1914-07-18 — Page 10

SHORT

THE HONG KONG TELEGRAPH.

STORY.

THE LITTLE BOOSTER, -

BY WALLACE IRWIN.

EXTRA

HONGKONG, SATURDAY, JULY 18, 1914,

The embattled foemen stood aghaat at this unexpected appear ance of the Blue Knight.

"Look here, Neroo," said he, his Celtic opes showing gun metal blas as he hold the spade like a baseball bat a convenient distance from the workman's nose, I guess this burlesque show's gone about an act too far. Chuck the douse on Little Vesuvius, Mra, Casoy !!

"

ifrs. Casey," replied Brian calmly. "Sho don't know I'm working for her, but I am."

"I hope you'll begin by teach ing her some public spirit. For the selfish whim of a female mule, she's blocking the progress of the whole.town. It's a hold-up."

SHORT SERMON,

"Inasmuch as yo did it not."

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wheres by jabbin' 'em with a Gripman's Union to stand for th sharp stick," said he affably groom. It was on Wednesdak "The English have tried that marain' whia along comes Hinry stunt for a hundred years and Eagan wid a face longer 'n me-Matthew, xv, 45, what have they got out of it? father's chimney. Mrs. Casey, If we really understand oure Gd loves the Irish, and it's God's he says, says he, prepare for th' selvas we know that God hae wor-r-st. I am that, saye I, equipped us to be of service to way to lend 'em with love."

"Come in, cried Mrs. Cassy, I'm proparin' to git married.' one another. Clearly written in "She ain't got a corner on the opining wide the door. The Now, ye ain't, saya Eagan every sense, faculty and aptitude hold-up business." Brian sudden room, he entered was a broad, Explain yerailf,' I saya, says I. of our nature is the law of all ty stood and leaned over Ketchum nest redwood kitchen:An ad- At-which-wor-r-ds Einry Eagan moral, social and civic-living-

Now lock here, old kiddo, Ivertisement representing a pretty stands twistin' th' rusty brass the law of service. "God bless ye for a man!" happen to know that you're tryin' child playing with a cake of soap buttons av his cost, Mrs. Casey,' sobbed the fat woman, as the to hold up the Park Oommission was pinned to a beam beside the says he, if it's th' truth ye must wator struck the smudgo with a for fifty thousand dollars on six window. An insurance lithograph know, Oasar Hansen ran off last loud that ain't worth three. showing an impossibly idealized night wid a gilt-roofed biscuit- great hise, cortain [This is a story by one of au acortaja question of a

"It's the bose's orders," whined Because the city wants that infant picking daisies occupied shooter from th Trolley's End America's clovorest writers, girl. Then he fingered the

strip for their new gateway on a place of honour over the stove. Restaurant; an' they was married "Have a cooky!" Mrs. Cassy by th' justice. I hurled th' lie who has a fine record to his sparas coinage between his

Carry 'em out!" suggested Outan Boulevard, you think you foro-fugor, and credit.It deals with two nky- thumb and

Brion, shaving the man's chin can slick 'em like a porous plaster proffered a wooden bowl filled in his face, an' followed it wid a Acrapers and Mrs. Casey," and ponderal the fallacy of m-with the cutting edge of the tool. You're spoilin' a public park by with crisp, golden dises, replicas pan o' hot mush. But it was th the attempts which were made, trimony without pitcimony.

The workinan looked round for your graft-bat I ain't goin' to of a batoh now toasting in the God's truth he told me." · Burnin'," asid

"So Oscar flow his kites with to got this good lady out of her "Somp'n'

his companion. Ho was gone. let you do that. Before the week's oven.

lime of up I'll make you give that pro- So ho withdrow in

the blonde?" asked Brian.. home will prove most diverting Brian, mifling the odour of hot roading. The story appears in raga. Looking

profanity, while the crowd party to the city for what it's

worth. a recent issue of Maclure'a] „

qaro 19

giggled.

You're a soft bunch o'rubber, ain't you uncered the Little Booster to the audience in general. "Thero's a rale gintleman alive —eaiota. be praised for th'

the vaat

A

smudge of smoke rising from the Had Loonillas adverudol for a stroot and pouring through the lady bolper to assist in defending got botwoon the Insoluble and the pass at Thermopylae against the Rotowasser buildings. any number of invading Paraiane, woman's voice hurled invective ho could not have dono better in the tone of outdoor, Suffrago than to have chosen Mre, ontory.

