THE HUNDREDTH MAN. (Flora Ilainos Apponyi In The Current "Now we hero, my friend," said John Proc tor, bli honest eye looking gravely into tbo tramp's face as ho balanced a (time on the tip of Ilia finger, Tin not going to road you a homily on Uie aubjo -t of liibor, btit I vant to present for your consideration a little matter of statistics. You know, ai well oi I, that the territory in (warming with men of your class. No less than six, legglng for money, bare stopped me on the street to-day: while down there at the yard" indicating with hU band a row of tiill lumlier piles surrounding a small building in the distance "we haven bad throe applications for work ill a mouth,' "Try me." "Do you imagine you would work if you bad tho chance f I have bud a little expert' encewitu fellow of your sort You bave such rcmarkuhle apjxtites." Ho addressed bim generic-ally, an the representative of a race. "You work half an hour, then come around with the plea that you can't labor on an empty stomach, draw an advance of half a dollar on your wagon, and that is the last we ever see of you." The man retorted so sharply that one could almost bave fancied the poor romnunt of spirit still abiding in him stirred to some thing resembling wrath. "That's always the way," he muttered. "8ay we won't work; then won't give us a show. I know we're a pretty low-down lot, but some of us start out square enough. If a man once gats down, there's no getting up again." There was something almost pathetic in bis Very sulle nness as be shuffled away, his rags flapping in the breeze, and Ill-mated shoes clattering an accompaniment to bis gait. "Come back here, will you I" John Trcxitor's voice was stern and docislve. The tramp halted, hesitated, looked away, then shuffled back again. "Come down to the yard this afternoon and I'll give you a job. but take the bulf dollar and get tilled up first" He had exchanged tho dime for a larger coin and held it in his outstretched imlni The man did not immediately extend bis hand to take it In tho moment or two that dunned the young lumlxrmnn thought that he detected a truce of something allied to if went ful pHilo in his bearing. Hut tho illu sion vanished as a grimy hnnd cloned greedily li) Kin the silver, Riid the fellow diiiapx?arod without even troubling himself to muko any formal expression of his gratitude John Tractor looked after him with a qulz ricul smile. Five minutes Inter ho knew his own name would lie the toast of u drunken crowd of loafers In the suloon nround tho cor ner. It wkb not bis Hint experience of the kind To lie miro it wouldn't help to advance a certain Quixotic reputation which hail at tached itself to Mm since bis flirt advent in t!il little now Mexican town. Hut he had steadily adhered to his croed: Granted that ninuty-nine out of a hundred of this (lotting population were t hieves and incudicnntH, he won wont tosay hu preferred tots) vicfmlzed by tho ninety and ulnu, rather thau uiisstkut hundredth mint Arrived at the jiark, a strip of land run rlng through tho heart of the place, tlm titlo to which wus in disjiuto between tho railroad comjiauy, a handful of determined sqnuttcrs, and the government, John brought down tha wire fence this noon with ouo vigorous kick. Kicking down this wire fence was one of the legilimnto post ilium 'of the in habitant, who eoulil not nir.ird to make ado tour of a milo or more to nuch their places of business, nor yet ha::urd garments by fouling it, Those enoronchniontM on thopnrt of the citizens hud onco been resisted with wailiko OemonntiiilloiiH, but now ns i'roefor ftepxd tliroiii.li the gup, a patient looking, roinuKhoiildcieil little mnu udvaneod, trun dling a wheelbarrow 1-ub n with a huge coil of buib wire., and, politely grueling tlio tres jiusser, set aiumt repairing tint fence, 1'ur bons was in tlio employ of the road uud scrupulously olieyod his Instructions but a gleam of humor in his eyo told that ho syiu ust liishHl with tho tiiitisgivttor, As John Tractor took his way down through tho park in the direction of bis of fice, lie seemed to throw off the unpleasant rellections which bud Uxn annoying hlni, with one shrug of It's powurful shoulders, Theyounj mun'seyi . fell cheerily upon the somewhat imnngri' ui iirray of buildings which constituted I o town. lie gloried in the homely littio