Saturday, November 21, 2009
Health Tips
Should drink lots of water. At least 8 -12 glasses of water consumption should be done by an adult.
Develop a healthy eating habit and live more on fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables, and food rich in fiber, shoots, seeds and cereals.
Increase protein intake and also have more of carbohydrate in the diet.
Should do some, yoga, exercises and work out a daily basis, so that can stay in shape as well as fit and healthy. These will surely help to active for a long time.
Take wide variety of food items which includes vegetables, grains, fruits, fish, meat or egg and limit the intake of fried food and should aviod sugary items.
Develop a healthy eating habit and live more on fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables, and food rich in fiber, shoots, seeds and cereals.
Increase protein intake and also have more of carbohydrate in the diet.
Should do some, yoga, exercises and work out a daily basis, so that can stay in shape as well as fit and healthy. These will surely help to active for a long time.
Take wide variety of food items which includes vegetables, grains, fruits, fish, meat or egg and limit the intake of fried food and should aviod sugary items.
Beauty Tips
Body & Face :-
Apply honey for half an hour on your face and wash it with mild hot water. You can feel glow on your skin.
To remove white heads under lips and in the nose area, mix rice powder with water.Let the paste be not very smooth.Apply it on white heads n wash off after 15 mins.U'll get good result.
Apply papaya fruit paste to your skin to get a glowing and brighter skin complexion.
Drink Plenty of Water for Glowing Skin & Avoid Oily Stuff as much as u can
Apply fresh potato juice for 15 min.u ll get glowing skin.
Mix a freash cream with freash lime juicejuice make a paste apply to face and neck.after 30 min wash it with cold water with gram flour it gives natural glowing to skin,freash cream and limejuice acts as a natural bleach to skin and removes suntan.
Mix Orange juice with turmeric powder it will give you a nice complexion.
Lips :-
Apply beetroot juice daily for 5 minutes be4 going 2 bed sure within 10 days ur lips become red n shiny.
Apply plain honey frequently on lips for pink and smooth lips.
hair :-
To prepare ur magical solution for healthy,shining,and strong hair go through the following steps:1.take 1 tsp of honey,1 tsp of olive oil and 1 tsp of lime..
2..add 1 egg in it.
3..apply thoroughly on ur hair from roots to tips.
4..leave for 20mins.wash it.
Wash hair with tea once in a week.
It is better to apply castor oil for a healthy growth of hair.
Boil a few hibiscus flowers in coconut oil. Filter and use this hair oil to control hair loss
and thinning.
Take One Tspoon of eggs white part and apply it to the head then wait for 20 min the take a bath with hot water. by contionsly doing it for once in a weak all the dandruff will wash out..
Eye care :-
If any Black Ring round Your Eyes Then Cut a cucumber round put it on your eyes overnight then you can have a Good Result.
Clean your eyes using rose water before going to bed everyday.u ll get glowing eyes n dirt free.
Apply honey for half an hour on your face and wash it with mild hot water. You can feel glow on your skin.
To remove white heads under lips and in the nose area, mix rice powder with water.Let the paste be not very smooth.Apply it on white heads n wash off after 15 mins.U'll get good result.
Apply papaya fruit paste to your skin to get a glowing and brighter skin complexion.
Drink Plenty of Water for Glowing Skin & Avoid Oily Stuff as much as u can
Apply fresh potato juice for 15 min.u ll get glowing skin.
Mix a freash cream with freash lime juicejuice make a paste apply to face and neck.after 30 min wash it with cold water with gram flour it gives natural glowing to skin,freash cream and limejuice acts as a natural bleach to skin and removes suntan.
Mix Orange juice with turmeric powder it will give you a nice complexion.
Lips :-
Apply beetroot juice daily for 5 minutes be4 going 2 bed sure within 10 days ur lips become red n shiny.
Apply plain honey frequently on lips for pink and smooth lips.
hair :-
To prepare ur magical solution for healthy,shining,and strong hair go through the following steps:1.take 1 tsp of honey,1 tsp of olive oil and 1 tsp of lime..
2..add 1 egg in it.
3..apply thoroughly on ur hair from roots to tips.
4..leave for 20mins.wash it.
Wash hair with tea once in a week.
It is better to apply castor oil for a healthy growth of hair.
Boil a few hibiscus flowers in coconut oil. Filter and use this hair oil to control hair loss
and thinning.
Take One Tspoon of eggs white part and apply it to the head then wait for 20 min the take a bath with hot water. by contionsly doing it for once in a weak all the dandruff will wash out..
