Evening star., 1925-02-15

about 16. He was one of those boys
who seem all legs and knuckles. He
had pale-red hair, sandy eyelashes,
he removed them from the table and
raised them to Archie's, had a hungry
look
That smells good" said the boy
He inhaled deeply. "Yes, sir" he con-
tinued. as one whose mind is definitely
made up, that smells good
Before Archie could reply, the tele-
phone bell rang. 1t was Lucille, con-
| f1rming her prophecy that Jane would
insist on her staying to dine.
Jane" said Archie into the tele-
phone. lis a pot of poison. The waiter
is here now, setting out rich BAN
Quet. and / shall have to eat two Of
everything by myself"
He hung up the receiver and, turn
ing, met the pale eye of the long boy,
who had propped himself up in the
doorway
Were you expecting somebody to
dinner?" asked the boy.
''Why. yes, old friend, | was
Il wiSh-
"Oh, nothing"
Archie was not an abnormally rapid
thinker but he began at this point to
get a clearly defined impression that
this lad, if invited, would waive the
formalities and consent to join. his
meal Indeed. the idea Archie got
was that. if he were not invited pretty
soon, he would invite himself.
Yes" he agreed; 'it doesn't smell
bad-what?"
1T smells good" said the boy. "Oh,
doesn't it? Wake me UP in the night
and ask me If it doesn't"
you've dined, 1 suppose-what?"
said Archie.
II never dine"
WHAT"
Not really dine, 1 mean. 1 only get
vegetables and nuts and things"
'Dieting?"
Mother is"
Il don't absolutely catch the drift,
old beam said Archie.
The boy shifted with half closed
eyes as wave of perfume from the
poulet en- casserole f1oated past him.
Mothers food reformer," he
vouchsafed. "She lectures on 1t. She
makes pop and me live on vegetables
and nuts and things"
Archie was shocked.
My dear old chap. you must suffer
agonies absolute shooting palms,
He had no hesitation now. Common
humanity pointed out his course.
Would you care to join me in bite
now?"
Would II" The boy smiled wan
smile. would 1? Just stop me on
the street and ask me-"
Come on in, then" said Archie,
rightly taking this peculiar phrase
for formal acceptance. And close
the door. The fatted calf is getting
cold"
Archie was not a man with a wide
visiting list among people with fam
lilies, and it was so long since he had
seen a growing boy in action at the
table that he had forgotten what 16
is capable of doing with a knife and
fork when 1t really squares it's ell
bows, takes a deep breath, and gets
going. The spectacle which he wit
messed was consequently at first a
little unnerving.. The long boys idea
of trifling with meal appeared to
be to swallow it whole and reach
out for more. He ate like starving
Eskimo.
0N the following morning, it
" chanced that Archie needed a
fresh supply of tobacco. 1t was his
custom when this happened to re-
pair to small shop on Sixth ave-
nue.. His relations with Joe Blake,
the proprietor, were friendly and
intimate. The discovery that Mr..
Blake was English and had, indeed,
until a few years back, maintained
an establishment only a dozen doors
or so from Archie's London club had
served as bond.
Today he found Mr.. Blake in de-
pressed mood. After short and
melancholy goodmorning, he turned
to get the tobacco in silence.
Archie's sympathetic nature was
perturbed.
What's the matter, ladder" he in
quired. you would seem to be feel
ing a bit of an onion this bright
morning-what-ye I can see
it with the naked eye"
Mr.. Blake indicated poster which
hung on the wall behind the counter.
Archie had noticed it as he came in.
1t was printed in black letters on a
yellow ground, and ran as follows:
CLOVER-LEAF SOCIAL AND
OUTING CLUB GRAND CONTEST
PIE-EATING CHAMPIONSHIP OF
THE WEST SIDE
SPIKE O'DOWD
(Champion)
BLAKE'S UNKNOWN
For
A PURSE OF $50 AND SIDE BET
Archie expressed a kindly hope that
the others Unknown would bring
home the bacon.
Mr.. Blake laughed one of those
hollow, mirthless laughs.