toihYex, sqtuttliijr over the pround in various d.ioc; Ion. Hud not every font of lumber l.i en supplied from his own yard, and did lint thw nvnluucho of trade liieuie-Annlel Noielug could be mean or jKKr which brought tiio: wonry years of waiting to nu end. llo was a jira. tical man, little given to cntluhuu.ni of any sort, but for her sake he looked with glowing vision utiou tho turreted uioim- tain to in the diitnuoe, with their purple uiniioniiaiiu guuioil ngnt. Jliv sho would rejoice over them, thut quiet little denizen of western pmliim who had lived aiming tho monotonous levels of central Illinois all her life. Tim fhourht lent cheerful energy to his voice tisiio entered tho yard and gnve some directions to Maxon, his linrd w-ork.-d Uiok keeierand general fnctntum. 1'i-octor was dimply engrossed Iti pinking out an order for Kivoml car-loads of finishing liinitior, when a shadow il.ultriii'd tlm disir, and tlio tramp stood Is'fom liini, llo could not repress au exolamntion of snrprius The viignhoud ol served It, uud his lace lowered Hi ho assorted Llnwlf deliuntly. "Yes I've emo," he mid. ' What are you Koing to give me to do" , John Tractor put on his liat and went with bim into the yard, where an empty our was waiting to be filled on au onler from a neigh boring town. He showed (human a suuill slip of isipvr tacked uui the end, and was Unit to explain where be would Hud the ma terial designated, when the fellow threw olt bis cont and deftly attacked a pile of seant ling, which chanced to bo ttio first item on the list "Hulloa!" said Tnx-tor, gazing nt Mm In turprta "You seem to know something Unit thU budutwi." "A litllo," i-eturiH-d the ninn shortly. Tho young lumberman took his wuy to the oflU. A lit Hi) Intir the rud.ly wigeof Wuxiui Uk kd in at the door as ho ivuu ued from dinner. "l!i, by the way. Maxon, I baveanewnian at work out iu the yard. You inlht kti an eye on him.' "Now, J!r. lVoctor!" cxclalnuxl Maxon. in lioiiele protect, "l it auoUwr of them fl lot" "Well, y hi he declared be wan willing to work, and it socuu miiy fuir to give a man a chance." Tho broad-shouldered young proprietor Was avowMlly in tho defensive. Si fur ns I'm cimivniod, of course Its nothing to me," observed SI axon, deje.-te.lly. Hut it p, nie out to have v..u made a Ia11.4hing-.t1, all over town, it's a itliame -well, it's no uw UlUng. Yes, vou may le iMl u me to keep an cy on him, sir Those ft-Uowt will Uw walchhig. I say, though. Sir. lVnctor. l.vm't you got tuk-hty cloneuptotliaihundwir Half an hour Uter Slsxon looked In again, bi. f. lu up with a mischievous snide. IWt you want totakealw-k at your new Laud now, Mr. IWtorl lUt is Jut V,. ; - Z ? 7 1 'cUow "'th bl2 diammid bla.ing in his shirt Itsthe5,0WfromJuni-e(boi)()maD(U miull(J Uvf u v KUeimM i t n'oment to spare." f hb chalj ill! sto like the rest of them; sitting on a lumber pile all doubled up with a pain in" A flying Hpanixh conversation look checked further Intelligence and Mnxon dodgod around the oornor to escape other mlwi!'. At 0 o'clock, when the hands came up to receive pay for their day's lolsir, John J'roctor saw his protege standing off a little d Stance. The man made no demand for wages, and bis employer took no notice of bim. As the men filed out, the express agent of the I'lumbago City train, a peMonal friend of Trot-tor's ciime running Into the o.'Ilco with a jmekage In his band "Here, iToctor, run thcra over quickly and sign this rei-eipt. it Kigiior. I haven The lumberman Lustily counted the nob, signed bis name to the receipt in a bold, (lushing hand, and the agetit hurried off. Left aiuno, I roctor drew from bis pocket a long, Huwia-lcuthcr jxicknt-book and laid the note carefully inside. As he thrust this into bis breast pocket, bo chanced to g'auce toward the window, and encountered the hungry eyes of the trump sharply following bis movements from without As the man saw that he was detected, be paused, soemod about to speak, then changed bis ndnd and sauiv tered carelessly away, A vague anxiety assailed John Trot-tor. It was long after banking hours; there was no help for it, he must be custodian of bis treasure, until morning. He sat up late that night The payment of this sum Was all that was iiccemary to make tho eastern trip a definite and tangible matter. There was a pile of correspondence to