And the Yeah, Welcome back everyone to 1001 classic short stories and tales.

This is your host John Hagenorn and just in time for the holidays

a burglars Christmas by Willa Cather. a story of forgiveness.

Two very shabby-looking young men stood at the corner of Prairie Avenue in 80th Street, looking

despondently at the carriages that wereled by. It was Christmas Eve and the streets were

full of vehicles, florist wagons, grocers, carts, and carriages. The streets were in that half liquid,

half congealed condition peculiar to the streets of Chicago at that season of the year.

The swift wheels that spun by sometimes through the slush of mud and snow over the two young men who were talking on the corner.

Well, remarked the elder of the two, I guess we are at our robes end, sure enough.

How do you feel?

Pretty shaky.

The wind's sharp tonight.

If I had anything to eat, I might mind it so much.

There is simply no show.

I'm sick of the whole business.

It looks like there's nothing for it but the lake.

Oh nonsense I thought you had more grit got anything left you can hock nothing but my beard and I'm afraid they wouldn't find it worth a pawn ticket.

said the younger man ruefully rubbing the weak's growth of stubble on his face.

You got any folks anywhere now's your time to strike them if you have.

Never mind if I have, they're out of the question.

Well, you'll be out of it before many hours if you don't make a move of some sort.

A man's got to eat.

...