I

the man:

*

mirnola

יין

The big woman advanced on Brian with arms outstretchel. His blushes vying with his car roty hair, ho escaped through the mob and hurried away to the oliece of Ketchum and Sellers.

CW. Ketahum, the Big Boost er, was still at his window on the tenth floor when the Little Booster care iu. Ketchum, who vas a fattish man with the goceral- appearance of an old-fashioned tragadian, looked up at Brian's entrance and scowled. The two had not spoken since the day of Drian's abrupt discharge.

"What were you mixing up in that for?" asked the Big-Booster

Mary Casoy. Also, Bite! They're smokin' Mary out would luvo beon useful again," said Poliosman Jones of for holding bridges with Iorio Park squad. atius; for it was elie who, by her "I don't hear any riot call single handor prowess, hold a gap Arey' blind on that si do? between two tall buillinge against askal Brian, tho-strongest army of real-estato "It's of ma boat," replied speculators over assembled in the Jones, retreating with that air of city of San Bruno, State of virtue peculiar to policemen in California, No name in the Now York, Sodom, and orath directory was inpro hated of land controa of graft and culture. brokord than was bors, un grouad,. Brian palled his greou velvet more coveted than the 100 by 150 bat over his eyes and raced across foot plot on which her tiny the aquare in the direction of the shabby cottage crouebed stub-smudge. The gap between the barnly Estwoon those lofty como vast buildings formand a mercial towers which, like fabled natural flas which drew the giants, had suddenly risen out of saiókostraight across Mrs. Casey's nothing to overcome lier. On house. A vicious circle of spact-savagely, pointing to the blacken- the right it was the now Insoluble Trust Building; on the left the sky-aspiring department store of Nathan Rosewasser.

67

ators had formed about the small but exciting drama, framing a pictare which Brian saw from en elbaw-space in the front row.

ed ecrapheap in front of the cottage, bolow.

"A couple o'hired gunman were tryin to smoke the old lady These buildings were the com. A seody workman, going abou out of her home, and I did the mercial pride of booming San it with all the dignity of a high Dustin Farnam act," said Brian

"Those gunmen were hired by Bruno; and that Mrs. Casey's priust performing a sacred me." napped O. W: Ketchum. lot was wanted as the site for a stood shovelling stroot litter on

"Keep your handa off. They're still more imposing structure was tho pyre. Another workman, a secret so open that it was smoking a pipe, stood amusingly my gunmen,co?-not yours shouted daily over every other receiving the vollaying abuse That Casey woman is driving me to distraction. I cfar her two telephone in town. Yet Mra. that flamed from the lips of a huge hundred thousand for the piece Casey continued to raise chickens Trishwoman who carried a bucket on her priceless holdings-two in either hand, setting one down what does she may ?"-

Kotohum arose and pressed his dozen soraway Plymouth Rocks, occasionally to add a telling whose daily ogg-songs viod with gesture to some lofty flight of nose almost against Brian's. the click of typowriters in the Billingsgato. "offices on either side. Every! "Look at him, wudye, th' little while some undiscouraged dirthy I. W. Wtoo lazy to raise agent would entor his domain th hand av him to honest worruk, prepared to offer her as high as a so he must be aither buildin' quarter of a million dollara for foires on th' duro-step av a lone her place; and, liko the here in woman. Take that grin dil por tho ballad, said agent would mug!" always" walk right in, and turn right round, and walk, right out." If he did not walk, he ron; for Mrs. Casey was taller and broader than most mon, and at short raugo her dish-pan was a deadly weapon.

..

What does she say?" he repeated. "Says she won't sell for a quiatrillion dollars. Why? Because, forsooth, she wants land to raise benson. Ye gods, it's acrilege! To maintain a hen- coop on a lot where there might be a national bank building!"

"So you're trying to smoke bar out?" inquired Brian, lighting one of Ketcham's rather offensive oigare.

Mrs. Casey suddenly reached for the offending grin, and came sufficiently near the mark to knock the workman's pipe several

In the last three weeks we've feet across the clearod space. done everything short of borning (Laughter and applause.)..

