Evening star., 1922-11-26

you did most of the drifting. How
Leonardo"
Must be three-no. four years this
Christmas" says he.
How careless Of you" says I.
You just naturally stroll OFF and
leave the little wife in the discards.
| Is that giving her square deal?
How do you think she feels, waiting
there in Taunton. Mass. and wonder
ing if you'll ever show up again."
II know it wasn't the right thing"
he confesses. fitting his head on one
side and looking down that long nose
of his, "and I've felt sort of mean
over it at times. I expect she's been
| lonesome a good deal for her Bunny
kins"
"Eh?" says l.
/ always called me Bunnykins,
Gladys did," explains Leonard;
Especially when she'd sit on my knee
and smooth down my hair. Affection
ate kid. Only nineteen when I mar
ried her. / was thirty. But she
didn't mind that. Thought 1 was the
greatest man in the country. Shed
do most anything in the world for
me-except leave Taunton. And
suppose she's still hoping maybe I'll
get sick of knockin' around some
time and come back to her. Tough
luck. amt it?'
| For Gladys?" I asked.
Course. for her." says Biggs. I'm
! all right, amt II"
You seem to lean towards that
opinion" says I.
| We'll, then" says he. now you
know the whole story. do I get the
job?"
Think you could stay on it five or
six months without getting restless?"
asks.
"oh, I expect I can stand New
York that long," says he. Il never
make no promises any more; not TO
women, at least
Let me set your mind easy on
that point, Leonard says I. III
you should turn up missing some
morning during the next month or
so, I'll promise not to break my
heart grieving for you. But just
now 1 can use you. You'll be No. 30
on the books, and il you'll report at
1880 tomorrow morning I'll try to fit
you out with a uniform and you can
start in.' p.
lie was right on hand next day,
i i and from the reports I got on
him he was a perfect wizard with
any kind of woodworking tools.
Customers who'd had him for odd jobs
thought up new things to have him
do and would phone in asking to
have him sent up again. He rebuilt a
whole set of library book shelves
for one lady on Park avenue. and
found could trust him to do work
that none Of the other Andys would
dare tackle. So 1t was seldom that
Leonard Biggs warmed the bench
here in the office.
Still, Uncle Nels thought he was
the poorest looking specimen in the
lot. Il wouldn't trust that feller
to shingle henhouse," he remarked
once, watching Biggs start to answer
a call.
But he's the one man of them
ALL" protested, that has told me
the story Of his life. I know every
thing about him."
"Huh!' says Uncle Nels. TT can't
be much good"
"we1," says I, TIN not pinning
any medals ON him as a consistent
husband. He has a wife yearning
her heart out up in Taunton. Mass,
but that doesn't affect his usefulness
as a ,crackerjack odd job man. I
hope, can keep him all winter"
And it must have been during his
third week that Biggs reporeed back
to the. shop one night and instead of
shedding his blue dentms, washing
up and beating it when the others
did. he still sat. in the corner with
his kit Of tools at his. feet and his
chin in his hands. 4 was about to
shut my desk and call 1T q day when
I noticed him there.
! "sick?"TI asks.