A Son of the City

lady's company was too great. But no sooner had he dropped his

s' garbage cans, no ringing of doorbells, or raining peas through open windows. And only through the vainglorious boast

rting out under the leadership of his chum. Once in the park, the quartette broke into impromptu games of tag, dashing over the moist grass, or halting to puff lustily that they might watch their breaths in the clear, frosty air. Tiring

of wreckage of other nature in this dump, which lay jus

rdered Perry and Sid. "An

led among the debris of his own accord. S

leg and a back for John's admiring appr

ed and took a few

ary in unison, "get busy with those cans. W

ir of warped, rusty bicycle wheels,

d two more?" he said excitedly. "Bet you anything

want any more, you can get 'em yourselves." He looked down sullenly at his ru

erry dropped his collection beside Sid's

It was easily dinner time before the street was reached, and the party broke up as soon as the booty was depos

t the nondescript jumble, "I'll bet

d him speechless for a moment. After all, he was out of the fun, a

d DuPree reported that the gate on Otton's back fence could be lifted from its hinges very easily. It would be great fun to replace the bit of porch furniture with it. As for doormats, the preoccupied neighborhood doctor had left his out last Halloween, and could be dep

vey, "don't you wis

his pea shoo

ommence the skirmishing before supper, which always came as a prelude to the more important evening campaign. They darted up and do

gainst the Alford dwelling, which stood opposite. Four white-sheeted figures danced down the steps and paraded on the walk in

e chased us out of the street last Saturday because

he houses as they advanced, halting finally under the shelter of an adjacent porch. The other walked boldly s

er scurrying porchward, amid cries of "Mamma! Mamma! Mamma!" The "Tigers" yelled gleefully. John forgot himself so far as to dance incautiously into the path of light. Then from the shadows o

ame the shou

ter of the shadows. "I'll telephone your mother this minut

prolonged tirade with suppressed amusement. Its conclusion

ir of your heads now,"

gures. A few of the peas flew by chance, or other

minute," she called to h

ys could see her at the telephone in the lighted hallway

Mrs. Alford's voice carried to whe

en. Supper is ready. Come i

st six was the deadline for the evening meal with

," Silvey called

short. Hang

with the gang,

cely believe his ears.

knew she'd

with. But it would never do to let his

noon, and Jiminy, Silvey, her mother's some cook. Louise says [he hadn't laid eyes on that lady since Friday] she's just baked fou

and admitted that the entert

repeated. "Just thi

an envio

a fellow; and I'll have more, 'cause I wo

s face gr

, but he now found that the gang's plans for the evening no longer hel

him with a suppresse

ephoned," she b

e exclaimed. "Did

quarrelsome lady and the other mothers of the street, anyway. "But

rds under his breath, and asked

quite

forgotten

waiting for you on your bed. But John, dear, do be a little more car

all-boy fashion, and formed a little roll of cloth just above his shoe tops. He pulled them up. How on earth had all that mud gotten there? In a moment he was at the head of the stairs, shouting

ts cold marble basin, the soap trays, washrags, toothbrushes, and other instruments of torture. He turned on the water and considered a moment as to just how far he should extend the waterline. Still, he was going to a party, her

? His blue one was wrinkled because it had lain beneath the bed for over a week before he had resurrected it. The tan-and-black striped one given him by his uncle was in e

tle figure with neatly parted hair, for his m

clean that I scarcely know him. Com

f mock surprise with her husband. "It's the first time t

ng down the front steps. Why did grown-ups always carry on s

outhern Avenue, with whom he had a speaking acquaintance, walked up and into the entrance with an air of unnatural gravity. John could see him give his tie a twitch as he rang the front bell. A brougham drove up and a little girl encased in innum

llpaper, a half turn to the right, and the goal of the evening lay before him. The st