"Why "sint yo, here on this the house to convince her that divil's errand?" she demanded, this is not a homelike neighbour

"Ordera from the Bard o bood. We've hired the janitor of the Insolable to dump dust Health, lady," said the work and tin cone from the roof into monding his pipe.

her yard. We've had the draymen frem Rosewaster's store she can't get in or out. In mend load crates against hor fence, so ing our mains wo'vo-accidentally

"Th Board o' Pesthouses, yo ́

mean! I know who's back o' thie job-Ketchum au' Sellere, Lad coss to ther black souls!"

Her red forefinger painted to gilt sign on the tenth floor of the Insolable.

"

"What I do with my property is none of your business," snarled the Big Boster.

"Yum! Grandman's ginger snapa! O you childhood!" Brian seized eiz, and smacked ecstati

ally,

"}]

"It's manny's th' day since I've had a man to ste me cookies,' mourned Mrs. Casey, sitting ponderously in a kitchen chair and covering her red hands with her apron. "Lonesome I am the epalpeans, wid your persecated, av

"That's just what the Widdy Casey says. Unreasonable wo- man! But before you smoke Mrs. Casey out of her lots I bet I smoko you

off park property so hard you'll be spittin' cinders the rest of your natural life."

"Dream on, Nemo! "quoth the Big Booster sweetly, as he shoved the Little Broster out into the hall and locked the door on the inside.

"

niver chick nor child---'

She raised bath hands to the |lowering skyscrapera on either

side.

"Here I set in me withered home between thim divil's crage, like a sick clam in the Giant's Causeway. Wirra th' day!"

She began to woop loudly into her checkered Brian rose and laid a sympathetic hand on ber shapeless shoulder.

calico apron.

Where he wint God knowa, and how long he'll stay th, divil cares," she muttered.. Bat wan thing I know. White coward that he is, he'll niver dare show his mushroom face at me door to claim the half ay his property from th' Widdy Casey.",

So that's why you won't sell You're holdin' on to spite Oscar." "Ask me nowthin'!" She made a sudden dash at a smudge of smoke that came trickling through the chinks in the oven door. "And now I've burnt me a heathen sacrifice cookies to

Almost all we know or can know about the standard of judg ment is contained in a few of Christ's parables in which, He sketched with significant brevity how our lives are to be measured and weighed. It is something atrange and unsuspected that we learn from the Supreme Teacher. Everyone who is condemned is condemned for the things he failed to do. The most damning eins are the sins of omission. I was not so much that wrong things. had been done but right things had been left undone.

The barren fig tree grow noth ing but leaves. It took the rain and dew and gracious sunshids, it drew life and strength from the air and the soil, but it gave noth- ing in return. No obarge was made that it had blighted the landscape or poisoned the neigh- bourhood, simply it bore no fruit when it should have borne fruit.

In the parable of Dives and Lazarus we find the rich man lost :

while gabbin' here for th' g.od not for licentiousness, not for av nayther av us!" she sported. tyranny, not for debauchery, not Gwan wid yez, bafoor I heap for positive cruelty, not because th' cinders on yer red head!" he possessed great wealth, not for "If you sold your lots, you anything in particular that he had could hire a cook to cook your done, but for what he had left cookies," said Brian blaudly at undone. Dives had a great op

portunity to serve his fellowmen, the door.

"A mother's shparkin' wud but he had no sympathy, no social manners," she conscience. He did not ask himself a av saved yer

sniffed, as she dumped a pan of how it must feel to be poor and blackened cookies out of the ill and unfortunate, so, he was {judged for the pity he never félt, the charity he never offered, the aid he never extended.

As Mrs. Casey had never given any sane excuse for resisting the offers of plotocrats and stick ing to her miserable hut, Brian

"Honest, it's too bad," he said. set forth to find an explanation; and he took the most direct "But you're playin' an awful long sourse by applying to Mrs. Casey shot, Mrs. Casey-a million to herself. It was not without mie- one against you. But it means givings that he awang the little fortune to you to-morrow if you wicket gate between the two move. Why don't you beat it for skyscrapers and approached the pastures now?" dwarfish house. In physique he "Me?" Mrs. Casey bounced to knew he was no match for the Amazon who had scalded many ambassadors from rival real estate dealers and put mourning-bands around the eyes of several more.

