thout gettin' acquainted with that Old Country face, or learnin' by
heart his "Ha-a-a-ar-lem thr-r-rain! Ha-a-a-ar-lem!"? There's other
old timers that has the brogue, but never a one could touch Larry. A
purple faced, grumpy old pirate, with a disposition as cheerful as a
man waitin' his turn at the dentist's, and a heart as big as a ham, he
couldn't speak a civil word if he tried; but he was always ready to
hand over half his lunch to any whimperin' newsy that came along, and
he's lent out more nickels that he'll ever see again.

But about the other Dillons, I got my first news from Sadie. There was
four of 'em, besides Nora. One was Tom, who had a fine steady job,
drivin' a coal cart for the Consolidated. A credit to the family, Tom
was; havin' a wife and six kids of his own, besides votin' the straight
Tammany ticket since he was nineteen. Next there was Maggie, whose man
was on the stage,--shiftin' scenery. Then there was Kate, the lady
sales person, who lived with the old folks. And last there was
Aloysius, the stray; and wherever he was, Heaven help him! for he was
no use whatever.

"I take it that 'Loyshy's the brunette Southdown of the Dillon flock,"
says I. "What particular brand of cussedness does he make a specialty
of?"

Sadie says that Nora hadn't gone much into particulars, except that
when last heard of he'd joined the Salvationists, which had left old
Larry frothin' at the mouth. He'd threatened to break Aloysius into
two pieces on sight, and he'd put the ban on speakin' his name around
the house.

"Followin' the tambourine!" says I. "That's a queer stunt for a
Dillon. The weeps was for him, then?"

They wa'n't. 'Loyshy's disappearin' act had been done two or three
years back. The tears was all on account of the fortieth weddin'
anniversary of the Dillons, fallin' as it did just a week after Larry
had the spell of rheumatism which got him laid off for good. It's a
nice little way the Inter-Met. people has of rewardin' the old vets.
An inspector finds Larry, with his hand tied to the chopper handle,
takes a look at his cramped up fingers, puts down his number, and next
payday he gets the sack.

"So you've found another candidate for your private pension list, have
you, Sadie?" says I.

But that's another wrong guess. The Dillons ain't takin' charity, not
from anyone. It's the Dillon sisters to the rescue. They rustles
around until they find Larry a job as night watch, in where