A Son of the City

tween the two factions as a result. For three afternoons of that first week in November, the "Tigers" sacrificed their games o

ributes of the sport as culled from a series of ten-cent hand books, and ran the team throu

boasted the one addition made to the equipment of that first practice when he appeared with a second-hand pair of shin-guards which he had acquired from a boy at s

or so of conference between Silvey and the Shultz boy before they tossed for sides on the field. Then the teams lined up, kicked off, and sweated and toiled and wrangled through one

speration. On the ten-yard line, indicated by stakes driven in the ground at each side of the field, the lighter eleven braced for a last stand. As the "Jeffersons'" youthful quarter attempted

ts. "Time, I tell you!" Captain Shultz of the "Jeffersons" drew out a watch, borrowe

r and the "Jeffe

this was a march of triumph! The vanquished trailed sulkily along, some twenty feet behind, giving vent now and then to cat-calls of defiance

at the top of his lungs. "W

amor of his team. "Just wait until w

ool. And if they catch just one of us, why, we can maul them, too." For Shu

tried to disable him during a tense moment of the game. John's shin was badly bruised, and Perry Alford had wrenched

they stopped in front of his hou

y, which is very much the same as that of the

boom

boom

s," "T

rah

several homes, too worn o

t they'd won. Pity Louise had missed the defeat of the "Jeffersons." Why did women folks a

week? Four days had already elapsed, and the beast's interior was as empty as it had been on the toy-shop shelf. Why had he bought those lemon drops on Monday? And the marbles and his rubber

three lawns were to be cut, and a half-dozen errands run for the neighbors. He slammed the big china animal back on the bureau and went

ave for a touch of autumnal haze in the air. But not even this freakish return of

in the fall! Not a lawn needed trimming, and as for freeing them from leaves, the nearly denu

, a drop of water spattered on her cheek. Another hit him on the nose, and it was but a shor

d, were within his grasp. He left Louise at the apartment en

ted, as he struggled into his rai

ned. But he was beyond earshot, best umbrella

ion platform. Other boys were there, each with two or three umbrellas, who viewed the newcomer with disfavor. Ere long, each suburban train from town would discharge its quota of daintily dressed shopper

sing of airbrakes. John spied a tall slender woman in a car doorway arranging a

la home

d. "To th

e times than he could count on his ten fingers. He, too, took advantage of a rented shelter. Together the couple made their way down the dri

, little boy?" asked t

ste. She opened a dainty leather purse, while the lawyer paid his debt from a pocketful of small

lived a street farther west, and each additional block mea

ts, madam,"

llway to dive into her stocking bank, while he watched two

nge for the eager, clamoring boys. Once, a gray-haired, kindly-eyed man gave John a quarter and would receive no change,

ket light-heartedly. He had made more in the brief eighty minutes than he could cutting the Langley's lawn, or by other juvenile c

per. Her face was sunken and lined and rouged to lessen the ravages of age, and her hair was palpably mismatched. Moreover,

? Can I take you hom

o keep up appearances like the old-maid teacher who scolded knowledge into the eighth-grade class,

His last was to be a quarter customer, at the least. Then they turned southward and dodged pools of water in the muddy street crossings and on the walks for another t

pped into the stuffy, badly-lighted hallwa

he weather-beaten oak door swung to in h

ep on ringing it until she answered or the batteries gave out. But which bell? The building was four-storied, with flats front and rear, and which of the cramped apartments did sh

ended for the afternoon. Nevertheless, he had been fairly successful. If that old maid had paid what was due him, the

d stacked the dripping umbrellas in the rack in the hallway

do with all t

that Mrs. Fletcher smiled, and he grinned sheepishly back. She had probably guessed the sec

e blurted. "I'm starting to save now, and she's going to get

ce by piece the money disappeared in the narrow slot, until not even a nickel was left for lemon drops at the school store. Then he shook the porker with satisfaction. It didn't sound s

