Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 February 1919 — Page 2

Blink's Christmas Gift

by Alfred C. Pickells

LINK CORRIGAN* looked ■MoL - from Skeeter's mournful face to the bundle of pa--3' pers under the lad's arm as the lltUe fellow 'turned from a signboard at the edge of the alley. ' “What. youse' whimperin’...about, y’mutt?" he asked. Then ns Skeeter fingered his newspapers, he added, “Stuck?'* “I are,” replied Skeeter sadly, leaning against the corner of the building, one foot resting on top of the other. “An’ look dere." Blink cocked his left eye In the dlrectlon of Skeeter’s nod, and with an exclamation of boyish delight beheld the dramatic scenes portrayed in brilliant colors.

Blink was nicknamed for that defection of his left eye. and readily recognizing that short, uncomplicated names were suitable for the needs of their profession, he had hpplied "Skeeter" to his diminutive younger brother with the authority of the elder brother of a fatherless family. ' .. “Why- Didn’t I See Dat Last Week?” After a few minutes of hard mental labor Blinkspelledout the wording. --“Great M ike 1" he exclaimed. “Why didn t 1 see dat last week. Then turning tp_ Skeeter, .“Say.USkeet, tonight' hey? Ltjg de 'Newsboy Detective.' Its at de Regent, an’ we ken git in de loft fer 15 cents." Again Skeeter’s face \yas.overspread with Sadness. "J only got ’nough to buy madder’s Christmas present, an’ six cents over.' rep’ied the boy. “An’ people ain’t buyin’ no more." “Aw. choke it off; youse aiift on de Job a little hit.” retorted Blink, although he knew that the demand for papers was decreasing. He glanced at Skeeter’s big armful and then at his own slim pije. and-softened a bit. “ti’waii now.make a hurry." he added. “I'll give youse de foist chance.” A customer vhistli’d and Skeeter ran off. Blink jingled the coins in his pocket. “I’ll help de poor kid if he don't sell enough,’’ he told himself. —“Sold- t-’rvv. “ vnmt“ kt 'vMr->—shriH- vmce from'' “We corner. , ; Blink beckoned to him with wildly waving arms. "Hey. youse, pipe yer lights over de re !"> he shouted, pointing across the street. "G’wan. beat it.” ■ Dodging- in'and, out among the wagons and caron “k - run. The street was crowded with traffic at that point, there was a great confusioh of. noises, and the little fellow did not hear the'warning shouts that prei-eded a heavy dray drawn by two runaway Suddenly it crashed full inta_an empty - carriage, and beneathjAlte torn canvas, the splintered wood and glass and the twisted iron lay Skeeter, stunned. Blink, too. Was stunned by the suddenness of the accident. Then bystanders helped him extricate both Skeeter and one of the men of .the team. Skeeter revived quickly, but the man was Severely injured, and while he and Skeeter lay waiting for the ambulance he held a brief, hurried talk with his partner. “Remember. Jim.”' he sjjtd in- a hm J tone, audible enough to Skeeter, "them two tanks, what’s marked is them what has the gasolene forced in ’em; other xwo> plain. The team's ail right, ain’t if?" The man nodded. • “Then get ’ehi up m the Regent,as soon as you can,” the injured man continued. "Bill knows the mark, but be sure’n tell him they’te for the second performance tonight.” Blink had Skeeter home by seven o’clock. Visions of the preparations which their mother and Skeeter and he had made for their Christmas feast had strengthened his pleadings with the hospital doctors. They found a badly sprained ankle and a few .bruises. pi)nk had cast aside all though t of the th eater after the accident, but \Vhen. his mother and he had made Skeeter comfortable .In bed. Skeeter said, “Ain't yousC goin’. Blink?” “Ain’t no good,” returned Blink, shifting awk-_-Wardl£- '-re,...“Ain’t?” repeated Skeeter, his head thrust up In emphasis. “Dat’s all you knows. Why, dere’s goin’ to be twoperformances tonight.” eyes', opened wide'in surprise. “Two !” he exclaimed. “Who said so?” “De man what went to de hospital wit* me," said Skeeter, and he told of the conversation. Jim !” exclaimed'Blink excitedly. “Dere must be some class to dat show.” “I t’ink so," Skeeter agreed. “An say. Blink, you -go. an’ tonjorrer youse kin tell me all about IL” '• ••, , ' , . .. • Blink slapped bls knee and jumped from his chair. "I never t’ought of dat,” he said. 111 A long-Una of eager newsboys stretched from

