contempt, showing in her tone.  "He lets all the kids around build shacks in the backyard, and even gets 'em stuff to build with!" 

 "What fer?" asked the steaming one. Her bewilderment was complete. 

 "Oh," said Mrs. Fry, "he sez something about its bein' necessary to a boy's soul to build something and tear it down. An' pretend things that ain't. One day they calls that mess of rubbish the wilds of Sieberia, an' the next an Indian camp. An' he, he gets right out an' chases around with 'em. He's busted his glasses twice this month."  Mrs. Fry sighed. "I kicks," she went on, "and then he sez, 'Mrs. Fry, I'm sorry, but the fact is, an aunt brought me up, awfully good woman, too, but too neat. I never pounded, and a boy needs to pound.'  Then he sez, 'Now if there is anything you need for the kitchen that I can get you, Mrs. Fry, I'd be glad to.'  An' what can I do? I lead an awful life because of them young rapscallions, but he can't see it!" 

 "Well, I'll be beat!" 

 Mrs. Fry poured out a cup of coffee and pushed it toward her guest.  "Ain't sugar high?" she said as she dumped in two lumps. 

 "You bet," answered her guest.  "Does he set and study much?" she questioned. He was very interesting. Mrs. Fry drew a long breath.  "He don't get no time to set," she answered.  "He hardly has a chance to eat half the time besides being pestered by them kids. I never know when he'll be on time for meals. Did I tell yuh about the bath-tub?" she questioned. 

 The steaming shook her head. 

 "It has two ally-gaters in it!" said Mrs. Fry with emphasis. 

 "My Gawd!" 

 "Yes, one of these here kids got 'em sent him from Florida, or some furrin port, an' his mother, being a sensible woman, wouldn't have 'em near. Well, the kid comes bawlin' to Father McGowan (they always do), an' he sez, 'Now, Jimmy, don't cry. You can put 'em in my bath-tub; I only bathe once a day, and I can use a tin one. Mrs. Fry has her own bath-tub on the third floor, so she won't care.'  I did, but what kin yuh do? I sez, 'I won't enter that room with them reptiles in it fer to clean it.'  He sez, troubled like, 'Well, Mrs. Fry, I'll do it, or get one of the boys to. I don't mind.'  Them kids messing around there. Can yuh see the way they'd clean it!" 

 "Ain't that fierce?" 

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