Eye care :-
If any Black Ring round Your Eyes Then Cut a cucumber round put it on your eyes overnight then you can have a Good Result.
Clean your eyes using rose water before going to bed everyday.u ll get glowing eyes n dirt free.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
எப்படி விடுபட்டேன்.... நான் மட்டும்!
ஒரு சொல் , ஒரு ஜாடை,
ஒரு முககுறி காட்டிஇருந்தால்
அந்த இரவில்
நிழலாய் தஙகிஇருப்பேன் உன்னோடு .
தொப்புள் கொடி சுவாசம்
தந்த தாயே நீ மாரடைத்து இறந்த அந்த சுவாச
கணத்தில் என் முகம் ஒடிற்ற அம்மா.....
தகர மயானம் முன் குவிந்த விரட்டி படுக்கயுள் நீ.
இறட்டைவடம் மார்பு சங்கலிமேல்
மூத்தவனுக்கு குறி.
அன்னம் பொங்கி அடுப்பில் வெந்த
உன் வலது கரத்தில்
குறடு நுழைத்து வெட்டிய வளையலோ
அடுத்தவனுக்கு.
மகளே உனக்கு என்னமா வேண்டுமென்ற அப்பாவிடம்
கொடிகம்பயுல் காயும் உன்
நைந்த உள் பாவடை காட்டி
அழுகிறேன் பெரும் குரலில்.......
- பா sathyamogan
ஒரு சொல் , ஒரு ஜாடை,
ஒரு முககுறி காட்டிஇருந்தால்
அந்த இரவில்
நிழலாய் தஙகிஇருப்பேன் உன்னோடு .
தொப்புள் கொடி சுவாசம்
தந்த தாயே நீ மாரடைத்து இறந்த அந்த சுவாச
கணத்தில் என் முகம் ஒடிற்ற அம்மா.....
தகர மயானம் முன் குவிந்த விரட்டி படுக்கயுள் நீ.
இறட்டைவடம் மார்பு சங்கலிமேல்
மூத்தவனுக்கு குறி.
அன்னம் பொங்கி அடுப்பில் வெந்த
உன் வலது கரத்தில்
குறடு நுழைத்து வெட்டிய வளையலோ
அடுத்தவனுக்கு.
மகளே உனக்கு என்னமா வேண்டுமென்ற அப்பாவிடம்
கொடிகம்பயுல் காயும் உன்
நைந்த உள் பாவடை காட்டி
அழுகிறேன் பெரும் குரலில்.......
- பா sathyamogan
Monday, November 16, 2009
Guidelines to Design INDEX
Designing a good set of indexes is very complex, time-consuming, and error-prone even for moderately complex databases and workloads. Understanding the characteristics of your database, queries, and data columns can help you design optimal indexes.
Before Designing INDEX consider the following guidelines:
Keep the length of the index key short for clustered indexes. Additionally, clustered indexes benefit from being created on unique or nonnull columns.
Columns that are of the ntext, text, image, varchar(max), nvarchar(max), and varbinary(max) data types cannot be specified as index key columns. However, varchar(max), nvarchar(max), varbinary(max), and xml data types can participate in a nonclustered index as nonkey index columns.
An xml data type can only be a key column only in an XML index.
Examine column uniqueness. A unique index instead of a nonunique index on the same combination of columns provides additional information for the query optimizer that makes the index more useful.
Examine data distribution in the column. Frequently, a long-running query is caused by indexing a column with few unique values, or by performing a join on such a column. This is a fundamental problem with the data and query, and generally cannot be resolved without identifying this situation. For example, a physical telephone directory sorted alphabetically on last name will not expedite locating a person if all people in the city are named as kavitha or Jayanthi.
Consider using filtered indexes on columns that have well-defined subsets, for example sparse columns, columns with mostly NULL values, columns with categories of values, and columns with distinct ranges of values. A well-designed filtered index can improve query performance, reduce index maintenance costs, and reduce storage costs.
Consider the order of the columns if the index will contain multiple columns. The column that is used in the WHERE clause in an equal to (=), greater than (>), less than (<), or BETWEEN search condition, or participates in a join, should be placed first. Additional columns should be ordered based on their level of distinctness, that is, from the most distinct to the least distinct. For example, if the index is defined as LastName, FirstName the index will be useful when the search criterion is WHERE LastName = 'kavitha' or WHERE LastName = kavitha AND FirstName LIKE 'J%'. However, the query optimizer would not use the index for a query that searched only on FirstName (WHERE FirstName = 'Jayanthi'). Consider indexing computed columns. Create nonclustered indexes on all columns that are frequently used in predicates and join conditions in queries.