be turned off and a letter to be dispatched to that little woman in IIlluoli, tolling her to discharge her music pupils and make ready for bis coming. When he hod finished his letters he sat quietly for awbllo in bis big arm chair, It was very lata whon be rose, and, locking doors and windows, proceeded to the little inner room where be slept He drew off bis coat, and, folding it carefully, placed it beneath bis pillow. Tln-n bo ex amined the barrels of an English bull-dog ilstol, which bung uimn a book beside bis lied. r.eusKured by tills precaution ho sank Into a heavy sleep. Heveral hours Uiforu a man bad crawled ujiou a low pile of plunk, flanked by two other of towering height As ho stretched himself at length, with a bundle of shakes for a pil kiw, be philosophically reflected that such a bed was not to I dipi.-d. He was not ill- qwilillod to judge, for his exiiericni-e had been wido and ilivei-.ihe 1, and ho hud learned to weigh tho mit dellc-ito Mlnt.i of vuruim-e with tho l.no discrimination of a connoisseur. He hnd traveled hnlf way ncniss the continent without once knowing tho shel ter of a civilized roof. Ho had tented beneath tlio frngnmt shade of orange groves in south ciin California, and, in waving Holds of golden grain, i-ed, wuiielerriblo July nlgliU on the Colorado desert, wh'ro the mor- u ry marks 110 degivesat midnight, pnivh g for liter and choking with the hot dust f the urid w u to, waking at daybreak to lind the delusive inlragn mocking him in the dis tance. Ho bud sunk down exhausted on tho iiirren iilnteuus of Arizona and roused to find himself ktahhml In a thoiwind places by the miuuUi cactus needle, cast upon lilm by tho lualicious brci'ze: ever luml on by tho swei fiu-e of a child wlio hud smiled furowoll Ihnmgh a mist of tears. Tho quiet of tho place, the g"iitly stirring air, odorous with tho fragrance of the pino wooils, the sleepy twinkle of the stars over head, and the weariness of mtiKclca unacciiH lined to lalxir, soon lullul him Into slumU-r, A little later, two glowing trks of tlio Kvmid to glido down tho rnili-ond track, olo around tho olllee and disaiiis-aml ithln tho long drying-shed at iu rear. During their pi-ogrei thivo simrk of Ilia nccusioiinlly dc.-rileil miigniUceut curves in air, 'ii tho necontimtiou of certain rhyth- iniciil iitterauees in tho corrupted Hjiaui-.li of the Mexicuu tongue. Iho lowest Slexieau K'i'ii, whu all his life goc half clothed, half d end unsheltered, handle his cigin-or iiiutlo with tho line pomposity and curo- ss" grace of tho proudest hidalgo, iToini Ttvctor awoko that night to find hlm- If ii'suil.-d by a fx mightier than his feeble naginution hud pictuiviL Ho tried to rise ut found hiuiseli' uiiublo to move, op-.in aid y a leri'it le sense oi suuocution troni itense Uiiihm of sinolio whi;h llllel tho air through which vast sheets of ilnmo durUsl their forked tongues toward him. Suddenly io wall of llnnie uud Mnuko wits tun-tod, und tho face of tiio tramp bent over him. Ho as roughly shaken, pulled mf tho lied, half drugged, half curnoil through tho lit'.lo pri- uto ollli-o and into tho larger room Uvyond, hero tho lire had Ugun its work of dovustn- ,011. Ihen vol-.-e and memory came buck nud Ui shouted: "My notes! In my coat Ks kct under tho pillow let mo go!" I-or answer ho was violently propollivl for n rd into tlut arms of some men, eagerly rowiiing through tlio Hunting doorway. o struggled to free himself fiMin their vise- like grasp. Ilo fought with them, cursei tliciu, nud finally broke down and cried likj a child, Muxou's iioi-co tones lwullcd him to himself. "Why, mnu, do you think wo would let you go into that ilery fiirnui-jj a;iinf Seii Tliei-o gin-s the iisif now." With a gentle waving motion, the roof seemed to slowly vibrato to nud fro, then sank dow n w ith a sudden crash, and a flying- column or sparks oolelimtod its downfall, With hulf-duxrd S 'I'.mw John Tnx'torstanxl iiUmt him, und his giito wundeitxl to tho sky nnoo, wtieivuu angry crimson clow had blntd-d out the stars and rested upon the dis tant mountain chains weirdly ivlleetingfivm their beamed fronts and craggy peaks tho glm-e of the unrighteous flumes. Would she udmiiv them now I Suivly it was a spwtado to enchant tho eyo oi an unptvjmiiciHt sxH-tn:or,w hose whole pos sessions were not U-iug snerilk-ed to the