Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 126, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 December 1909 — HUNKY SMITH’S ETHICS. [ARTICLE]

HUNKY SMITH’S ETHICS.

The peculiar ethics of Himky-Qmith, burglar, petty thief and pickpocket, were never more clearly brought before his partner, Lefty Jones, than on the night in which the duo made off with a considerable quantity of jewelry from the Taber mansion. Hunky had been unusually silent all the evening, and efforts made by Les-; ty to arouse him as they plodded down the railroad track, Hunky carrying the swag, were without avail. Finally Lefty, laughing more to himr self than to Hunky exclaimed: “Gee, I left your card on the sitting room table under a paper weight. I gpes& they won’t miss it. all right ,all right.’’ . Hunky stopped short and glared at Lefty. ~ “You didn’t go and leave my card there?” he questioned. “My professional card with my nanie on it?” “Snre,’’ assented Lefty in amazement. “You’’ started Hunky, but broke off the sentence to turn abruptly and race back in the direction of the Taber home. Lefty, in tremendous astonishment, gazed after Hunky for a moment, and then followed. Why should Hunky act like that?” It had always been a matter of professional pride with Hunky to leave his card at every place he made a successful job. It was a bit of bravo, but few people in the world know him as “Hunky Smith,” the name which appeared on the card. Lefty .had noticed’’" that Hunky neglected to leave his card at the Taber residence and consequently had left it for him, thinking Hunk’s negligence was due to an oversight. Puzzling his brain over the matter, Lefty retraced his steps until the big Taber home loomed up before him. Then he waited in a shadow until HUnky appeared. There was a foolish smile on Hunky’s face when he joined Lefty and the two again moved off down Ihe railroad. £ * Well?” exclaimed, Lefty querulously. Hunky turned and gazed vacantly at Lefty for a moment. Then he extended his right hand and showed a small wad of paper, which had evidently been considerably chewed by someone. “The kid did that,” declared Hunky, pride in his voice. “He’s found my card and chewed it like that. I didn’t know she had a kid,” he added softly. “Well, I’ll be !” exploded Lefty. “What did you do with the stuff?” “Oh, I left it,” answered Hunky, carelessly. “I didnt mind robbing her —she’s got a rich man and can get more, but when it comes to taking stuff from her poor, helpless little kid, that may need the stuff badly some day, I can’t do it, that’s all.” “Why you big stiff!” cried Lefty. “What’re you gassing about, anyhow?” “I’d dike stuff from her and her man, all right,” went on Hunky, with 5, faraway air, “but I wouldn’t let her know that it was me that took her stuff, and when it comes to robbing her kid, that’s too much. I put the swag in the crib with the kid. I founa him under the table chewing and fussing over my card, that musta blown off,” he added. “What’s this kid to you, anyhow?” fairly yelled Lefty, in the agony of losing the results of their night’s work. “Who’s the woman, anyhow?” Hunky turned and looked at Lefty as though he had just discovered hi 3 partner after a return from a long trip. “Why,” he said, calmly, yet with an intonation of surprise. “Don’t you know? She’s my sister!”—Frank H. Williams.