A Son of the City

ousers' pockets strangely distorted, sprinted down the street

-e-e! Oh, J

ercing call. He carried a dustrag in one hand, and an ex

you

e on

tled pessimism r

hy

se and hang up my clothes in the closet

t of it?" His friend fumbled in o

tared with sudden interest. "Ji-

ks. Vines are loaded. Ni

where it burst with the peculiar "plop," which only a wi

Alford and Sid and the Harrison kids and all the rest of the gang. As

was fine! But could he evade t

the occasion. Had you seen him, you might have thought that his best bamboo fishing pole had been broken, or that the key to his bookcase was in mat

isten. Through the closed kitchen door

h, Ju-a

that we

t cheerful dirge filled the air. But the thought of the waiting Silvey nerved him. He turned the doorknob and coughed hesitan

l, J

he other. Beginnings were always so

mbers. Says the fellows are going to have

he bag on the door and hang up yo

to fill. "N-n

" Mrs. Fletcher went on inexorably. "I supp

book from the public library had caught his eye as he

has to be finished before you can go out. You know that. And there's the

will." His lower lip began to tremble.

er of compromise. "Now run along, son. Teasing only wast

e cheerfulness. He turned moodily and stamped out of the room. As the door c

ust as well have let 'em go until afternoon. What's the

knee. The pain was sufficient to make the tears-the easy flowing tears which

lap. His arms sought clumsily to encircle her neck. She dropped the pan of apples

is it,

rtain hand indicate

catch in her voice as she rubbed the injury gently, "is i

o and fro for some moments. Gradually the sobbing ceased and he lay blis

an I leave the porch and

used shake. He sensed hope for h

eas

adened. "You little hu

oo. She always said tha

I?" e

job of the front

n door had slammed behind him. Half-dried tears still streaked his fa

xuberantly, "but that won't take long.

. "They're waiting fo

John hinted gently. "You run the m

ventilated basement. Silvey sauntered around to the side,

king erratic circles or decorative designs in the long grass now. Up and down, up and down, the

mped the tools down the rickety wooden s

ll her you'r

y. "S'pose I want to trim the edges with the

p. A little further in and along the railroad fence, dense weeds flourished, topping at times even the tallest of the boys. Nearer to the dairy, short, sparse grass struggled for existence under a profusion of tin cans, charred wood, and broken milk bottles. A considerable area had been cleared of

shouts as they jumped dow

so long?" Sid

e work yet to be done, according to their several viewpoints. The elder Harrison boy led the two to one side a

es," said John, when the babel had dimi

a chance. Let Red an

ot hit in the eye with a snowball? Went home, bawl

ith a show of braggadocio.

neering reply. "Don'

be generals, just as I said. Cut out the quarreling. I

he poured out his troubles to the elder Harrison boy. John and Bill were always boss

een glance and wh

oose!" he

ted his rival. "I was

e, tightly closed, chubby hand first to Bill and then to John. The leaders compared their prizes. Silvey gave a

inny! You're

rrior to be feared at all times. Occasionally he performed feats of

tep in the rear of his more eager play-fellows. Sid DuPree picked up a pebble an

ing their many mimic battles! Then his glance fell upon Red Brown's impudent, freckled face

on,

seized upon by th

lford,"

and discussed the rules for the approaching conflict, while the rank and file of the two armies, twelve strong, amused th

or fun, later. If a man gets hit three times, he's a deader and has to qui

rites were about to withdraw to the opposite side o

usled-headed, wash-suited fiv

the lofty height of ten long years of life. "This game ain't for babies. It's for

on the ground in a fit of rage. "Wanta fight! Wan

you always bring that kid brother along for?

fellow to do when his ma says, 'Now, Leonard, take little brother along and see that those b

let him fool around. That'll

e had the snow fort. Then his ma'll go around to our mas and tell 'em what rough games we play and how it's a wonder s

which followed. "Here, kid, yo

ed up eagerly. Silvey's and Skinny'

nterrupted

tay around the hospitals." He fumbled in a hip pocket for the bit of red school chalk which he used for marking hop-scotch squares on the sidewalks. "C

position of "Honorable Vice-President," the Mosher infant was more than placated. As he galloped off

d the exultant diplomat, as he gathered his f

hed the tall, straggling weeds

and executed a taunting, barbaric war dance to the center of the field. Careful

his lungs. "C'ardy, c'ardy custard, eatin' bread an' m

tion of Red's and turne

ted promptly to the shelter of his own army.

