whirligigs-第31部分

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a　skittish　bay　to　a　spider…wheel　buggy；　the　young　man

who　had　written　to　the　heart…to…heart　editor　for　a　recipe

that　he　might　win　her　for　whom　he　sighed。



The　wind；　with　a　prankish　flurry；　flapped　the　flying

newspaper　against　the　face　of　the　skittish　bay。　　There

was　a　lengthened　streak　of　bay　mingled　with　the　red　of

running　gear　that　stretched　itself　out　for　four　blocks。

Then　a　water…hydrant　played　its　part　in　the　cosmogony；

the　buggy　became　matchwood　as　foreordained；　and　the

driver　rested　very　quietly　where　he　had　been　flung　on　the

asphalt　in　front　of　a　certain　brownstone　mansion。



They　came　out　and　had　him　inside　very　promptly。　　And

there　was　one　who　made　herself　a　pillow　for　his　head；

and　cared　for　no　curious　eyes；　bending　over　and　saying；

〃Oh；　it　was　you；　it　was　you　all　the　time；　Bobby！　　Couldn't

you　see　it？　　And　if　you　die；　why；　so　must　I；　and　　〃



But　in　all　this　wind　we　must　hurry　to　keep　in　touch

with　our　paper。



Policeman　O'Brine　arrested　it　as　a　character　dangerous

to　traffic。　　Straightening　its　dishevelled　leaves　with　his

big；　slow　fingers；　he　stood　a　few　feet　from　the　family

entrance　of　the　Shandon　Bells　Caf？　　One　headline　he

spelled　out　ponderously：　〃The　Papers　to　the　Front　in　a

Move　to　Help　the　Police。〃



But；　whisht！　　The　voice　of　Danny；　the　head　bartender；

through　the　crack　of　the　door：　〃Here's　a　nip　for　ye；　Mike；

ould　man。〃



Behind　the　widespread；　amicable　columns　of　the　press

Policeman　O'Brine　receives　swiftly　his　nip　of　the　real

stuff。　　He　moves　away；　stalwart；　refreshed；　fortified；

to　his　duties。　　Might　not　the　editor　man　view　with　pride

the　early；　the　spiritual；　the　literal　fruit　that　had　blessed

his　labours。



Policeman　O'Brine　folded　the　paper　and　poked　it

playfully　under　the　arm　of　a　small　boy　that　was　passing。

That　boy　was　named　Johnny；　and　he　took　the　paper

home　with　him。　　His　sister　was　named　Gladys；　and

she　had　written　to　the　beauty　editor　of　the　paper　asking

for　the　practicable　touchstone　of　beauty。　　That　was

weeks　ago；　and　she　had　ceased　to　look　for　an　answer。

Gladys　was　a　pale　girl；　with　dull　eyes　and　a　discontented

expression。　　She　was　dressing　to　go　up　to　the　avenue　to

get　some　braid。　　Beneath　her　skirt　she　pinned　two　leaves

of　the　paper　Johnny　had　brought。　　When　she　walked　the

rustling　sound　was　an　exact　imitation　of　the　real　thing。



On　the　street　she　met　the　Brown　girl　from　the　flat

below　and　stopped　to　talk。　　The　Brown　girl　turned　green。

Only　silk　at　5　a　yard　could　make　the　sound　that　she

heard　when　Gladys　moved。　　The　Brown　girl；　consumed

by　jealousy；　said　something　spiteful　and　went　her　way；

with　pinched　lips。



Gladys　proceeded　toward　the　avenue。　　Her　eyes　now

sparkled　like　jagerfonteins。　　A　rosy　bloom　visited　her

cheeks；　a　triumphant；　subtle；　vivifying；　smile　transfigured

her　face。　　She　was　beautiful。　　Could　the　beauty　editor

have　seen　her　then！　　There　was　something　in　her　answer

in　the　paper；　I　believe；　about　cultivating　kind　feelings

toward　others　in　order　to　make　plain　features　attractive。



The　labour　leader　against　whom　the　paper's　solemn

and　weighty　editorial　injunction　was　laid　was　the　father

of　Gladys　and　Johnny。　　He　picked　up　the　remains　of

the　journal　from　which　Gladys　had　ravished　a　cosmetic

