Show I CHRISTMAS ON THE ROAD Out on the the bleak snow snow covered covered plains of Nevada two figures stood knee deep in snow their ragged garments garments garments gar gar- ments flapping in the fierce icy wind of the night One was a man probably probably probably l ably 30 years of age his face drawn with cold and hunger and his eyes f sunken from years of dissipation f. f p. p and the hardships of the road The other a boy thin and hungry r looking his face blackened with t soot suggestive of the gunnels rather than the ease and comfort of a warm Pullman j As the end lights of a train slowly z dimmed dimpled away into the night the figures approached each other and after climbing the embankment slowly walked down the railroad 4 silently for half a mile or so before the man turned to the boy l Howd you happen to get thrown off he saidI saidI said I was ridin in the tool box on the ten tender er and the firem fireman n tipped off my place to the brakeman Bad Dad place to get ditched aint it Where you goin gain Dont care where Im I'm goin gain kid Its It's just plain wander-lust wander with me said the man with such a touch of sadness in his voice that the boy accustomed accustomed accustomed ac ac- to the careless curses and good humored indifference of the general run of tramps looked up with surprise You must be in as hard a aF arun arun arun F run of luck as me mister he said Its dis way wid me Me l died when I was a baby and me me old cI t man is a faro faro- dealer in a joint in Reno I aint seen him for two years been bottles and rags wid a guy I hooked up wid in Denver We Ve made enough to keep on but he lie died of typhoid caught it from de rags de doctor said When he lie died I bein all broke up hit de first freight train out bound west Yes mister I want to be wid me father for Christ Christ- mas Hes He's a booze comedian and beats me some but I always gets a abuck abuck abuck buck or two and a good feed at Christmas time when Im I'm wid him I just got two days to make Reno before Christmas The off far-off whistle of a a train stopped further conversation and nd they hurried hurried on on to fa the grade As the train puffed up the slope two figures swung onto the rear re-r of the tender and with the agility and swiftness that could only be at attained attained attained at- at from long experience jumped to the top of the baggage carI carI carI car I guess wed we'd cl better buckle in she's pretty slippery up h here re shouted the boy lying flat and with his belt lashing himself t to the small pipe running along the top of the car This is a fierce night to be a a. a passenger They lay this way for hours now and then blowing their hands to keep off the approaching numbness characteristic of the tIie fir first t stages of freezing Finally the tr train in pulled into a station and the alert eyes yes of the boy recognized the old familiar row of saloons as his destination He roused his half frozen compan compan- ion Heres where I leave you old ld man he said and slid over the end of the car The man arose I cant can't leave that kid he lie muttered and followed the boy toward the station house As they entered the door a r reeling eling figure lurched forward and struck the boy heavily with his fist You will have to get out of this town he lie said thickly I dont don't want you here The boy turned a bleeding face toward his companion me dad clad he said his voice shaking and opening the door he slowly led the way out into the howling winds of the night G. G H. H eM Ff A |