Page:Stringer - Lonely O'Malley.djvu/100

 performance to come to a confused and ignominious end.

When the last child had emerged from the hay and dust, and the tumult had subsided, the entire audience repaired sorrowfully to the bake-shop window, where they drew up in a hungry circle and lingered wistfully, to feast in spirit on the array of good things within. For with the arrival and display of a wonderful new stock of licorice-sticks, pepper-drops, butter-scotch, and caramels, this window had become the centre of attraction for all the neighborhood. Little girls licked the iron guard-rail in silent and pensive ecstasy. Babies were held up to flatten their little noses against the pane, to drum and paw ineffectually at the highly colored confections within. Small boys tarried to smack their lips over the box of chocolate mice. And as half a dozen times a day Lonely sauntered airily in and out of the magic door behind which lay all this wealth, it is no wonder that sly advances were made to him, and that Bettie Doyle gave him her agate alley, and that Lulu Barrison extended to him a generous and significant invitation to come and witness the poisoning of their cat.