effect, llo turned collix-ttslly to thoMvno Nfoiv him. lucre was still something to be done, Tho crenm of tlie stc-k had Uvn dost roved, but uiilesNsomepilesof lutuU'i-totlierightof tho building were sp.edily removed, iho tiro would conuuimleate wilh tlie whole outside slock, stretched for several hundred yards along ; tho'ralli-oad truck. He tuiiMxl to tho crowd of moil who stood inactive, gaiuig u I in tlio scene: Come on and help us save the lumUr!" . A couple of down men canio promptly for ward. The luniUrman mw, to his surprise, that tho volunteers were almost exclusively cotnixwod of the sivcnlled pivfessioiml men of the town. Tlie l.x-al ollloiiiU of the railroad, a diipr, well disid si-t of fellows, com monly viewed with contemptuous ey by tlio hard-working xn tion of tho population, presented tbeuiM-lvos almost to a luan. Tiio tall form of Judge Chcosemun, a tiff and somewat orutix-rntio legal luminary, loomed up iu their miiUt. A ipilct-hxiking little real estatv aj-nt lenxl oin a pile of shingles and Iwgnu to fling the liiui-hos down to a Centum chemist U-low. Tlio two rival cxlitors (for lh 1,-ast of ew Slexlcan vUhigea usually boasts its miniature nevpnix.rdou), who hnd exchanged shots on liold avenue the previous day, glared cordi ally at . h oilier along flM ' lengtlis of the timU-rs they undertook to transport to a place of safety. Tlie laboring xpultion otTered sran-ily a representative, tave in Uie pei4isof a few contractors and niecluuiios, who had learned to know and like tho pleas ant young luu.U-nimn. The men woi keJUe heroes, Taclr energy never waned until a faint light in theeut began to rival the red glare wlilch the flames, through the medium of the high, rare atmosphere, cost over tlie desert plains for miles around, on 1 every pleoa of lumber was removed to a safe distnnoe. Worn and wearied, John Tractor sat down to rest upon the wheel of his own copying press. A gradual change had taken place in the ranks nf the loungers. Many of the spectotors of the night hod gone home to re freih themmilvo with a nap, and the re mainder were reinforced by a straggling corps of men who bad slept through all the turmoil and excitement One of these, a stor ing bis experience, as all xsiplo ravel in tailing their individual imprussions on occasion of a file. "You see I was sleeping like a log when Lizzie caught hold of my shoulder and sho says: 'Hub, Bob, wake up, I tell you. The sky Is all afire and there must be an ecliie I reached up to soe if my pocketbook was safe" The words brought back to John Tractor a sense of tho lout he bad sustained. At that moment Sfaxon strolled up, flushed with ex ertion. He bad just administered a sound kicking to a couple of young Mexicans, whom be had detected making off with a keg of building hardware. "ilaxnn," he snid, abruptly, "did that fel low who got me out lost night come out safely hlinsolfr "Now 1 think of it," returned Maxon, "he went back a minute; but be got out all right Just as the roof fell in. I thought at the moment a piece of falling timber hit bim, but be soruujlilod off fast enough." A dread suspicion asbailod John Tractor's honest heart, but be repelled It sturdily. Yet all day long as he wandered dreamily alxiut, answering a thousand idle questions, or nsuing from the ruins various memontoi-s of the wreck, there would constantly Intrudo upon him the memory of two greedy, devouring eyes, peeruig through a window, a strungo retreat into a burning building, and disappearance into tin shadows. When night camo it was necessary for soma one to stay and guard tho runiH, lor if tho wind should rise, somn smouldering piles of lumber might 1m fnnno I into a bluzo, and the remainder of the stock swept away. Mnxon, weary and hollow- eyed, offered his Hervlcus. ":ot a bit of it, Maxon. Go homo to your wlfnund bnoies, I have engaged a mini." Tractor did not add that tho wutchman ho had engaged w-as no other than himself, but when tl.e rest had gone home, he remained there alone. Keparated as It wus from the nutof tlio town, by night tho ploco was a dreary solitude. Once the call ofa mocking bird thrilled in tho distance. A fiery sirk miles away over tho level plain, developed into tho headlight of the locomotive of tho evening train, which thundered past ou it way to thod''K)t UIow. Tl:u mixin came up uud threw into