The Washington herald., 1921-01-30
An 0. HENRY STORY
TWO THANKSGIVING GENTLEMEN.
BERT v. WOLFE,

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come picturesque we must keep on
doing one thing for a long time
without ever letting it get away
from US. Something like collecting
the weekly dimes in industrial in
surance. Or cleaning the streets.
The Old Gentleman moved, straight
and stately, toward the institution
that he was rearing. Truly, the an
nual feeding of Stuffy Pete was
nothing national in its character
such as the Magma Charta or ham
for breakfast was in England But
it was a step. 1t was almost feudal.
1t showed, at least, that a custom
was not impossible to New Y-ahem!
America.
The Old Gentleman was thin and
tall and 90. He was dressed all
in black, and wore the d-fashioned
kind OF glasses that won't stay on
your nose. His hair was whittier and
thinner than it had been last year,
and he seemed to make more use
of his big, knobby cane with the
crooked handle.
As his established benefactor came
UP, Stufy wheezed and shuddered
like some wOman's over-fat pug
when a street dog bristles up at him.
He would have flown, but all the
skill OF Santos DUmont could not
have separated him from his bench.
Well had the myrmidons of the two
old ladies done their work.
Good morning." said the Old Cen
tleman. 81 am glad to perceive that
the vicissitudes Of another year
have spared you to move in health
~
blessing alone this day Of thanks
giving Is we'll proclaimed to each
of us. II you will come with me.
my man, I will provide you with a
dinner that should make your phys
ical being accord with the mental"
That is what the Old Gentleman
said every time. Every Thanks
giving Day for nine years. The
words themselves almost formed an
Institution. Nothing could be COM
pared with them except the DeClara-
ton OF Independence. Always be-
fore they had been music in Stuffy's
ears. But now he looked up at
the Old Gentleman's face with tear
full agony in his own. The fine
snow almost sizzled when it fell
upon his perspiring brow. But the
turned his back to the wind.
Stuffy had always wondered why
the Old Gentleman spoke his speech
rather sadly. He did not know that
it was because he was wishing
every time that he had son to
succeed him. A son who would
subsequent Stuffy, and say: in
memory of my father" Then II
would be an Institution.
But the Old Gentleman had no
relatives. He lived in rented rooms
Ibrownstone mansions in one Of the
quiet streets east of the park. In
the winter he raised fuchsias in a
steamer trunk. In the spring nc
walked in the Easter parade. In the
summer he lived at a farmhouse in
the New Jersey hills, and sat in a
wicker armchair, speaking Of a
butterfly, the ornithOptera amphri-
stus, that he hoped to find some day.
In the autumn he fed Stufy a din
ner. These were the Old Gentle
mans occupations.
Stuty Pete looked up at him for
half minute, stewing and helpless
in his own self-pity. The Old Gentle
mans eyes were bright with the
glving-pleasure. His face was ge,
ting more lined each year, but hts
llttle black necktie was in as jaunty
DOW as ever, and his linen was
beautiful and white, and his gray
mustache was curled carefully at
the ends. And then Stuffy made a
noise that sounded like peas bub-
olnS IN pot. Speech was intended q,
ana as the Old Gentleman had heard
the sounds nine times before. he
rishtly construed them into Stuffys
OLD formula of acceptance.
Ihankee sir. I'll 60 with ye. and
ihuch Obliged. I'm very hungry. sir"
fhe coma Of repletion had not
prevented from entering Stuffys
inlno the conviction that he was the
oasis OF an institution. His Thanks
giving appetite was not his own; 1t
belonged by all the sacred rights Of
estsoilshed custom, il not by the
actual statute of limitations to this
kind old gentleman who had pre-
emptied 1t. True, America is free:
but in order to establish tradition
some one must be a repetend-a re-
peating decimal The heroes are
not all heroes of steel and gold. See
one here that welded only weapons
OF iron. badly silvered, and tin.
The old gentleman led his annual
protege southwark to the restau-
rant, and to the table where the
feast had always occurred. They
we're recognized.
Here comes de old guy" said
waiter, dat blows dat same bum TO
a meal every Thanksgiving"
The old gentleman sat across the