Note:
Avoid adding unnecessary columns. Adding too many index columns can adversely affect disk space and index maintenance performance.
Covering indexes can improve query performance because all the data needed to meet the requirements of the query exists within the index itself. That is, only the index pages, and not the data pages of the table or clustered index, are required to retrieve the requested data; therefore, reducing overall disk I/O. For example, a query of columns a and b on a table that has a composite index created on columns a, b, and c can retrieve the specified data from the index alone.
Write queries that insert or modify as many rows as possible in a single statement, instead of using multiple queries to update the same rows. By using only one statement, optimized index maintenance could be exploited.
Evaluate the query type and how columns are used in the query. For example, a column used in an exact-match query type would be a good candidate for a nonclustered or clustered index.
Large numbers of indexes on a table affect the performance of INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, and MERGE statements because all indexes must be adjusted appropriately as data in the table changes.
Avoid over-indexing heavily updated tables and keep indexes narrow, that is, with as few columns as possible.
Use many indexes to improve query performance on tables with low update requirements, but large volumes of data. Large numbers of indexes can help the performance of queries that do not modify data, such as SELECT statements, because the query optimizer has more indexes to choose from to determine the fastest access method.
Indexing small tables may not be optimal because it can take the query optimizer longer to traverse the index searching for data than to perform a simple table scan. Therefore, indexes on small tables might never be used, but must still be maintained as data in the table changes.
Indexes on views can provide significant performance gains when the view contains aggregations, table joins, or a combination of aggregations and joins. The view does not have to be explicitly referenced in the query for the query optimizer to use it.
Note:
Use the Database Engine Tuning Advisor to analyze your database and make index recommendations.
Before Designing INDEX consider the following guidelines:
Keep the length of the index key short for clustered indexes. Additionally, clustered indexes benefit from being created on unique or nonnull columns.
Columns that are of the ntext, text, image, varchar(max), nvarchar(max), and varbinary(max) data types cannot be specified as index key columns. However, varchar(max), nvarchar(max), varbinary(max), and xml data types can participate in a nonclustered index as nonkey index columns.
An xml data type can only be a key column only in an XML index.
Examine column uniqueness. A unique index instead of a nonunique index on the same combination of columns provides additional information for the query optimizer that makes the index more useful.
Examine data distribution in the column. Frequently, a long-running query is caused by indexing a column with few unique values, or by performing a join on such a column. This is a fundamental problem with the data and query, and generally cannot be resolved without identifying this situation. For example, a physical telephone directory sorted alphabetically on last name will not expedite locating a person if all people in the city are named as kavitha or Jayanthi.
Consider using filtered indexes on columns that have well-defined subsets, for example sparse columns, columns with mostly NULL values, columns with categories of values, and columns with distinct ranges of values. A well-designed filtered index can improve query performance, reduce index maintenance costs, and reduce storage costs.
Consider the order of the columns if the index will contain multiple columns. The column that is used in the WHERE clause in an equal to (=), greater than (>), less than (<), or BETWEEN search condition, or participates in a join, should be placed first. Additional columns should be ordered based on their level of distinctness, that is, from the most distinct to the least distinct. For example, if the index is defined as LastName, FirstName the index will be useful when the search criterion is WHERE LastName = 'kavitha' or WHERE LastName = kavitha AND FirstName LIKE 'J%'. However, the query optimizer would not use the index for a query that searched only on FirstName (WHERE FirstName = 'Jayanthi'). Consider indexing computed columns. Create nonclustered indexes on all columns that are frequently used in predicates and join conditions in queries.
Note:
Avoid adding unnecessary columns. Adding too many index columns can adversely affect disk space and index maintenance performance.
Covering indexes can improve query performance because all the data needed to meet the requirements of the query exists within the index itself. That is, only the index pages, and not the data pages of the table or clustered index, are required to retrieve the requested data; therefore, reducing overall disk I/O. For example, a query of columns a and b on a table that has a composite index created on columns a, b, and c can retrieve the specified data from the index alone.
Write queries that insert or modify as many rows as possible in a single statement, instead of using multiple queries to update the same rows. By using only one statement, optimized index maintenance could be exploited.
Evaluate the query type and how columns are used in the query. For example, a column used in an exact-match query type would be a good candidate for a nonclustered or clustered index.