weird relief tho blackened ruins. John Tractor, who had boon slowly pacing to and fro, sot down upon a bunch of shingles and buried his face in his hands. He knew, what not oven Maxon had guessed, that this disinter had wrought his irrciaruhlc ruin. It would require every cent of the insurance money to wdtle bis outhtaudiug liubilitiiis, for ho had done business on tlio rusting western plan, nud had curried a stock out of all proportion to his capital. If ho could only havosaved that $.',) or if lid hud not been so nmliilious. Annie hud U-en ready jVKir little girl! She had even proposed bring ing lier piano to this raw southern town, and eking out their income w ith the result of lur own muor.i. un one ixinit no wus iy- Kolvetl. henever he got Kiunro with tin world agiitu, ho would put his prido iu his (sx-ket, und humbly presenting Limrclf U-f-uvtho litilo woii'.nn, nskberto share his fortunes, for U'tter or wo: se. Oh Cod! how lotuj would it Ui.' A stilled groan cscajK.nl his lipA Hudileuly ho rose and stood eroct. His quick ear h:cl caught, the wnuul of some heavy Uxly Klowly moving over tho gi-ound. "W ho Is Ihcrer" A wavering voice rojilUl. "Duly me. Is that you, iKies?" John Tnx-tor txnit forward und perceived a man slowly cmwllny ulong iu tho shadow of n pile of joists. As the figure emerged into tho nnxmlight he saw tlint the fellow dragged one leg helplessly after him. His suspicions tneltod awuy bcueaJi his nuturul wunnth of heurt "Are you hurt." "Only n fulling timber, Ixvw. but the flro got into my eyes and 1 can't "oe very well." Ho had drawn himself to Tractor's fvt und sUjixhI, turning n little uixm bis side, his head iropxd uji with bis hand. "You S.-0 when I come through the dixir something fell against me, and not seeing you, uud not being abb to get nUmt verv well, there were- to many of them cussed Mexican thieves iilxiut, I was afraid they might niiike off w ith this" holding out a tint ientlier hiok which John Troct.u- seized wiih a glad exclumut Ion. The mail wont on, talk ing in an absent way. "1 wou'dn't havo liked to hnvo vou think ill of mo. You're tho first man who ulve me n chance since I got down. 1 wun't always a loafer, sir. You sivke of my knowing some thing ntxmt the business, nnd lo bo uiiv I ought, if fifteen years us a 'sorter'- in tlie Wisconsin liimU-i-tvgions can touch a man nnytliing of luiuU-r. lint when mv wife-died 1 struck o!f out west. It's U-on hard luck ever since und my lit tie girl-buck there witn nor gran.l-ixiiviits J1H vou o seemed to fail from wcuknosn. "What have you eaten to-duvf" asked tho oilier t.narply. llic man answered reluctantly und almost in a tone of atxilo rv. You see, sir down there ntuoni tho him ber pflis tiow could l!" John IVoctor was n man inoro given to nc tion than mwli, Ho adiUit.d the man turn in clear, decided tones. "Do you think you could hold on to tm back while I curried you down to tlio hotel ('' "Why, sir! It wouldn't be Ut" 'Shut up! lit your arms around mv neck." Tho ofllce and bar-room of tho hotel a pretentious structure of K:istluko architec ture, held it nsuul quota of iKjvetncle loaf ers, wli.m John Troctor eutorHl with th; uncouth llguroou his luck. A gur-glo of laughter ran through tho crowd. The ma jority fancied tho younjr lunilx-rm.in's brain ha t Uvn turu.l by his re,vnt Us,. uud thut his dementia l a 1 taken the fo.-n oi violent development of iho wo.ikn.K w hl, which he bad hitherto been airmlitod. Their laughter suddenly ceased when the young man went straight to tho clerk say ing, in clear, ringing toiii: ' "tiivo me tho U.t rixmi you have. This man, who saved my life lost nicht. u t ,n. hurt Some of you," turniiur ki tiu go at once for the surgeon of the Ai, 1, road." A dotin men sprang forward to roliiv hi,.. of his bdden, to help him oaiTy the jxxir fel low to a comfortable room, where ho was gently luid ujxin U.o Uxl. Tho sn.Teivr ri ccived tlnwo attentions in sileiico. IIi .1..,. eyes stared incrtduhiuIy aUut the room, and into the kindly fac. be idia over him. mat anyuiing like tins should happen k biml How lung would it luti w..n - - ! vUiU BieyletWrn have one goodnighfi rest be r..r. innW him out a':ftln. Wben once V .u. ft more on the desolate plain, wanderin? ihnch MM-lirush. mosnulte and son p-weed it .iM umiii like some strango dream. But what was this? Tho .stalwart young lumbor mnn ftnPil klnir huskily to the doctor: "And mind. McLean, do your best. I owe bim more Uian I can tell you. Tut him In good trim to take tlie forcmansblp of my yard vhen I get stocked up." The silly old vagraut burled bis face In the pillow and wept A REPORTER'S STORY. Now York Times. "Tlie nicht Is still young," said Ximlnes, the newsuuxT rerxirter. at mldni'Jit just alxiut one vtar ago, g!an-ing at the nickel- plated ulurm clock which rested uixm his mantfiliiioee, pnrtly olscured by numorous toliacco jars, long-stemmed pipes, matcn boxes, ink Uittles. and similar elegant bric-a brnc. I will go down to Newspajxir row and w if, perchance, the mails tive brought me any chocks along with the usual allowance of tradesmen's bills since the afternoon." Xlmincs consequently attlrod himself in bis hot and walking-stick, and fared forth Into the lamp-lit streets of the great metropolis: and, deciding that a Third avenuo streetcar whose route lay through the Bowery, would prove the most interesting as well as the quickest method of reaching the city hall, he wonded bis steps toward that thoroughfare and took a rapidly moving downward-bound car. The vehicle was crowded with that varl egatod class of humanity which makes the Bowery and ita locality lively by night, Inso much that there was no room inside. Xim ines therefore stood on the back platform in company with two gentlemen who had sta tioned themselves on the steps for greater convenience in relioving outgoing and in- comine nassengers of their watches. On the platform stood two or three other night birds, the one who was nearest Aimmos Ixung medium-sized man of powerful figure, who woro a long brown mustache. At Fourteenth street the car stopped and the passengers who pot on were of so un usual a description that even the light fingered gentlemen etnrpd. Three men got on to the car. Two of them were under 30,, sleek nnd well dressed, and of a tyi which frequenters of tho courts would recognize as being brought to trial almost weekly on charges that could never bo proved against them. Tlie third man was tho 0110 who nt- t riveted tlio attention. He was to all ajmour- nnce more than 70 years of age. He was ban-headed, his hair was silvery white, nnd I10 was exceedingly drunk. His comi-unions held him up by each arm, and the patriarch was so extremely full that ho could scarcely lift his feet to the car step, whereupon one of the young men excluimed savagely; "Blank you! Get up there!" and gave him a rough shake. The two younger men of the three new arrival;' exchanged glances with lsouxr fakes," or watch thieves, on the car steps, but no word passed between them, and the ill-assorted trio went into the car, crowded their wny forward, where some one gave uj his sent to tho inebriated patriarch, and ho sunk into it and relapsed into uncon sciousness, closely gimrdod by his two com jMinions. They had scarcely passed inside when the man who stxxl next to Ximines on tho platform said to one of the othor passeii- goro: 'Well, by f!-, I call tlint rough. The crooks ure ploying it pretty low down w hen tlicy'vo got to work an old man with white hair." There was a murmur of sympathy from thoto in the vicinity, nnd one of the sourer fukes remarked threateningly: "You wnnt to U pretty careful how you're talking pround hero, young feller. Them's Centlcnien, an' that's their old man they're a-tiikin' homo." "Who's going to mnko mo careful how I talk?" demanded tho lirown-mustnohod stranger fiercely. "Don't j-ou pay out any more slack. Those fellows are crooks, I suy. If that wus their father would they lie wear ing bats and let him go linn-headedf Would they lie cursing their father to ninko him get up tho stejis? Would they be making a holy show of him, drunk, in a street cur, when they might take him home iu a cab if he was their futheri" "It's none o', your business, anyway," snid tho thief surlily. , "Well, I'll mnko -it my business," snid tlio stout stranger. "Just wuit till we jiass a po liceman." Of course there was no policeman in sight, and tho two cnr-step thieves dropped olt nt tho t'oejvr institute to take the next car back for their prey which goes up town from Fourteenth street early in tho morning. Tho stout stranger glanced into the car at tho old man slcejiing in the forward end, and then remarked to a young mechanic in his Ix-st clothes, who wus on his way homo with his "girl" from a iiicuio ut Jones' wood: It goes against my conncienco to let those twa crooks get away with an old man like thut. even if ho is drunk. Will you stand by mo it I j,'o in there nnd tako him away f mm thmitf I wouldn't lu nfrnid of the two if it wesn't that you can never toll how many pals they've got in tho crowd, hut we two aro fcood forn whole carload of crooks!" "ivo got a woman on the car," said tho yr ung mechanic, "or I'd j.;o in with you, but J clout want to git in . 