lhe gallery entrance to well'down bo'urtee street when Blink arrived. Step by step he moved along the line, pass ng the brilliantly lighted stores from which shone an unending array of Christmas things. At as a glittering display of Surgical instruments (az zled him: his eyes rested on two long pieces of polished wood crossed as a background to t e - shining pieces, he stopped, e ’~ eyed and open-mouthed. In a moment Blink, was out, of. the Jina. In another hour he was home, standing before i s mother and holding a pair of crutches up to her astonished gaze, with blit fifteen cents left in his - poekf’s. . . Haltingly. Blink told his story to his mother and asked her to wait until next week for her Christmas present, at which Mr. Corrigan folded the boy hi her arms until he suddenly straightened tip. excited. "Say. look dere!" he exclaimed, pointing breathlessly to a bright glare in the western sky. “Gee! Will yez look at it. Dere’k a whoppin’ big fire somewheres." , It was half past ten o’clock when Blink reached Broadway. The sidewalks were filled with the. usual Christmas eve crowd, most of them unheedful of the tire toward which Blink was .liurrying. , , With crowd grew denser the ex--citenunt greater. Occasionally a few people ■ came hufrving in the opposite direction, and from these Blink heard a lot of mixOd rumors. But what he did hear made him rush the faster. It was the Recent theater: an explosion that seemed to start a tire aft over the theater at once, a panic,i and a score or more of people tew* been. lost. For a moment Blink shuddered at what he felt was a narrow escape for Skeeter end himself. But his boyish excitement gave little room for senTiment. and he became all intent upon getting nearer. “Couldn’t You Stop *lt?” presently the voices of two men caused Blink to draw farther in. They stopped near by and one said: • • "Mv God. Gallagher! There’s people been killed/ Wasn’t there no way? Couldn’t you stop’it?” ’ , -How could 1 stop it?” came the growling reply. “I had the two marked tanks stored away in •props’ room, fixed so’s I could turn ’em on last thing before I left after the house closed. Everything was O. K.. I tell you. until the tanks we had on the calcium lights got weak just in the bur-d-ry scene. The stage manager got hot and called for them other tanks. Well, there was nothin’ to it; I had to get ’em out. I was rankin’ slow work so’s the scene would be over, but the' stage manager was fiery. He had them things connected in a second, turned ’em on, and when the gasolene spray hit. them red-hot limestones in the lamp—My God! I never seen anything like it. Both tanks' burst together, and—you know the rest.” The two men were silent for a moment, then. “Where’s the manager, Jim?" “I don't know.” was the reply Blinkheard. We warned him. Well, it's done now, but I wish we could have burnt his house without —” “Shut up, man. Somebody might hear.” A heavy prolonged rumble, followed by a dull crash <>ffalling the of firemen, and an increased crackling of the flames held the Men speechless for a moment while Blink crawled to the edge of the area way. Then: ' “How about Collins?. He might blow. Let’s go to the hospital and talk to him. It’ll be safer." There was another pause, then the reply: “I never got the name of the hospital. I don’t know where he is.” ' . , * o “You don't!" came the astounded voice. “Then vCe will have to beat it. This is no place for me and you.” ’> The story had become very apparent to Blink, and before the men started he had picked his .way down the smofe-fllled alley, turned back, running.' purposely —stumbled against them, and stood panting for breath. ,

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER, INH.