Ho was rather relieved, indeed, when he observed a padlock on the front door of the cottage; but

her feet, a mountain of indignant fire. Niver will I move-not till their feet rot away wid waitin', D'ye think I'd soll out an' give him, th dirtby Scandinavian Swado, th' half o' me profit?"

"Who's the Scandinavian Swede?" asked Brian leaping to pungoat smell of baking the crucial question. apprised him of the worst: Mra. "Ye're a gintleman, though in Casey was at homo. Passing a bad business," answered Mre. brough the scraggly garden in Casey. "Be the token, I'll in the sideyard, he atartled half tell ye what na one knows.

dozen hens out of their

D

forenoon repose.

"Who are yo? suddenly in- quired a harsh contralto from the screen door.

A friend,"caid Brian, balting dead in his track.

"Arr-e ye a roal-astster? "Yes, ma'am." "Then that for yer friendship!" The screen door suddenly popped

open,

A

and a mop, hurled javelin fashion, whizzed less than six inches from his right ear. lying tea-kettle smote him on the elbow, and Brian balted the ad vance long enough to nurse his woands and consider the advis ability of carrying the door by assault, when hostilities suddenly ceased, and Mrs. Casey, her great arms akimbo at her board waist, stood before him,

Ye wad be comin' afther-"

window.

Then we find three significant

Brian dashed down D street and bolted up the Courthouse steps and into the Hall of Records, where the archives of every deed parables spoken by Christ on the and misdeed of every citizen in same occasion and with the game the city and county of San Bruno purpoes the ten virgina, the were filed away in funereal talents, the separation of the sheep pigeonholes. To seek for the from the goats, all in the twenty- name Hansen over the accumu fifth chapter of Matthew. Five of latod records of fifteen years the virgins were shut out from would have required a week of the marriage feast not because diligenos. Ho delved steadily in they had violated any of the laws dust batween the hours of eleven of propriety, but because they and thres; then he abruptly gave had neglected to provide for the "Siventeen years ago I was up the long search and turned to future because, when their op- married he the priest to was the Coroner's Office, where he portunity came to serve the bride- Martin Casey, and come to live in sought the mortuary files under groom they were found to be this house. Martin was a good the charge of Bill Badge, the unprepared for the service requir man except whin' dhrank, which deputy. The Courthouse clocked. Their one ein was the sin of was most o' th' time. Five years pointed three-thirty when Brisa, we lived widont child, whin one archipelagos of dust smirching day Martin, who was drivin' a the oceanic blue of his new Nor sprinklin'-cart, more shame to folk coat, repaired to the stand of th wather-fell from the' seat an' Nick Tony, the bootblack, expired in his alcohol.”

Mrs. Casey gazed at the pretty child in the advertising placard. Tears again filled her eyes.

"What sin had I done, that th' Blessed Virgin sint no child to me bosom?" she cried.

omission.

The man who had one talent

did not squander it; the parable is very explicit on that point, The reason for his condemnation A small girl wearing a red hat would have been obvious had he entered Snell's Pompeian foe wanted the money entrusted to Cream Parlours across the way him on liquor or sensuality, or "I didn't come here to take a had he used it to bribe a Judge bath," said Brian to Tony, who or to corrupt an official. Bat he was conscientiously sponging a did nothing of the kind, in fact, eleøve. "Gimme six: zings with literally, he did nothing. The the broom and turn me loose talent lay idle when it should Bacay Spencer was at the have been producing; the anused Pompeian's cash window, search-money was a lost opportunity, a ing her purse for the price of a missed chance, a duty left as a hin-coop. Wan day along aut sundae. A blue sleeve orossed undone. For that he was con- comes a ella name av Oscar her shoulder and deposited a demned. Hansen, a white-faced divil of a fifty-cent piece.

In the parable of the sheep and

"In thim daya this house stood in th' midst o'fields: I owned no more than th' lot I live on, wid th' little shack out back, now used

a hut off her water supply. One she began. Then her expression handsome Swade, thin worrukin'

the goats, the Judge said

suddenly cleared. Head as a motorman on th' San Pedro (To be Continued next Saturday) "Depart from me. Why?

