The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-02-12

recently has been taking on weight far too
rapidly and to whom an attack Of the nu
has beQueathed The unwelcome legacy Of a
good imitation Of asthma An overwarm day
would tend yet further to upset the equan.n-
lily of party OF his description.
The October holiday seemed TO have become
a trine confused as to its Identity. Anyway.
II had taken to itself temperature that
would have done credit to a Fourth Of July.
Wherefore at the top Of the third night.of
those stairs by which he gained his domicie
Con shugrue found It advisable to heaye out
a iifebuoy in the shape Of a word Of encour-
agement to the heavy man puffing and blow
ing and stumbling upward in his wake.
only one more night after this. Al. and
we're there"
Mr.. Dorsey was wondering why he had
come. or at least why he had not deferred
coming until a cooler day. No prodigy Of .
kid that ever lived was worth all this dlscom:
fort. As for the prodigy part Of IT. he hal
his own mental reservations on that point.
Kids were always prodigies to their parents;
much overrated; one had 10 be prepared for
disappointments.
Still. in q way, he could see where II was
the only decent thing to do: to humor this
paternal esuberance Of Con shugrue's out Of
respect TO certain high and now defunc:
hopes which had been mutually his and Cons
At the sound Of the key in the latch Mrs.
shugrue came into the hallway. Three OF
them in It left scant elbow room. She was q
smaller. Trailer woman than Dorsey had ex.
pected Cons wife would be: prettier. too, q
certain fetching grace and nghtness about
her. Dorsey. unmarried himself and firm in
his belief that marrying young was . good
deal like standing your chances in life
against a blank wall and assassinating them
one after another in cold biood-vitness this
case Of Con Shugrue. for example-forgsve
Con . whole lot at the sight Of her.
Annie" said Con. Il want you TO shake
hands with my good friend Al Dorsey. Al
wants to see the kid"
Annie shook hands with her husbands
friend Al murmured that he was glad in
deed to meet Mrs. shugrue, which was the
truth. and Annie said abe vas pleased TO
meet Mr.. Dorsey. which wasn't. Con pushed
open a door on one side Of that triangular
room Al Dorsey made ready to spill the
enthusiasm he knew was expected Of him
and to say the things he would be expected
to say. He found himself standing with Con
beside a small iron CRIB. Mrs. Shugrue had
betaken herself To the kitchen.
Wen. what do you know about it, said
Con proudly.
a fine kid, Con. Sure. right fine kid
IN say so. II am the father OF him. Did
you ever see a huskier kid at seven nonths?"
Il never did" said Dorsey, which was per-
fectly true. considering the fact<hat he had
probably never inspected a seven months old
baby before.
Look at the fists on him. will you"
Dorsey centered his interest on the fists.
Amt they cute?" said he, and realized at
once from Cons face that he had made q
conversational pniscue.
cute nothing Con denied. They're big
as young hams. Old whales Of fists for such
a wee Teller as him. Which means, so they
tell me. he'll be a husky young brute. that
he'll grow TO match them big fists Of him.
Big enough for a prize lighters says the
born. That's what seems to. strike her about
him more than anything else, them big fists
of his. Big enough for q prize fighters, she
says of EN-"
Mr.. Dorsey took another look at them.
They sure are big fists for the size OF the
1
Some day them fists is going to have q
regular old mule kick OF a punch in them
Al"
They'd ought to-" Dorsey agreed.
And the little bit of a kid will grow up
to match them fists Of his. All that couldn't
be because of the busted shoulder he shall be
And more maybe. because, no doubt. he'll be
bigger and huskier than ever was
Il see," said Dorsey.
And when that day comes Ill want you
to train him. Al. the same as you was train
ing me. and put him where he ought to 60
Thatn be the top, Al. Nothing short Of the
top will do"
Al Dorsey did a little mental arithmetic
I'm be an old man then, Con-" he said.
But you'n be a wise one. all the same.
don't mean for You TO put on the gloves with
him like you did with me; but do mean fol-
you to take him in hand ana show him wha'
you can show him and tell him all the things
you can tell him. and watch him and shape
him and get him placed right. There's a 10,
in starting right. amt there? Well, do that
for him, and have an oversight Of the whols
training Of him. win, you do 1t, Al7'
Mr.. Dorsey accepted the commission.
"Sow femme show you the material your
have IN work nm saId Con