Show Ded ct resent By Willard Olvin Olvan Parsing Persing HE REASSURING WEIGHT of T THE the tho nickels and dimes in m his pocket took the bite out of the raw Saturday afternoon Surveying the tho street from the eminence of three dollars for the first time in his eleven years Jimmy Sands thought It was a pretty nice world after all Alter After enjoying this sense of prosperity prosperity pros pros- for a few seconds he remembered that hed he'd have to hurry if ho wanted to hide the Christmas present before his mother woke up from tram her nap napA A frown came over oer his face faco as he glanced around to locate his pup Mike l wasn't anywhere any any- where In sight He started to whistle but his attention was caught by little Sammy Farr eyed big with excitement excitement excite excite- ment and fright running toward him Hey Jimmy called Sammy They took Mike I Jimmys Jimmy's heart sank He knew who they meant but he had to tomake tomake tomake make sure Who took him The dogcatcher Mike tried to torun torun torun run away but they caught him down at the corner Little Sammy wiped his nose on ona ona a ragged cuff I didn't have time timeto to hide him like we always alwa's did be be- I s i I RI f i a f r r A boy bar of eleven cleven couldn't cry In front of a year seven so Jimmy blinked bUnked away the tears ore lore when that old dogcatcher came around I shouldn't have left him down here by himself but I didn't w want mt to wake Mom up Jimmy sat down on the step and burled buried his face in his hands Sure he thought they'll keep Mike five days before they get rid of him but a license will cost two dollars and a half halt Then he be straightened up he had three dollars in his pocket three dollars all his own that he had earned by running errands selling junk and saving the few pennies that his mother had given him for Cor candy If U he bought a license for Mike he be wouldn't be able to buy the new purse for his mother but he could buy a nice handkerchief or something something some some- thing with the fifty cents that he would have left A boy of eleven couldn't cry In front of a year seven so Jimmy blinked away the tears that came when he thought of fuzzy playful Mike being tossed into a pen full of big snarling dogs I wonder if 11 they'll feed him good A SENSE OF SHAME kept returnIng returning returning re re- re- re turning when Jimmy thought of his mothers mother's shabby old purse Shed She'd had it as long as he could remember and he had seen her stop several times to admire the shiny black one with the gold gold- colored clasp that was in Hoffberg's Hoffberg's Hoff- Hoff bergs berg's window He had been lookIng lookIng looking look- look Ing forward to Christmas morning when she could carry the new one proudly to church instead of hiding the old ones one's shabbiness by tucking tucking tuck tuck- ing in it under her arm It just wouldn't be right right to spend that money for Mikes Mike's license Come on Sammy if it you'll keep keepit it a secret Ill I'll let you go with me meto meto meto to buy Moms Mom's present Maybe he could leave the purse with the landlady until after his mother had gone ione to work Jimmy was glad that the she wouldn't have to clean up those offices on Christmas Eve and Christmas night Jimmys Jimmy's mother smiled at him over the potatoes she was peeling for their supper you OU come up the front way Yes Jimmy closed the door and walked over to stare out the theone theone theone one window in their room You didn't leave Mike out in front No No The tears that he had been holding back poured out The dogcatcher took him away Jimmy sank into a chair by the table and buried his head in his arms Smiling to herself Jimmys Jimmy's mother placed a comforting hand handon on his shoulder and said I r think it will be all right with Santa if you get your pre present en tonight instead of tomorrow v night Sh She took an envelope out of the shabby purse that lay on the fable table Merry Christmas Jimmy Something In h her r voice made Jimmy open the envelope and look inside Mikes license Jimmy grabbed his cap and started for lor forthe forthe the door You had better watt wait till tomorrow tomorrow to to- morrow Jimmy Its It's late and its it's A R long loni way over to the dog pound They'll take good goad care of Mike j j R. R j |