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“Say,” he said, between breaths, “could youse guys tell me where I could find Mister Gallagher?" The men eyed Blink suspiciously. “What d’you want with him?” asked one of them. “They’s a guy sick in the City hospital what wants to see him right away,” returned Blink. “They sent me up here oh a dead run.” Another great crash and then the smoke in the alley became blinding. But Blink saw the men run, and he fancied' he saw also a grin of satisfaction. Close on their heels Blink ran to the nearest telephone and called the city editor of the Record. He was not a stranger to that official, and he „saL<L__“Di s is Blink Corri ga n-. -Know me?” “Yes, yes; what is it?” came a hurried voice. “I’ve got somethin’ great fer youse and the Record about the fire,” answered Blink excitedly. “Send a man and two plain cops to nheet at de City hospital right away. Tell ’em to wait fer me if I don’t get dere ahead of dem. I’ll point out de men they got to arrest. Are youse on?” “Caqse of fire?” questioned the city editor. ."Sure, ah’ a stunner.” At the hospital Blink stationed himself in the shadow of one of the big columns at the main entrance. Presently the two men from the theater appeared. Blink’s heart started to sink, but ns they to mount the steps the Record man and two headquarters men turned the corner. ' c . Blink slid out from hehind-the pillar, ran down the steps, and wildly wavetl hi« arms to the deteetlvcs. "Plneh ’em!" he cried, as they hjjrried up. The two men turned about. “What’s this for?” asked one. Excitedly Blink blurted out the story. It caused a laugh from the men, looks of incredulity on the part of tlie detectives, and evea-A question on the face of the reporter. 15ut Blink, instead of losing his nerve, remembered stories of the “third degree,” boldly jerked his thumb oyer his shoulder and said. “No use bluffin’. It’s all up wid youse. He’s confessed- —got scared when he heard of de fire.” Blink plucked at the sleeve of one of the detectives and-'pulled him aside l . “Say,” he whispered, “dat was a bluff about him confessin’.” “I know it, vou scamp,” the officer replied; “but he will son, don’t you worry.” The mental preparation of the Injured man within the hospital by The police was a slow apd tedious process through which I’.'ink was consoled, by numerous Winks fron ’ reporter. It was long after press time bell..' the detectives called upon the newspaper man to take down the confession, which verified Blink’s story. In the meantime the reporter had written the main features of the story in anticipation, waited only for the verification and motive, and when they came was off in an instant. Blink followed laid in a stock of papers, which promised to contain an unusual and rapid-selling story. They did, and they sqlti more rapidly then ever before in all Blink’.s professional experience. Only after the edition was exhausted Blink went home, armed with the proceeds in the form of two bundles, one for his mother and one for Skeeter. It wfls a glorioqs Christmas morning. The sun had risen brightly and Blink went in whistling. Just as he passed Into the room a messenger arrived and handed in an envelope and a copy of the Record. It was the first opportunity Blink had had to spell out the headlines, and on the front page in big, black type, supported by half a dozen subheads and encircled by a heavy blue pencil mark were the words: “A. Newsboy Detective.” - ’ Blink cast it aside with the expression, “Slush!” opened the envelope, and passed it to his mother. Mrs. Corrigan read: “My dear Blink: Inclosed find check for SSO in part payment for last night’s work. By your friendliness to us, the delay in securing the confession. and the. fact that the' men on the other papers were chasing up the manager of the Regent tn every corner of New York for a . story on the cause of the fire, the Record made the greatest scoop in history. , Therefore, I say, the inclosed is in part pafymept. Please come to the office tomorrow night prepared to go to work. J “ANDERSON, C. E.”

CHIC DANCE DRESS

Frock May Be Made of White Chiffon or Other Material. Garment Is Trimmed Very Simply With Row* of Inch-Wide Glossy Ribbon in Color. The little dance dress shown in the sketch may be made of white chiffon, net georgette or silk tissue, and It is trimmed very simply with rows of Inch-wide glossy ribbon in colds. Rainbow colors may be selected for the ribbon, two or three of these dainty pale shades being used with very good effect. If desired, the fabric of the gown may also be in color, and the frock be a genuine rainbow affair. A foundation of sheer silk should be used for the dress, and it may be made a slipover by running an elastic in at the waistline. Two or three ribbon straps hold it in place over the shoulder, and a ribbon girdle with long ends circles the waist. A dress of this kind is easy to make and may be very inexpensive. Spending a great deal of money on a dance or evening dress is never really necessary and at present it is poor taste. There will be few formal evening functions during the coming winter season, and the simple dances scheduled call for simple costuming. An allover lace dress Ist always pretty, and many lace dresses are being featured for the coming season. Extreme simplicity Is the rule in designing these frocks. Frequently the bodice is merely a wide girdle of silk or satin topped by a frill or yoke of lace and with short lace sleeves. The skirt may be a single length of lace, or It may be formed of two or three lace flounces. A ribbon sash or girdle finishes the dress. Ribbon trimming is extremely popular this season. Plain bands of ribbon are used on frocks for both day-

Ribbon-Trimmed Dance Frock.

time and eventng~ wear, and ribbon flowers, bowknots, etc., appear on innumerable evening dresses of sheer materials. Very narrow “baby” ribbon is often knitted to form cuffs and collar for a street suit or frock, and the knitted ribbon sweater has been worn for months. During the summer it was merely a sweater, now it appears as a sleeveless Vest to be worn underneath the suit jacket.

