Evening star., 1922-09-27
BY w. H. CLAGETT.

Dear Folks:-On my way up the
Avenoo yesteday afternoon 1 skiddod
head-on into an old pal 1 hadn't seen
since Mr.. Wilson's second Inaugural
ton, although we'd both been livin'
right here in town all durin' that
time! We stopped and claspod hands,
that is. I held the limp. clammy paw
he let rest in mine, and we both said
"hello!'
How they're comm joe" I asked
as I noted his ruther seedy apparel.
the deep burrows that had plowed
their way into his once chiseled face,
the little puffs under his eyes. and the
yellow tinted over-night-dry he wore
around his neck!
"Oh. so-so.' he snapped back with
a twitch at his mouth. Il had nice
July. a fair August and ruther de-
! cent September up until they cut loose
at Havy de Grace. Say, Bo. they
oughta outlaw that merry-go-round.
You playin' EN- now?'
Not me. Joey" l replied with a
with the PONIES for life. six years
ago this past March. How's the wife,"
Nellie died a year ago this comm
Sunday" and he ran his hand over
his brow.
oh! And little Nell?'
Small "Touch" Suggested.
Dead. too, Followed close on be-
hind her mother" and again the
shiny coat sleeve went across his
face "Now. see here. old-timer." he
continued with a gulp. II might as
well be on the level with you! Last
! week l cleaned up handsome on a
| certain geegee at Aqueduxt. and,
getting some swell Information yes
terday, planted the whole works on
camel at Havy de Grace, but |
| reckon the old blister's hump musta
hurt. for the best he could do was
| to waddle home sixth. l just heard.
however. that the same people are
gonna send him right back today, so
| if you'll stake me to a couple of
ate the favor and return the touch
| then"
Here you be. buddie. but don't let
next Saturday drive you insane l
chirped. with a grin. as he grabbed
; the two "doughnuts" and beat it
away.
Poor Old Joe:' 1 muttered to my
self as watched his cringin' form
stink around the corner heli-bent to
plaster the borrowed money down on
some swell information"
l kept on my way and tried to for
get the old friend I'd Just left. but
couldn't. I thought of the time. only
| a Few years back, when We set side
by side at the same desk in school,
of how bright and quick he always
was. how erect and manly he car
ried himself, and how. all of us, in
cludin the teacher. used to prediXt
Joe would be President. or somethin'
like that.
And / thought of the day Joe grad
uated first in his class, and of the
| time. soon after. he went to work at
the bank, and remembered how proud
his old dad was when the head of the
institution told him as how Joe was
developin' fast and would soon be
promoted.
Then the Happy Wedding.
And then l thought Of the day, a
couple O. years later. when pretty
Nellie -. the sweetest girl in all
our block. took the old Joe boy for
better or for worse" and how the sun
had shined on their weddin', which
made all the neighbours laugh and al
low they'd be happy.
But then i thought of another day.
when I first ran across Joe at the
race track. of how enthusiastic and
serious he was. how dapper he looked.
and how foolish l felt when he
cashed five out of six races while
stood by like a dumb bell and tore
up my tickets!
And then of the followin' winter,