After Twenty Years, Bob And Jimmy Meet Story : Kids Story To Read Book Online In English

After Twenty Years, Bob And Jimmy Meet Story

After Twenty Years The policeman on the beat moved up the avenue impressively. The time was barely 10 o'clock at night, but chilly gusts of wind with a taste of rain in them had depeopled the streets. When about midway of a certain block the policemen suddenly slowed his walk. In the doorway of a darkened hardware store a man leaned , with an unlighted cigar in his mouth.

As the policeman walked up to him, the man spoke up quickly. "It's all right, officer, "he said. " I'm just waiting for a friend.

It's an appointment made twenty years ago. Sounds a little funny to you, doesn't it?" Well, I'll explain if you'd like to make certain it's all right. About that long ago there used to be a restaurant where this store stands " Big Joe' Brady's restaurant. " "Until five years ago," said the policeman. 

The man in the doorway struck a match and lit his cigar. The light showed a pale, square -jawed face with keen eyes, and a little white scar near his right eyebrow. His scarf pin was a large diamond ,oddly set. "Twenty years ago tonight,"said the man. "I dined here at 'Big Joe' Brady's with Jimmy Wells, my best chum , and the finest chap in the world. He and I were raised here in New York, just like two brothers, together. I was eighteen and Jimmy was twenty. The next morning I was to start for the West to make my fortune. You could not have dragged Jimmy out of New York; he thought it was the only place on earth. Well, We agreed that night that we would meet here again exactly twenty years from the date and time, no matter what our conditions might be or from what distance we might have to come.

We figured that in twenty years each of us ought to have our destiny worked out and our fortunes made, whatever they were going to be. " "It sounds pretty interesting, " said the policeman.

"Rather a long time between meets, though, it seems to me. Haven't you heard from your friend since you left? " "Well, yes, for a time we corresponded ,"said the other. "But after a year or two we lost track of each other. But I know Jimmy will meet me here if he's alive, for he always was the trust, staunchest old chap in the world. He'll never forget. I came a thousand miles to stand in-this door tonight, and it's worth it if my old partner turns up."

The waiting man pulled out a handsome watch, the lids of it set with small diamonds. "Three minutes to ten." He announced. "It was exactly ten o'clock when we parted here at the restaurant door." The policeman said, "I'll be on my way. Hope your friend comes around right." "I should say not!"said the other. "I'll give him half an hour at least. If Jimmy is alive on earth, he'll be here by that time. " "Good night, sir,"said the policeman, passing on along his beat, trying doors as he went.

The man who had come a thousand miles to fill an appointment, with the friend of his youth, smoked his cigar and waited. About twenty minutes he waited, and than a tall man in a long overcoat, with collar turned up to his ears, hurried across from the opposite side of this street. He went directly to the waiting man. "Is that you, Bob?" he asked doubtfully. "Is that you, Jimmy Wells? " cried the man in the door. "Bless my heart! " exclaimed the new arrival, grasping both the other's hands with his own. I was certain I'd find you here if you were still in existence.

Well, well, well! .... twenty years is a long time. The old restaurant has gone, Bob; I wish it had lasted, so we could have bad another dinner there. How has the West treated you, old man? " " Bully has given me everything I asked it for. You have changed lots, Jimmy. I never thought you were so tall by two or three inches." "Oh, I grew a bit after I was twenty." "Doing well in New York, Jimmy?" "Moderately. I have a position in one of the city departments. Come on, Bob; we'll go around to a place I know of, and have a good long talk about old time."

The two men started up the street, arm in arm. The man from the West, his egotism enlarged by success, was beginning to outline the history of his career. The other listened with interest. At the corner stood a drug store, brilliant with electric lights. When they came into this glare , each of them turned to gaze upon the other's face. The man from the West stopped suddenly and released his arm. "You're not Jimmy Wells," he said. "Twenty years is a long time, But not long enough to change a man's nose." "It sometimes changed a good man into a bad one,"said the tall man "You've been under arrest for ten minutes. Chicago police wires us. She wants to have a chat with you. Going quickly, are you? That's sensible.

Now, before we go on to the police station here's a note I was asked to hand you. You may read it here at the window. It's from Patrolman Wells." The man from the West unfolded the little piece of paper handed him. His hand was steady when he began to read, but it trembled a little by the time he had finished. The note was rather short: "Bob: I was at the appointed place on time. When you struck the match to light your cigar, I saw it was the face of the man wanted in Chicago. Somehow I couldn't do it myself, so I went around and got a plain clothes man to do the job."