as he restrained his impatient subordinates. "Then he an

son boy who led the four skirmishers, ventured a shot to open the

shout

t of the advancing quartette, while the general's detachment dodged quickly past their left

oist spot on one of Silvey's oft darned stockings. A third missile found

der!" h

tleman dodged, tripped upon a bit of debris, and fell over backwards with a "plop." As Skinny advanc

rm a second time. "John hit you and the little Harrison kid hit you,

ed corpse. "Just as I was beg

rom his juice-soaked hip pockets. "Just wait until ma sees these pa

have two more members of your army near death, is no slight matter. Silvey g

er by a scant inch. The survivors retreated to the shelter of

e after missile shot accurately out at the attackers and retaliation

ng," he said desperately

rry Alford indicated a moist, dark circle on his wash blo

ly five. But, Jiminy, Red, if you and Perry get hit, it's all

he weathered heap of debris and

, th'

-stick-

nched commander of

r, oh,

d fly

iggle ten brazen fingers from the tip of hi

-cat! 'Fraid of get

me back the answer, which admi

ord sneak up behind that thick lot of weeds when we start yelling and dancing like eve

his sleeve, which admitted of no honor or excitement whatever. He crept up, unobserved by the excited Fletcherites, raided the cucumber

nted, but for the most part, they seemed content to keep the box heap between them and their enemies and bide their time. Farther and farther away they edged in response to the flanking movement of the main d

d, as he dislodged the acri

e winds and danced exul

deader. I killed the gene

y. "I'll punch your face in, hi

f a fight. "Come on and do it," he retorted

umbers and gathered in a little semi-circle to watch the fight. The youngest Mosher boy crept up and balanced

mbatants began the inevitable prel

viciously in his pocket for ammunition, and fired a handful of cucumbers at his assail

aimed Mosher miserably. "Just wat

athered around the infant, "I told him to keep out

ously over his brother. "Come, buddy,

he boys began

did he

-a-a

kid, here's some cucumbers. You can hi

-a-a

's grief. "Look at the funny man who's coming

om a professional call. He dropped his medical case on the turf and st

hastily. "What's th

bad boy

ch o

hand pointed to Silvey.

oy," he said

ks. There, from the summit of the embankment, he heaped a

shrilled. "Johnny made a monkey of

. The doctor flushed a deep scarlet. To retreat in the face of the

he said in futile anger. Silvey interpreted

e chanted. "Johnny made a mon

the wire railroad fence, and retreated to one of the back yards on the opposite side of the embankment. As the doctor retra

into more trouble. He's always spoilin

Perry Alford suggested, as Skinny started towa

astically on the shining steel rails, and now to skip flat, smooth pebbles against the black, weathered girde

he

fing. Might have known that. W

a number of apartments with separate entrances with a common, cement-paved inside court on which the back porches fronted. The basements were given over to boi

y-haired, poorly clad woman shuffled past. Sid raised his arm. Silvey whisp

eful chortle. "Look w

l his rather modest home that he might move to a more exclusive neighborhood. The son was inclined to patronize old acquaintances and affe

urprise, then stoope

at out," he blustered, as he s

Silvey jeered, as his cu

t again. I'l

ho fled to the haven of the darkest of the corridors and took refuge in an em

heard heavy breathing through

until din

tay that long, are you?

he street and grinned. One by one the gang climbed through the narrow opening

used according to season for high-school dances, minstrel shows, and fraternal meetings. They assembled at the

lled danger to unescorted maidens, but held bravely on. As she passed, Silvey yelled exultantly. Perry Alford threw wildly and hit the ground by her feet.

as L

ing on the first excuse which came

nt. "What of it?" he ejaculated. "Ain

if it isn't," he snapped. "Stop tha

to show that his was a peaceful errand and

e," he assured her. "Le

uch of the dust-laden yolks as he could scrape up, and placed them gravely in the torn, soggy b

u," he said, almost in a wh

shower of missiles. Louise's weeping ceased, save for an occasional sniffle. At last Silvey roused himself fro

-i-ise! Johnny

. John turned and stuck out his tongue

catch him," he growled as the shouts co

mind,"

umsily from one foot to the other, not knowing how to make a graceful adieu. The maiden ca

and-I'm so glad to ma

his lips and skipped across to the home porch swing, where his mother f

fine impended. With the yellow card in his hand, he went over to the fiction section of the

find out how the land lay. They found him stretched out on the po

usly. He was afraid he had gone

making? His head was a-riot with the thrilling words of the latest love passage between the hero and a h

as Bill finished, "we didn't

n't do it again," he cautioned apatheticall

sought the alluring