advent of autumn had so discouraged the growth of grass on the home street that he would have to

he rattle and bang of the iron frame against the area steps caught Mrs. Fletcher's alert ear. S

oh

pt into his voice. "Taking the mow

you going

r. He hoped to earn a li

room pi

N

off for Sunday; never mind the neig

catch fellows the way they did. He stopped to ar

John. You're just wasting time

the case. Next, his odds and ends of clothing and ties were thrown on the closet floor with a prayer that they might not be discovered before he made his escape. With his bureau top set hastily in order, he reported for duty below. O

hn shifted back to the hard stream to dislodge the industrious spinner. The old cat trotted around from the back porch and made faces at a squirrel which had strayed from the park to enjoy the more munificent bounty which the kind-hearted housewives and children on the street offered. He shot the quarrel-quelling stream in their direc

the porch. Mrs. Fletcher's voice jerked him from the clouds of

gone already. Do get

hed against the windows just long enough to splatter the sashes well. The dirtiest places on the steps met with a half-hearted scrub or two before

. An ear-splitting clamor of "Oh, Silvey-e-e-e; Oh, Silvey-e-e

father," she said crossly. "Wo

rong. If Silvey wasn't on hand

ars a month, and down to the long row of older houses, erected when land was cheap, and set far back from the walk; still on past foot after foot of trim grass plots, throu

the porch railings and under the eaves. Yet the place was occupied, for he had noticed a homeless cat dragging an uns

sked of the wrinkled, tre

t being disturbed. He walke

e turned toward the home street and dropped the mower into the are

mb chops, that's a good boy." She tossed him a half-

ry first week. If it were only winter and a heavy snow falling! Then he'd make money quickly enough, but in late autumn-why folk

of the "Jeffersons" and sworn enemy, tugging at a heavy suitcase as he

se jobs would bring his capital to a dollar and tw

paving blocks, and now scanning the thrice reread headlines of the papers on the unpainted news stand by the station entrance. A gentleman came with golf sticks bound for the park links; there came ladies innumerable who had been delayed on their shopping

l carri

is it to

he station three blocks to the south. But it wasn't so very

garette. As they left, Shultz sauntered up and

ejaculat

dared not take revenge while his patron was with him. After that-well, he guessed he could

d he go back, when such fees were in prospect? You bet. That dirty-faced kid had no mortgage on

e was far from pleasant, and the boy began to regret his fit of bravado. But shucks, that tough wo

u trying

wanted to make a

e. G'wan home befor

. "Got just as much

are you going?" asked t

N

s guard. Suddenly the bigger boy lunged forward and his fist went true to the mark-John's nose. They sparred again, now feinting forward, n

it, th

e and parental protection, while the guardian of t

kid had certainly hit it. The organ hurt like the mischief, and felt as if it

familiar vo

. Louise, and at

ng?" She looked at

mile. "Fight,

hurt y

u ought to see him. Black eye, and his lip's bleeding something fierce

re she couldn't talk to him. He wanted to get home, to have mother's gentle hands lay cooling bandages on his nose, and his eyes began to

tuition of her sex,

's length. "Sugar from the grocer's. Mother's going t

in the mysteries of mixing flour, spices, and molasses into that sticky mass which composes the dough for delicious, old-fashioned gingerbread.

ons in hand, scraped the mixing dish of its residue of uncooked

d," said Louise, "and

, and followed her into the parlor. They sat on the f

n nodded and gazed listlessly around the room. On the bottom

" he pointed with

red. "I don'

e did penance for her victories until Mrs. Marti

dies. It's

dash, leaving boards and men on the c

tantly over one ear, and his mouth redolent of savory spices. He heard

d his mother. "Where o

cake all by herself, and when it was done, I had a great big piece. And Mother," his voice rose pro

ne out on the front porch, Mrs. Fletcher looked

mp," she murm

r woman should dispossess her of her son's love, and s