Show t t On the ridge bridge at I Midnight t By Marion Morion R R. Reagan r 1124 In Western Newspaper Union VERY VEIN New Years Year's Eve the old la lady y came Hoskins had been watching her now for tor several years Always 1 way s about the same t time 1 m e e eleven 1 eve n or twelve she would come and take her stand In the middle mid mid- dle die of the bridge looking expectantly down the river As the Amalla AmaUa an anold anold anold old barge engaged In the Indian trade and find scheduled to arrive annually in London on January 1 sailed up the tho river she became violently agitated When It passed directly under her she ahe shouted loudly in a cracked hoarse voice and tossed a a. purse down to a certain sailor on the deck who who greeted greeted greeted greet greet- ed her with wild ch cheers ers She would watch the old boat glide gUdo easily up the river till It was out of sight Then quietly she turned toward the south and walked away Now Hoskins was a conscientious thief It was not his policy to rob old women of tl their purses The opulent old men of Hyde Park and the young men too were his game But Dut lately there were too tooan many an in the business business business busi busi- ness ness f for r any profit And the newspapers newsPapers newspapers pers were against him dally daily r em e emin e- e m min minding 1 n din ding JJ their readers to beware beware beware be be- ware of ot pick pick- pick pick- r po pockets People watched one more now and one had to be on ones one's guard at all times Reluctantly forsook the old oldfield oldfield oldfield field of his activities and sought other prey It was a hard year however What little he picked up from the Christmas shoppers rs he already owed to friends He was facing the New Year almost penniless Then he remembered remembered remembered re re- re- re the the old lady and ond her fat purse He despised himself for thinking thinking think think- ing of it It he he a man of principles principles but but starvation is starvation and It was New Years Year's Eve Tonight she would come Ho concealed himself In an old ld In the masonry It was a perfect perfect perfect per per- hiding I g pf place ce He could see out easily and not be seen by anyone About midnight he heard the sl slow w heavy step of the old lady She I passed close by him and advanced a afew afew afew few yards He emerged from his hiding hid hid- hiding ing place and followed About to tomake tomake tomake make a quick spring at her she turned and faced him He composed himself with difficulty tipped Upped his hie hat and bid her happy New Year in a weak strained voice Oh Ohi thank ee sir the same to you sir Fine weather we been avin Fine Indeed And fine for that boy boyo o 0 mine what's comin In tonight from them ot eathen places The old lady sniffed mitred Hoskins edged a little closer to her Aint Aln t seen yer for boy some time Only from the bridge ere ere a year Aint seen him to old In my arms since he was wasi i lad o 0 twelve The Tho hoarse old voice trembled a little a little almost a 1 m o 0 s t broke down Anard An Anard Anard i ard life Ufe for a lad that on them ships and n no o 0 ome and an nn order arder ard ord er life Ufe for me what's his lawful mother never to tolay tolay l lay an arm on himIn himin him in all these ye years rs Here she broke broke r I I Into a heartbreaking heart heart- J I I breaking sob ob Its ts t's V M. f n I Ia f a bad un un I Ive I've vo b been e n. n sir s' s J r. r I tA hs- hs H soul couldn't t le let let t that lo lad lad J o o 0 mine see his hla mother was such a miserable old oid witch It'd break his cart eart I get together all nil I can Inthe Inthe in inthe the world and give it to him a year for tor his oliday Its It's the best I Ican Ican Ican can do for im Dont Don't know who he thinks I am He never troubled to find out But But Ey Ey ey there she sh shouted suddenly The Amalla AmaUa was steaming up the river It was directly under them now and ond a little youth in uniform Jumped about eagerly on deck signaling to the old woman on the bridge She dropped the purse squarely into his bis hands for tor er cr er Majesty called enDed the youth routh his bis gay voice continuing to I sound merrily as the barge borge disappeared i pea red up the tho river rover Finally th the old oM woman Q turned to I good Goad night sir sk and God j I 1 bless you In the New Tear Rho he said SoW softly and walked way away Hoskins' Hoskins j i stood motionless goring goring- nI aria 5 jp up p the river j 1 after otter the small haz hazy object that wa wae I the barge There Thero was VM a sentimental j I look In his eye and a In the tho droop of oC his month God Meg bless them j I he Je breath breathed a 0 been Llen a bad bod J I way that to begin tho New Year rear I |