LACE ON THE CURVED EDGE

How to Overcome the Perplexing Task of Putting the Straight Material in Place. —— * Have you often been troubled in puffing straight lace on a curved edge? You have been if you have ever tried putting cluny, for instance, on the outside edge of a big rouftd centerpiece. This is an easy way to overcome the difficulty. Roll the lace in a little tight r<?ll. Wind it tightly about the center with' a stout thread. Then dip the straight edge in water to about half the width of the lac 6. Let it dry and you will find a piece of lace ready shaped to your liking. You see what happens is that the straight edge, being wetted, shrinks, and- so can be easily adjusted to the curved edge of the centerpiece. If you have any new table linen — or cottop, mayhap—to hem, try this method. Trim such edges as need trimming and then run them through the machine hemmer, with a fine needle, unthreaded. This win crease the hems with perfect evenness and will also punch holes through the fabric with the unthreaded needle. Then you can turn the hem-back and overhand the hems through the little holes with the least expenditure of effort. Remember in many heavy materials that must be laid in plaits and then pressed that pins can be used to/fasten the plaits into position until they i are pressed. Then, as you press, take I out the pins and press the material

ATTRACTIVE COATEE OF MOLE

All the Way from France comes thi* extremely chic coatee with gray velvet vest. With it Is worn a small triangular hat of mole, ornamented by silver flowers.

into position. You can do this with less marking than basting thread heavy enough to hold the fabric makes. Of course if you want to you can use the heavy basting thread and snip it and pull it as you go along.

METAL AND COTTON THREAD

Combination Is Effective and Affords Charming Variations; Suggestions for the Needlewoman. There is an increasing vogue for combining metal thread with silk, wool, or cotton embroidery. It is tremeneffective and capable of such charming variations. Here are some suggestions for- the needleworker who is interested in the unusual. Say, suppose, you have some “solid” work in silk, cotton or wool. You don’t know how very effective it can be made by an outlining in either gold or silver thread. The idea can be further carried out by adding French knot centers to the flowers of the same. Where the embroidery is done entirely in outline, and particularly if it ' be the heavy wool or cotton kind, : couching in metal is a mighty successful addition. In fact, if the wool or cotton embroidery isn’t already done, try couching it on with the metallic stuff and just see if it isn’t vastly more decorative. Another suggestion for introduclpgthe metal is to “whip stitch” the other thread with it. Wool whipped_oiuthebins, ’spiral effect is the most fascinating thing ever.

New Waist Protector.

Dainty white lace and georgette waists can be perfectly protected from your heavy winter coat by wearing one of the new waist protectors. The prettiest is made of white china silk that can be washed, although any light color may be used. A piece of silk about 24 inches wide and two yards long Is selected, and beginning at the ends, the edges are seamed together for a depth of 12' inches, to form the sleeves. Then the ends are prettily shirred and narrow whltd elastic run In so that they will fit closely about the wrist. When the arms are slipped into these odd sleeves, the width of the silk protects the back of the waist, and there is fullness of material enough so that it may be draped over the bust and securely fastened by fancy pins. The whole waist is thus perfectly protected by. this simple little garment.

Narrow Ribbons on Hats.

Not only are narrow ribbons —usually half an inch to an Inch wide —bein» used more or less in making hats fpi women,, but on both popular-priced and—expensive models gold or silver ribbons of the same widths are employed as trimmings. Either they are drawn around the crown and finished off in soft bows or streamers or they are fashioned into flowers laid flat on the brims or around the crown. These trimmings are said to be especially effective when worn on dark hats.

Veil Lore.

Winter Invariably brings In the smal|, close hat that requires a vtelL Filet, hexagon and hairline meshes wpl lead, with a “novelty” now and then. Chenille dotted veilings are to be worn, anl large furry dots form widely separated motifs. In the woven patterns there will be many allover ideas, and deep borders will bi* considered smart. , -