110 row w kilo sho's nround." Tho stout stran'Tor turned from him crn- temptuoiisly and jiut tho question to another nole-lxxlieil lxissonger. "I don't want to git cut to pieces in some liody else's light," retorted this individual with frank cowm-dice. Ximines had Ux-n an interested nnd admir ing listener to tho stout stranger's champion. ship of tho ancient inebriate, nnd when he asked next for Ins support, ns he had for that of the other two passengers in righting the old man s wrongs, Xinuuos promjitly agreed to second ins elicits. "(iood! said the stranger. "Xow our best plnn ixtopit on to tho front platform nnd wait till theytnko him off the car. Then we'll tackle 'cm in tho street If they refuse 10 give nun up mere 11 tie un ambulance call for one of em anyway." Tho interior of the car was crowded with passengers clinging to tho straps, nnd it took Ximines nnd the stout stranger several minutes to force their wny to tho front end. but when they got there the old man and his two companions were gone. . "We'll find him or else hunt all nig-ht," said the stranger. "Say," he asked of the driver, Mid nn old man and two young fellows get off the car only a few minutes ago!" "Yes," returned the horseman. They got off at Broome street Old fellow boiling full Two crooks bunging on to bim." The car had then almost reached Grand street, but before the driver bad finished the stranger had junixd from the stejis. and was running back to Broome street, closely followed by Ximines. At the comer lie stox-d and gaavk down the deserted and Rloomy thoroughfare. There were no signs of the crooks or their victim, nnd the patri arch's companion exclaimed to Ximines: "Take the left side of the street and open every doorway. Open 'em quick, and shut em quick, and look out for yourself. Those fellows are going to stand the old man up in hallway. I ll gro down the other side." The two opened all tha doors that war not iw.tfH twtwmn tha Bowery and Mott itreot, but found no trace of their game. Two Italian rag-pickers Just starting out for their morning's labor mot them on this comer, and Ximines' new comnnlon asked them If they had seen the trio of whom he was in pur suit The Italians pointed w me souvu nu out a word and wont on tlioir way unin- tnretd. The stranger and Xlminos ran softly up Mott street to Spring, and peering up this thoroughrnre, discerned ineuireeiueu on the sldowalk. The old man had sufficiently recovered bis senses to realize tint every thing was not going right with bim, and be was struggling roomy wniio ms iwo com panions were urging blin on by threat and riersuusion. "They're steering bun right down Into one of tho worst quarters of tlie city," muttered the straneer. "Now I don't believe those crooks bave got the blood to fight, but if they do you use that walking stick. It's a heavy one. Ah! you've got a revolver, have your he exclaimed, still under his breath, tut Ximines produced a seven-shooter. "We're all right, tlien. I'll knock one of thorn over, and if they fight, why, kill 'em, 'em I The police '11 thank you for it All ready, come on!" The champion walked slowly down the street Ximinea feeling, it must be con fessed, slightly nervous at his side, and as they reached the trio, who bad now come to a real struggle on the sidewalk, the stout stranger, without a second's werning, sud denly struck one of the blacklegs a frightful blow under the ear, which dropped him into the street, where his head cracked against the curbstone with a noise like the breaking of a pane of glass. Before the other had re alized what hod happenod the rlghter of tho old man's wrongs was upon him and showored a rain of such heavy blows upon his hood and neck that be fled acrots the street with the utmost precijiitation, while