lifting power of Liberty
motor. The Kid 'soared'' and
made his landing" running. The
flight consisted of two blocks and
ended in a convenient hallway.
Then he stopped. washed his face
with his dirty hands. rolled his
breakfast-that is, Bull Durham
cigarette from a fast emptying
sack, and sailed forth.
The Kid was young and wise.
l"Wisdom is the result of expert
ences,' said the sage. and the Kid
was wise. Two short ''jolts."
county Jail sentences. and read
er for the big house waiting
indictment. that meant the pen
as he explained it to the neophites
in his profession had brought this
wisdom.
Now as to the profession of the
Tillamook Kid, the least said the
better-for him. 1t was, in fact,
an art. the art which demon
strates tina, the hand is quicker
than the eye. The Kid differed
from the actors who practice the.
leight-of- hand He needed no
iootlights to demonstrate his
ability. The street or crowded car.
day or night, the brushing Of a
shoulder, a slight touch of the
vest, or skirt. or overCoat. as the
case might be; and now you have
it" and, yes, he had it. He was
good in his line, real good, but
easy come and easy go. and the
pilfered roll of Yesterday was i'll
the night removed by the allied.
but simpler art of the stud
game, SO the Kid was clean, fig
lratively speaking.
She came down the street like d
vision to the kid-her hair. the
color of little gold brooch at her
throat; her eyes, like the ebony
bar at kelley's. Then she smiled
at him. She did in fact. No one
lever smiled like that at the Kid.
That smile was youth and health,
and joy. and happiness. and clean
living, and clean thinking. all in
one. 1t seemed to say, It's d
wonderful day" and, We're
young" and. "We're happy" and,
I"IIow do you do?" The Kid re
acted, he blushed. Yes, he did. lie.
blushed turned his head, and
.cussed. 1.-The dame, had lamped
him. Yea bo,' and his pigeon chest
fairly broadened. Then she was
gone. The Kids eyes followed
her half way down the street with
ia look of INDIGESTION. unfamiliar to
him: Then he darted down the
alley, through a doorway. and
came out on corner a half block
ahead of her. AS he watched her
coming down the street, he no
ticed it, an open hand bag on her
arm. Not much to look at, but it
spelled to the Kid "eats and a
flop" and enough maybe to ''sit
in at the stud game. What pick
ings! Not a Dick or harness
bulr' in sight. He sauntered to
the window; then. she looked at
him agan-and it happened. He
pulled his cap, stamrnered and!
said, Lady, please Ma'am, YOUR
poke is stripped" She looked at
it with a puzzled frown. "Please!"
She said. "Your leather-your
poke. Your roll is stripped-it is
open, lady," and he pointed at the
open hand bag ooh, thank YOU"
and with a smile she passed on.
So did the Kid. He strolled toi
the corner; rolled a second cup Off
coffee for breakfast; threw his
empty sack away, Strengthened
his cap, pulled the lapel of his coat
back into a semblance of shape,
and disappeared around the cor
ner.
Heigh-ho, Romance is dead
So? Well, if it is dead, it has died
since it came to the Tillamook
Kid.