Evening star., 1921-01-30

y YH-HUH. AS Piddie often re-
marks, in that bright origi-
nal way Of his: 1T takes
all kinds Of people TO make
M the world" 1t does All kinds
ana Skimp Willers.
Lemme see, 1t must have been along
last October when 1 had that touchin'
interview with Skimp: and as usual
was the touchee. Not that I'm soft
mark as a rule, or have an oversize
heart concealed under my fountain
pen pocket, but neither am / a hard
shell crab. Besides, I'd just been gen.
erous with myself in the matter of
luncheon, .includin' hunk of deep
dish apple pie with a pitcher of ex-
ira cream on it, and there outside the
chop house, lookin' more like a hu-
man silver than ever and a lot seed
ier than I'd have said he could look,
is this relic of the old days when
was the outside guard on the Sunday
editors door. At that, / might have
done a quick dodge if Skimp hadn't
seen me first. He did, though. That's
what he was there for. Before l can
let on to have the sun in my eyes. or
SSl Uucy dS my "oINh, nv -
sidled up to my right elbow springin'
that half moon grin of his.
II say, Torchy, this is a lucky break,
eh?" says he.
Kind Of a late one, though, should
judge" says ], lookin him over curl
Gus. "On the rocks. amt you, Skimp:
Absolutely" says he, or wouldn
be pulling panhandler trick IKE
this. You know that. Honest, Torchy,
this is as near the bottom OF the
chute as l ever got"
How many hours without food?"
says /.
You wouldn't believe me if told
you" says he.
In that case" says I, 'ret's step
into the grill here"
"No." says he. Not here. Why, I've
tipped Louis a fiver more than once
and 1 wouldn't want him to see me
like this A one-armed joint is good
enough nova place where ] can
grab something and wolf 1T down.
There's one over on 6th avenue. Come
along and underwrite double order
of hash with dropped eggs"
Well, / accepted the nomination. 1t
would have been simpler to have
slipped him a dollar and told him to
go to 1t, but with Skimp that would
have been heartless act He needed
nourishment badly enough. but also
he wanted a willing ear. He always
did. For, if he was up, he had to
tell YOU of his latest road to easy
money; and if he was down it seemed
to help him to confide where he had
slipped. Besides, he could be cheer
full about either, and If the facts
wasn't thrillin' enough, Skimp could
iress 'em up fancy.
So I waited patient until he'd be-
gun on a plate of crul1ers and his
second cup of coffee before gave him
the cue.
Lets see." says I. 1.-The last I knew,
Skimp, you'd been eased out of a job
as press agent for movie concern
and was doing publicity work for the
Brewers Association Bucking the
volstead act. wasn't you?"
Trying to-" says he. "lt was
sick try. You know. Might as well
have been throwing ink at the moon.
We didn't dent anything but our own
defense fund. and when that begun
to run low, and the first year of the
great thirst had come and gone with
no action from the White House, and
the Supreme Court had given US the
thumbs down-well, my noble en-
ployers. who had been so bold at the
start. Just threw up their hands and
me into the street.
"And since them" says l.
Mostly in the street" says Skimp.
"Oh. I've had whirI at various
things. For a while I was conf1den-
tial secretary to prohibition en-
forrement agentw
.sWhatw says i, Gin the enemy's
canpr.
Skimp shrues his shoulders. About
all wE enforced" says-he..S~was THE