Large numbers of indexes on a table affect the performance of INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, and MERGE statements because all indexes must be adjusted appropriately as data in the table changes.
Avoid over-indexing heavily updated tables and keep indexes narrow, that is, with as few columns as possible.
Use many indexes to improve query performance on tables with low update requirements, but large volumes of data. Large numbers of indexes can help the performance of queries that do not modify data, such as SELECT statements, because the query optimizer has more indexes to choose from to determine the fastest access method.
Indexing small tables may not be optimal because it can take the query optimizer longer to traverse the index searching for data than to perform a simple table scan. Therefore, indexes on small tables might never be used, but must still be maintained as data in the table changes.
Indexes on views can provide significant performance gains when the view contains aggregations, table joins, or a combination of aggregations and joins. The view does not have to be explicitly referenced in the query for the query optimizer to use it.
Note:
Use the Database Engine Tuning Advisor to analyze your database and make index recommendations.
Husband: Hi dear. I’m logged in
Wife: Have you brought the groceries?
Husband: Bad command or file name
wife: But I told you in the morning ?
Husband: Erroneous syntax. Abort, retry, cancel?
Wife: What about my new TV ?
Husband: Variable not found
Wife: At least, give me your credit card. I need to do some shopping
Husband: Sharing violation. Access denied
Wife: It was a great mistake that I married an idiot like you
Husband: Data type mismatch
Wife: You are useless
Husband: By default
Wife: What about your salary ?
Husband: File in use. Try after some time
Wife: Who was in the car this morning ?
Husband: System is unstable. Press ALT + CTRL + DEL to reboot
Wife: Are you going to have some snacks ?
Husband: File system full
Wife: What is the relation between you and your receptionist ?
Husband: only user with WRITE permission
Wife: What is my value in this family ?
Husband: Unknown virus
Wife: Do you love me or your computer or you’re being just funny ?
Husband: Too many parameters!
Wife: I will go to my dad’s house.
Husband: This program has performed an illegal operation and will be terminated
Wife: I’ll leave you forever
Husband: Close all programs and logout and then login as another user
Wife: It’s worthless talking to you
Husband: Shutdown the computer
Wife: I’m going
Husband: It’s now safe to turn off your computer
Wife: Have you brought the groceries?
Husband: Bad command or file name
wife: But I told you in the morning ?
Husband: Erroneous syntax. Abort, retry, cancel?
Wife: What about my new TV ?
Husband: Variable not found
Wife: At least, give me your credit card. I need to do some shopping
Husband: Sharing violation. Access denied
Wife: It was a great mistake that I married an idiot like you
Husband: Data type mismatch
Wife: You are useless
Husband: By default
Wife: What about your salary ?
Husband: File in use. Try after some time
Wife: Who was in the car this morning ?
Husband: System is unstable. Press ALT + CTRL + DEL to reboot
Wife: Are you going to have some snacks ?
Husband: File system full
Wife: What is the relation between you and your receptionist ?
Husband: only user with WRITE permission
Wife: What is my value in this family ?
Husband: Unknown virus
Wife: Do you love me or your computer or you’re being just funny ?
Husband: Too many parameters!
Wife: I will go to my dad’s house.
Husband: This program has performed an illegal operation and will be terminated
Wife: I’ll leave you forever
Husband: Close all programs and logout and then login as another user
Wife: It’s worthless talking to you
Husband: Shutdown the computer
Wife: I’m going
Husband: It’s now safe to turn off your computer
After Twenty Years By O Henry
The policeman on the beat moved up the avenue impressively. The impressiveness was habitual and not for show, for spectators were few. The time was barely 10 o'clock at night, but chilly gusts of wind with a taste of rain in them had well nigh depeopled the streets.
Trying doors as he went, twirling his club with many intricate and artful movements, turning now and then to cast his watchful eye adown the pacific thoroughfare, the officer, with his stalwart form and slight swagger, made a fine picture of a guardian of the peace. The vicinity was one that kept early hours. Now and then you might see the lights of a cigar store or of an all-night lunch counter; but the majority of the doors belonged to business places that had long since been closed.
When about midway of a certain block the policeman 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, reassuringly. "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 straight. 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. "It was torn down then."
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 scarfpin was a large diamond, oddly set.
"Twenty years ago to-night," 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 couldn't 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 that 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. You see, the West is a pretty big proposition, and I kept hustling around over it pretty lively. But I know Jimmy will meet me here if he's alive, for he always was the truest, stanchest old chap in the world. He'll never forget. I came a thousand miles to stand in this door to-night, 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."__
"Did pretty well out West, didn't you?" asked the policeman.