of　silken　sounds。　　The　editorial　did　not　come　under　his

eye；　but　instead　it　was　greeted　by　one　of　those　ingenious

and　specious　puzzle　problems　that　enthrall　alike　the

simpleton　and　the　sage。



The　labour　leader　tore　off　half　of　the　page；　provided

himself　with　table；　pencil　and　paper　and　glued　himself

to　his　puzzle。



Three　hours　later；　after　waiting　vainly　for　him　at　the

appointed　place；　other　more　conservative　leaders　declared

and　ruled　in　favour　of　arbitration；　and　the　strike　with　its

attendant　dangers　was　averted。　　Subsequent　editions

of　the　paper　referred；　in　coloured　inks；　to　the　clarion　tone

of　its　successful　denunciation　of　the　labour　leader's

intended　designs。



The　remaining　leaves　of　the　active　journal　also　went

loyally　to　the　proving　of　its　potency。



When　Johnny　returned　from　school　he　sought　a　secluded

spot　and　removed　the　missing　columns　from　the　inside　of

his　clothing；　where　they　had　been　artfully　distributed　so　as

to　successfully　defend　such　areas　as　are　generally　attacked

during　scholastic　castigations。　　Johnny　attended　a　private

school　and　had　had　trouble　with　his　teacher。　　As　has

been　said；　there　was　an　excellent　editorial　against　corporal

punishment　in　that　morning's　issue；　and　no　doubt　it　had

its　effect。



After　this　can　any　one　doubt　the　power　of　the　press？







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TOMMY'S　BURGLAR

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

AT　TEN　o'clock　P。　M。　Felicia；　the　maid；　left　by　the

basement　door　with　the　policeman　to　get　a　raspberry

phosphate　around　the　corner。　　She　detested　the　police…

man　and　objected　earnestly　to　the　arrangement。　　She

pointed　out；　not　unreasonably；　that　she　might　have　been

allowed　to　fall　asleep　over　one　of　St。　George　Rathbone's

novels　on　the　third　floor；　but　she　was　overruled。　　Rasp…

berries　and　cops　were　not　created　for　nothing。



The　burglar　got　into　the　house　without　much　difficulty；

because　we　must　have　action　and　not　too　much　descrip…

tion　in　a　2；000…word　story。



In　the　dining　room　he　opened　the　slide　of　his　dark

lantern。　　With　a　brace　and　centrebit　he　began　to　bore

into　the　lock　of　the　silver…closet。



Suddenly　a　click　was　heard。　　The　room　was　flooded

with　electric　light。　　The　dark　velvet　porti鑢es　parted　to

admit　a　fair…haired　boy　of　eight　in　pink　pajamas；　bearing

a　bottle　of　olive　oil　in　his　hand。



〃Are　you　a　burglar？〃　　he　asked；　in　a　sweet；　childish

voice。



〃Listen　to　that；〃　exclaimed　the　man；　in　a　hoarse　voice。

〃Am　I　a　burglar？　　Wot　do　you　suppose　I　have　a　three…

days'　growth　of　bristly　bread　on　my　face　for；　and　a　cap

with　flaps？　　Give　me　the　oil；　quick；　and　let　me　grease

the　bit；　so　I　won't　wake　up　your　mamma；　who　is　lying

down　with　a　headache；　and　left　you　in　charge　of　Felicia。

who　has　been　faithless　to　her　trust。〃



〃Oh；　dear；〃　said　Tommy；　with　a　sigh。　　〃I　thought

you　would　be　more　up…to…date。　　This　oil　is　for　the　salad

when　I　bring　lunch　from　the　pantry　for　you。　　And

mamma　and　papa　have　gone　to　the　Metropolitan　to　hear

De　Reszke。　　But　that　isn't　my　fault。　　It　only　shows　how

long　the　story　has　been　knocking　around　among　the

editors。　　If　the　author　had　been　wise　he'd　have　changed

it　to　Caruso　in　the　proofs。〃



〃Be　quiet；〃　hissed　the　burglar；　under　his　breath。　　〃If

you　raise　an　alarm　I'll　wring　your　neck　like　a　rabbit's。〃