Because they got drunk, atole, lied blasphemed, committed adultery or murder? No, that would have been easy to under-

O. W. Ketchum, from his window on the tenth figor, cast an evil eye upon the widow's roof. Ile know how to clear half a million by buying that lot within thirty days, and he could have mardored the big woman for her mulishness. Like many another great sinner, he was an eager stone-thrower. He hated

of our agents thought of the Mre. Casey's stubborn resistance;

bonfire' scheme." Ketchum Saint Dinnis!" she cried. "If I trolley. Th'shack where me hins yot, his own dog-in-the-manger "May the mold for ther dirthy chuckled in the manner of a stout ain't been tryin' to kill the only now roost I sold him for th attitudo concerning the sale money an' th' itch come to thim and well-fed Cassius. "It wasn't gintleman in San Bruno ! " price av wan hundred dollare- of certain property to the City that counts it!" she shrieked.

Mr. Casey Brian began, great wealth to me in the INDIAN'S BODY FOUND. Bland every one expects to be our fault, was it, that the Board Park was common talk among And, as a sort of emotional of Health selected the spot in standing within easy dodging Th' dead for th' whole lot was the bonost Boosters." But it climax to her curse, sho, seized a front cf her licuse as a trash distance of a tree-trunk, still in me name, but we made s

punished for such things, for the was Ketchum's way. And, as bucket of water and turned it crematorium?"

gross and brutal and vulgar eins yet removing his hat with conthract be th lawyer that we he yearned for Mr. Casey's lot over the head of the nearest work-

"I was to share the profit elfan' "Gee!" almost whispered considerable

of commission."Depart-I was with a great passion, he re- man. Taking advantage of the Brian Boru. "And you call value your appreciation!" He half if we iver sold it.

hungry, thirsty, cold, forsaken, solved to make life so miserable confusion, she made for the fire yourself a Booster!" A fellapioked up the mop and handed

ill and outraged and you did. for hur that she would have to with the othor Enckes, and was like you's enough to drive the it to her.

ded Thin what did that divil Occar do but come a-courtin' av me, wid move. So Brian Boru Blaney about to empty it when the tourists back to Los Angeles."

A search party of the 2nd nothing to aid me", the things undone, the service of brother- "Ye're Irish, God bless ye!" his china-blue eyes on white Company of the HK, S. B happened upon her persecutions. second workman' jumped

and Anybody would have noticed forward

Jefordoi

Get out of my office! bellow said Mrs. Casey, accepting the heart. Crazy fool that I was for R.GA, yesterday found the dead hood and human kindness which the ed Ketchum. ·· Brian crossing Central Square sacred flame with a shovel held

lovin' him they're wonderful body of Sergeant Sava Singh of you might have rendered but did Booster, shifting the cigar to the ey said he,The greenest was pledged to be married be th' vacant land in Canton Road, near Everywhere are men and woman

"In a minute," said the Little My name is Brian Boru Blan ladies' min, thim Swades. So we their Company on a piece of 201 other side of his mouth, but bleed of Ireland flows through priest, Dewate of thim milk-toonval coal heupe. The cause and children needing help, com- my veins. My mother was a faced blonde, mo lnd," said Mrs. of death is at present unknown: have the ability to meet the need

Casey, wiping her eyea.

that morning, because he wore bayonet fashion: Mr. Casey a puit that rivalled the blue jay in gripped him by the hair, the ita vivid colouring. In his pocket workman rappel her knuckles he jingled his last hundred with the handle of the shovel, dellore, 11 oreet of his profits on and the crowd laughed. the Healthy View sale having Brian Boru Blanoy, a bright faded into Utopia Addition. He hood streak of wrath, shot forth was thinking hard. Being in from the crowd and wrenched the Jove, instinct urged him to ask shovel from the n's hands.

moking no other move..

"I suppose you got lots of time, now you're out of a job," Ketchum aniden ada

"I ain't out of a job." "What, darn fool are you working for now.

.weapon.

grace,

Casey and I won't go home till I've had a talk with you."

"Ye can't drive me," she said, making a show of stubbornness, You can't get the Irish any

No Suspicion of. Foul Play,

fort and encouragement. If wo The body has been sent to the "All that a milk is not pure," mor

mortuary by the Water Police, and fail to respond, it will go hard saggested Brian. There are no suspicions of foul with us in the final reckoning

Me an Oscar was to wed one play.

according to the teaching of the Thursdah, Hinry Eagan an th

One we call our Master.

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