"You bet! I hope Jimmy has done half as well. He was a kind of plodder, though, good fellow as he was. I've had to compete with some of the sharpest wits going to get my pile. A man gets in a groove in New York. It takes the West to put a razor-edge on him."
The policeman twirled his club and took a step or two.
"I'll be on my way. Hope your friend comes around all right. Going to call time on him sharp?"
"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. So long, officer."
"Good-night, sir," said the policeman, passing on along his beat, trying doors as he went.
There was now a fine, cold drizzle falling, and the wind had risen from its uncertain puffs into a steady blow. The few foot passengers astir in that quarter hurried dismally and silently along with coat collars turned high and pocketed hands. And in the door of the hardware store the man who had come a thousand miles to fill an appointment, uncertain almost to absurdity, with the friend of his youth, smoked his cigar and waited.
About twenty minutes he waited, and then a tall man in a long overcoat, with collar turned up to his ears, hurried across from the opposite side of the 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. "It's Bob, sure as fate. 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 gone, Bob; I wish it had lasted, so we could have had another dinner there. How has the West treated you, old man?"
"Bully; it has given me everything I asked it for. You've 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 times."
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, submerged in his overcoat, listened with interest.
At the corner stood a drug store, brilliant with electric lights. When they came into this glare each of them turned simultaneously to gaze upon the other's face.
The man from the West stopped suddenly and released his arm.
"You're not Jimmy Wells," he snapped. "Twenty years is a long time, but not long enough to change a man's nose from a Roman to a pug."
"It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one, said the tall man. "You've been under arrest for ten minutes, 'Silky' Bob. Chicago thinks you may have dropped over our way and wires us she wants to have a chat with you. Going quietly, are you? That's sensible. Now, before we go on to the 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. JIMMY."
Trying doors as he went, twirling his club with many intricate and artful movements, turning now and then to cast his watchful eye adown the pacific thoroughfare, the officer, with his stalwart form and slight swagger, made a fine picture of a guardian of the peace. The vicinity was one that kept early hours. Now and then you might see the lights of a cigar store or of an all-night lunch counter; but the majority of the doors belonged to business places that had long since been closed.
When about midway of a certain block the policeman 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, reassuringly. "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 straight. 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. "It was torn down then."
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 scarfpin was a large diamond, oddly set.
"Twenty years ago to-night," 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 couldn't 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 that 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. You see, the West is a pretty big proposition, and I kept hustling around over it pretty lively. But I know Jimmy will meet me here if he's alive, for he always was the truest, stanchest old chap in the world. He'll never forget. I came a thousand miles to stand in this door to-night, 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."__
"Did pretty well out West, didn't you?" asked the policeman.
"You bet! I hope Jimmy has done half as well. He was a kind of plodder, though, good fellow as he was. I've had to compete with some of the sharpest wits going to get my pile. A man gets in a groove in New York. It takes the West to put a razor-edge on him."
The policeman twirled his club and took a step or two.
"I'll be on my way. Hope your friend comes around all right. Going to call time on him sharp?"
"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. So long, officer."
"Good-night, sir," said the policeman, passing on along his beat, trying doors as he went.
There was now a fine, cold drizzle falling, and the wind had risen from its uncertain puffs into a steady blow. The few foot passengers astir in that quarter hurried dismally and silently along with coat collars turned high and pocketed hands. And in the door of the hardware store the man who had come a thousand miles to fill an appointment, uncertain almost to absurdity, with the friend of his youth, smoked his cigar and waited.
About twenty minutes he waited, and then a tall man in a long overcoat, with collar turned up to his ears, hurried across from the opposite side of the 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. "It's Bob, sure as fate. 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 gone, Bob; I wish it had lasted, so we could have had another dinner there. How has the West treated you, old man?"
"Bully; it has given me everything I asked it for. You've 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 times."
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, submerged in his overcoat, listened with interest.
At the corner stood a drug store, brilliant with electric lights. When they came into this glare each of them turned simultaneously to gaze upon the other's face.
The man from the West stopped suddenly and released his arm.
"You're not Jimmy Wells," he snapped. "Twenty years is a long time, but not long enough to change a man's nose from a Roman to a pug."
"It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one, said the tall man. "You've been under arrest for ten minutes, 'Silky' Bob. Chicago thinks you may have dropped over our way and wires us she wants to have a chat with you. Going quietly, are you? That's sensible. Now, before we go on to the 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. JIMMY."
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