〃Like　a　chicken's；〃　corrected　Tommy。　　〃You　had

that　wrong。　　You　don't　wring　rabbits'　necks。〃



〃Aren't　you　afraid　of　me？〃　　asked　the　burglar。



〃You　know　I'm　not；〃　answered　Tommy。　　〃Don't

you　suppose　I　know　fact　from　fiction。　　If　this　wasn't　a

story　I'd　yell　like　an　Indian　when　I　saw　you；　and　you'd

probably　tumble　downstairs　and　get　pinched　on　the

sidewalk。〃



〃I　see；〃　said　the　burglar；　〃that　you're　on　to　your

job。　　Go　on　with　the　performance。〃



Tommy　seated　himself　in　an　armchair　and　drew　his

toes　up　under　him。



〃Why　do　you　go　around　robbing　strangers；　Mr。　Burg…

lar？　　Have　you　no　friends？〃



〃I　see　what　you're　driving　at；〃　said　the　burglar；　with

a　dark　frown。　　〃It's　the　same　old　story。　　Your　innocence

and　childish　insouciance　is　going　to　lead　me　back　into

an　honest　life。　　Every　time　I　crack　a　crib　where　there's

a　kid　around；　it　happens。〃



〃Would　you　mind　gazing　with　wolfish　eyes　at　the　plate

of　cold　beef　that　the　butler　has　left　on　the　dining　table？〃

said　Tommy。　　〃I'm　afraid　it's　growing　late。〃



The　burglar　accommodated。



〃Poor　man；〃　said　Tommy。　　〃You　must　be　hungry。

If　you　will　please　stand　in　a　listless　attitude　I　will　get　you

something　to　eat。〃



The　boy　brought　a　roast　chicken；　a　jar　of　marmalade

and　a　bottle　of　wine　from　the　pantry。　　The　burglar

seized　a　knife　and　fork　sullenly。



〃It's　only　been　an　hour；〃　he　grumbled；　〃since　I　had　a

lobster　and　a　pint　of　musty　ale　up　on　Broadway。　　I　wish

these　story　writers　would　let　a　fellow　have　a　pepsin　tablet；

anyhow；　between　feeds。〃



〃My　papa　writes　books；〃　remarked　Tommy。



The　burglar　jumped　to　his　feet　quickly。



〃You　said　he　had　gone　to　the　opera；〃　he　hissed；　hoarsely

and　with　immediate　suspicion。



〃I　ought　to　have　explained；〃　said　Tommy。　　〃He

didn't　buy　the　tickets。〃　　The　burglar　sat　again　and　toyed

with　the　wishbone。



〃Why　do　you　burgle　houses？〃　　asked　the　boy；

wonderingly。



〃Because；〃　replied　the　burglar；　with　a　sudden　flow　of

tears。　　〃God　bless　my　little　brown…baired　boy　Bessie

at　home。〃



〃Ah；〃　said　Tommy；　wrinkling　his　nose；　〃you　got　that

answer　in　the　wrong　place。　　You　want　to　tell　your　hard…

luck　story　before　you　pull　out　the　child　stop。〃



〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　the　burglar；　〃I　forgot。　　Well；　once

I　lived　in　Milwaukee；　and　　〃



〃Take　the　silver；〃　said　Tommy；　rising　from　his　chair。



〃Hold　on；〃　said　the　burglar。　　〃But　I　moved　away。〃

I　could　find　no　other　employment。　　For　a　while　I　man…

aged　to　support　my　wife　and　child　by　passing　confederate

money；　but；　alas！　　I　was　forced　to　give　that　up　because　it

did　not　belong　to　the　union。　　I　became　desperate　and　a

burglar。〃



〃Have　you　ever　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　police？〃

asked　Tommy。



〃I　said　'burglar；'　not　'beggar；'〃　answered　the

cracksman。



〃After　you　finish　your　lunch；〃　said　Tommy；　〃and

experience　the　usual　change　Of　heart；　how　shall　we　wind

up　the　story？〃



〃Suppose；〃　said　the　burglar；　thoughtfully；　〃that　Tony

Pastor　turns　out　earlier　than　usual　to…night；　and　your

father　gets　in　from　'Parsifal'　at　10。30。　　I　am　thoroughly

repentant　because　you　have　made　me　think　of　my　own

little　boy　Bessie；　and　　〃



〃Say；〃　said　Tommy；　〃haven't　you　got　that　wrong？〃



〃Not　on　your　coloured　crayon　drawings　by　B。　Cory

Kilvert；〃　said　the　burglar