Fletcher of whom Loui

ay to some mysterious recess. Mrs. Martin led him into the p

the lady of the carriage. "And this, Ella Black." So it went, all down the smilin

piano, and grinned and poked each other furtively in the ribs, and made mocking al

caught in a big, blue silk bow which matched her dress, and her eyes were a-dance with the excitement of her first party. She greeted the company w

ll, something must be done to put them at the

usical chairs

as wrestling, or "Run, sheep, run," the game would pass the time away. In a moment they were sent flying to the different rooms in the flat a

to the piano, "is there anyone who

become experts at the pastime through other parties innumerable. Sh

ends lest they be caught. Still the waltz strains swung onward until they seemed eternal to the anxious players. Then a false note, another, a pause, and a wild scramble for safety. Bashful

, Johnny Fletch

n prize to be a success at the game. But he took up a position beside the pianist an

gan. Then it dragged and paused just long enough to send Louise flying to the seat before it picked up the fateful melody. Suddenly, without hint of a finish in the throbbing, rapi

isgust. "Why didn't he l

f the room for the boys now. They enjoyed themselves too well, as each, in turn, chased, or was chased by some nimble-foo

boy will sug

," emboldened by his triumph,

ned; that is, all save John. He saw no fun in such pastime. What was the use of kneeling on a pillow and kissing, for example, homely Ell

merriment, and helped her arrange the plates and the spoons and napkins for the refr

he passed the doorway, cries of "Post-office," "let's play 'Post-office,'" broke forth, and she returned to the tab

citedly, darted into the roo

d he wasn't enjoying himself in the lone

. Jimmy, the Southern Avenue boy, waxing more and more masterful, had appointed himself postmaster, and strutted beside the narrow opening which remained. And to hold that position in a game of "Post-office" is no slight thing. No

stmaster's chum stepped up and, after a moment of whispered conversation, disap

d three letters

sment. At last she gathered up courage and darted past the sentinel. John stared in amazement. Two packages a

alcove. His appointee, concealing his astonishment as best he could, called out, "Ella Black, Ella Black; four letters for Ella Black!" at the

, a voice cried, "Johnny, it's your

of "'Fraid cat! 'Fraid cat!" carried to where he stoo

c'ardy,

read an'

ent later, as he stood tensely in the alcove, came the postmaster's cry of "

ed a moment that they might not reappear together

kisse

kisse

us, heavily-frosted chocolate cake, brought him down to more mundane thoughts with alacrity. Indeed, he devoted himself to his portion with such

you had any,

his head

come to skip you? I'll b

elping of

ly at his amazed companions and settl

rlor. Far up the street came the hooting and jeering of a gang-possibly his own-although the voices seemed older and strange, and the gate of the hous

on the home door, Mrs. Fletcher let him in. "Don't

gang if I didn't," he defended himself a

od time?"

ce left little doubt as to his sent

, John, worn out by the excitement of the preceding evening

John; time

As Mr. Fletcher left, he turned his face promptl

his mother's

hu

et up when your f

don't want any breakf

afternoon if you want. Come on. I won

years of experience, and there was little chance of further delay. So John sat up and dan

wet wa

rs, and to the opening of the front door as his father brought

nd found the boy staring with unseeing eyes far over the railroad tracks into the pa

and his face and neck untouched by cleansing water (hadn't they been soaped the night before?), but he set to work on the

he said ir

s,

es a fellow have to be

hn flushed an embarrassed red. His mot

and lots of people wait u

oes it cost

at his son and heir attentively. "Why, I should say it does. You ought to

Fletcher reprovingly. "

nt to marry by the time you're twenty-one, that means you'll have to ea

ected retort. "I'm only getting a quarter a week no

support a family, you'll have to do it of your own

," the boy persisted. "T

the desired coin. "The nest-egg for the second g

blocks to the north. But not a word could Mr. Fletcher draw from him as to the aim of the expedition. He

to dress herself for dinner, came down to the d

," sh

hasty glance away

a big, china pig bank up on that boy's burea