The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-12-17

snarled the Cherub. on
teach yousel Do youse think I've
spent two weeks hangin' around
dis dirty hole of yers, an standin'
fer youse being me sick disabled
grandmother wild me supposed to
be doin' me best to keep bread in
yer mouth, an playin' poor, an
having to listen to her tryin' to
get me jobs, an handin' me de
soft, goody-goody talk-d'ye think
I'm standin' fer dat just to have
youse go out an kick de stufin'
outer de whole lay! I'll teach
youse"
"It's a liew screamed Shaky Liz.
She shook herself suddenly free,
and with crooked fingers clawed
like a wild cat at the Cherub's face.
~ didn't crab no game! It's a liei
I got it all fixed before I went
out. I guess l got a right to a
drink now, amt II"
The Cherub warded off her at
tack with a vicious sweep of his
fist.
= "Yesv' he snarled again. cam
suppose she'd seen youse! Or
suppose she'd come back here by
any chance an found de poor bed
grandma gone out fer a
drink-eh! Blast youse, couldn't
yousc wait a Few hours more?
De whole outfit 'ud be glad if
yousc had drunk yerself to death
denw
Shaky Liz dashed the hair out
of her eyes, and swept her hands
in a half angry, half expostulating
gesture toward the others.
~ didn't queer no game" she
insisted truculently. II guess l
know wot Pm doin'; an youse amt
comm in here to pull no rough
house business neither"
CAV, let her alone, an give her
a chance to tell her story" drawled
Gypsy Joe from the table. awe
amt got all night to stay here"
"Surew said the Cherub softly,
and smiled bcnefciently, as he sat
down on the edge of the bed and
calmly lighted a cigarette. go
on, Liz, spill it"
The old bag stared at him for q
moment in silence, as she dug
again at her dishevelled locks.
"Youse dirty little runtw She
found her voice at last, and in
spite of her scowl there was a
grudging note of admiration in her
tones. ''Youse are pretty slick,
amt yousc?"
"Surew admitted the Cherub
imperturbably. "If I wasn't, youse
wouldn't have a hundred dollars
in yer kick now, an two hundred
more comm to-morrow-if youse
amt queered it fer yerself. Go
on, give us de dopew
Shaky Liz preened herself. She
adjusted the threadbare bodice OF
her dress that seemed to bulge and
sag uncomfortabfy, picked up her
hat, and smirked at her audience,
cts all rightw She wagged her
head sccretively. "Youse don't
any of youse need to worry. When
de Cherub pipes me off this after
noon dat de stunt is to be pulled
tonight, l sends fer her as soon as
he gets out of de way, an she
comes on de run. She don't sus-
pect nothing, cause wild two weeks
acquaintance-"
"Can datw interrupted the
Cherub politely. owe all knows
dat fer two weeks youse an me
has been gcttin' acquainted wild
her, an foedin' on her jcllies, an
dat I'm dc erin child dat's taken
a shine to her an dat mabbe can
be influenced fer good-if she
tried hard enough. Wot did she
say when she comes here dis eve
ning?"
'fWot did she say" repeated
Shaky Liz, with a sudden and mali
cious grin. "Why, she falls fer it,
of course! Wot dye expect?
Me, I was lynn dere on de bed
when she blows in. She asks me
how l was, an l says l amt no
worse dan usual, but dat it's me
young grandson OATS troublin' me
an how l amt got no one to tel
it to except her, an how / dunno
as | burst tell even her. An den
she says l oughter know we'll
enough dat / can trust her, an dat
she won't say nothin', an den 1
gives her de spiel. l says / amt
Slept all de last night thinkin'
about it. l tells her it wouldn't
do no good me talkin' to youse.
cause | amt got any influence wild
youse an she has, an besides dat,
/ was afraid of Gypsy an Clarke
if dey got wise to me. An / tells
her wot a good boy youse are, too,
Cherub, an how though mabbe
youse might be better it amt all
Yer fault cause youse're easily
led by bad company, but dat youse
have stood by yer old grandmother.
Savvy?"