Show K 11 JAKIE 1 PIS I 1 nas harceg t 11 bl 41 I 1 3 HE 1110 soft bott fleecy snow 8 w floating down straight lit from the heavens leavens melted as quickly an aa it struck tho the sidewalks ind and turned into mud under tho the hurrying foot feet of 0 the thousands of lato late christmas Chilst mos shoppers black jakle stood in the shelter afforded by tho the elevated road pillar his threadbare raincoat drawn tightly about him ills his hands thrust deeply into ills his poc pockets kots as an lie he gently tapped first ono toot foot and then tho the other eron on tho the wot wet pavement not that haklo was cold but ills his shoos had worn quite thin and tho the dirty brown slush had sought out rill nil the little cracks through which it might and find a comfortable for tort table ablo haven 3 going to bo be a loan lean christmas tor for me inato sighed reflectively to tho the gloaming gleaming lights ot of broadway Dro adway awful loan in his pocket ho he jingled hla his one lono quarter against tho the key of his cheap sixth avenue room and anilleo as lie ho thought ot of tho the lays days when ho he had jingled gold coins lit in those days tho the racing game had been good and jakle was one of tho the best known bookies at Shoop sheepshead thou then lie ho had boon been anlu ont ile ho had dressed in tho the height of ultra fashion and radiated with that ready money look tile tho dying out ot or tile the racing sport and too frequent trips to tho the bar its had loft left jakle stranded without a friend in the world silently and moodily haklo reflected on ills his hard lot ills chin with its two day growth ot of hoovy heavy black hoard board that samo same heavy board beard which had nl at V yea it must be she ways shone through his pallid skin and had earned for him his cognomen of dlack black haklo trembled a little and tho the thin blue lips pulsated with low muttered rod maledictions male malo dictions heaped upon tho the world in general the sporting te bl loment ement soon boon forgets old pals pala down on their luck ho he reflected nervously scanning tho the faces of shoppers emerging from tho the doorway of a department store jartos face anco lighted up as ho he saw a petite figure laden with many bundles start across tho the sidewalk marlo marla Lo courtl yes it must bo be sho alto marlo marla tho the prettiest girl in the follies chorus should ho he speak to her perhaps she aho would woul havo have at least a kind word for tho the fat follow who had bad bought her many dinners at swell cates cares and had lavished his money on her when ho he had bad it instinctively ho he started forward his bis hand on his ancient velour hat bat tho the one relic of palmy days daye but almost as he started ho he cheeked checked himself no it would bo be better not to speak to marle marla for she like all the rest of tho the old crowd would turu turn him down would to speak to IL a bum lie ho stopped stepped back to tho the shelter of the elevated pillar just as marlo turned to cross tho the street liar her bright eyes twinkling with good cheer sho she came up quite boso doso to haklo suddenly a flash ot of recognition crossed her countenance hud and sho alto almost dropped her packages as sho she rushed forward jakle sho she cried is it really out where navo have you been beant what are you dolne doing horo here and where are ara you going before jakle could think of an answer to the questions which called for a recital of his entire lifes history she went on for rood goodness nests sake jakle aou ou look a bight the idea of all this poor folkar makeup Is it a stall or tire are you really forced to wear them thoat forced la Is right replied jakle iata wm babko I 1 saw flaw you ts is you came y U out ot of tho the store but I 1 know whether you would want to speak to me or riot not silly laughed marle want to speak to my old pal of course I 1 do and now that I 1 have seen you we wa are going to havo have a good old fashioned chat but wo we cant stand hero here in this wot wet and talk I 1 am living with my married sister bister now and just came downtown tor for a tow few things to bang 0 on tho the kiddies treo tree como on up and help us ix fix tho the things jakle thanked her but romon girat atrat ed cd that his bis atturo was scarcely suit able tor for an evening call marle marie in slated that ills his clothes made no differ once to her and that liar her sister would surely think tho the same anyway no matter what her sister might think jakeo was waa her friend and that set tied it they walked to fourth avenue and took tho the subway to Il harlem arlem jakle in slating on spending up ending ten tell cents ot of his bla precious quarter for the carfare although marlo had tried to shove a dime into his bis hand oil tho the way up haklo told his bis story laying the blame on hard luck and the state officials who had put racing on the bum marto marlo listened with quiet attention nodding her head bead here and there and interjecting a question now and then than as aa tile tho ox ex bockle seemed about to drift hway away from its his story taklo was waa introduced to maude and john her husband they were either too busy decorating a tiny christmas tree on a stand in the corner of tho the room or else they care tor for neither evinced disapproval of jakle ila ho was mado made to feel at home borne in tho the little family circle and entered with keen enjoyment the work of trim ming tile the treo tree and arranging the presents tor for the two children fast asleep in tile the next room the final arrangement comple completed ted maude and her bor husband took a last pook pock at tho the sleeping kiddies and called jakle to boo thorn them As an the little group stood in the doorway jakeo noticed that john put hla his arm about Al maudes audos waist and that the light in maudea eyes shone with pecullar peculiar brilliance as aa she snuggled closer it was waa a picture ot at domestic love and felicity and it touched haklo deeply john and maude having retired for tho the night jakle and marto maria wore were left alone la in the parlor seated before the fireplace where tile tho gas log was throwing forth d a cheery heat jakle asked marle about herself be reolf she had left the chorus and all her former gay companions and was now employed in a millinery establishment the matter with the show game asked jakle too fast for you yos yes haklo somehow or other I 1 lot myself drift like the others ha had dand and when I 1 came up here to live lira with maude and jotin jolin and tho the kids well they think it was the boat best thing for the kids to have their aunt in the chorus not that they objected to the chorus part of it but then there arc so many other things that go with it the gay company tho the loose way of living and things of that sort so you cut it out tor for the sake of the klest yes for the kids and for my own sako sake I 1 was becoming tired of the life and the homo home life hero here seemed scorned to touch oue something in roe me and make me want to live right there Is nothing in that fast life jakeo the right way Is the only way you may prosper for a time on the wrong road but sooner or later you come to grief brief yes she alto was right jake know knew th the wrong way had dragged him down drink and loose companions had bad brought him to his present level for a long time almo ho he eat bat and gazed at the fire when next he ha spoke there was a tenderness in his voice such OB as had never been there before say marlo marla lie he said do you think you could help me get on the right track the honest road I 1 I 1 want to try I 1 see how happy you are and what a change it has made in you I 1 am going to try tenderly she put her hand on an his arm 1 I am glad that you will try you know I 1 always liked you jakle somehow you were different from the rest of the old crowd tor for you were always a gentleman in your manner you would never stand tor for tho the real rough stuff bluff the kindest thing I 1 hayo have heard board for two wo years said eald jakeo slowly as he patted the small hand band that still lay on his arm suddenly ho he stiffened in his bis chall chalas a thought seized him marlo ho he asked tenderly to la there ony any follow right now that you think a lot of oft you know the way I 1 mean no haklo not now she answered alo lyly as she understood why he asked then she aha added but there might bo be it it if ho he were a right living sort ot of follow T broke in jakle yes yea the clock on the mantelpiece strack sl jck twelve gee its ita christmas Christa aaa morning sighed righo d jakle yes christmas breathed marls marie softly could boudo you think will you wait until well until I 1 can get on tho right track elie nodded her head in silence haklo put his arm around her waist and drew draw her head to hla his shoulder you do care marle mario he whispered again she nodded and then turned her bor lips to his my christmas proa ont sald bald jakle softly uia the best beat little girl in the world and mine added marlos ia the th man that Is to be |