the rescued patrinrch foil against a horse-post, threw his ai m about it, and huskily shouted: "Stand up to him, Dnn! Into him, Joe) Down he goes! Hi, hi, hi!" under tho evident hallucination that he was attending a prize fight The stranger lost not a moment, but scizml one of the old man's arms, and shaking hlin roughly, asked: "Say, where do you live;" The old man mutt sio.l a, number ou Grand street, near the East river, and then having over come the tenijxirary effects of his excite ment, he relajwed again intoaconmtose state. These entire transactions hnd all occurred iu something like one minute, and by the timo 1 Anilines and tho stranger bud taken the jia triarch's arms and were leading him toward the Bowery, tlie two crooks had regained their feet and their senses, nnd were follow ing them with divers imjii'ecations and threats, casting various stigmas ujxin their jiarentago nnd reflections upon their resjxx-tii-bility, und not hesitating to hurl the bur sin ister in their fuces, with blasphemous and ob scene variations. Finally they held a whin nered consultation, and then mado a rush, but the sight of Ximines' revolver cooled their nrdor, and with a flnnl batch of curses tho curs slunk out toward their slums. Ximines and tho stranger hnd the pleasure of taking the old man home nnd receiving a tongue-lashing from his daughter, who la borivl under the iiiijutusion that they hnd Ixwa ujxin a debauch with her aged jiarent, niu' could scarcely be restrained from bih storing a pail of water uixm them from an uji) or window. This their two considered a gix d joko, and they laughed heartily over tlie mutter. "Tho old man must have been quite a sport in ins day," suid tlie stranger. "Did you hear him talk of Dan ond Joe when we weio fighting?'' Ho was thinking of the Mace und t'oburn j)riiM fight thut occurred tweiity years ago. I should think." ith Ins new friend Ximines ex changed canl-i, und the two told each other something of their past lives and present circumstances. Ximines' now friend, us he lenruad, had lx-en a shipping clerk w ith a largo dry gtxxls establishment. ut a comfortable salary until within the lost two months, when ho had been taken sick and his pluco hud been fil'uxl by sonio one else. "But I've got plenty of friends." said he, "and HI pet something to do very noon again. The sooner it is the better, for I've got a wife and tho finest little liy in the country to care for, and I never thought of putting much money In the bunk, becuaso I never thought I should be sick. Tvenlwuvs lived just about up to my means. The rea son I hupixm to be hereto-night IsUx-ausoI went up to see a friend about getting em ployment" Two hours after they first met on the street car Amuses and bis new acquaintance parted. ' Now all this story is strictly true down to the minutest detail, nnd it is only related to b'.kiw that tho hero of tlie tale is a deserving man. The rest of the story indicates how a deserving man may meet with misfortune and ill-success despite his utmost efforts against nn implacable futo. The factsnlrendy related occurred a j'carngo. About a week since Ximines hnd occasion, on a tour of observntii m, to visit lute nt nilit a Bowery dive. The occupants were for the most j-art of tho comnionjilnco of disreputa bdity, and low street songs and drunken mirth resounded on every hand. Ximinos, in looking over tlie room, thought ho recog nized a familiar figure in an unkempt indi vidual who leaned against tho wall iu au at titude of tho most abject dcsjiair. "Who is thutr.ho asked of a waiter. "Don't know his name," rejilied the menial. "Ilo conies in most every night about this time. Never spends n cent. Never drinks anything. Never sjx-nks to nolxxly. Seems to lj kinder down on his luck, don't he(" Ximines glanced nt the man again and sud denly re -ognizel him ns the stout stranger w ho hud rescued the inebriate patriarch fiom the two thieves a year U-foro. Ho sjxike to bim, and uixm recalling the circumstances the stranger remembered him. Ximines no ticed a great change in hi nppenrancd. His hair was unkempt, he was unshaven, his clothes were liadly worn, nnd his shoes were almost gone to pieces. Tho two entered into conversation and Ximines asked what ho W!is doing for a living. Ttnytout stranger hesitated a moment and gulped ylown something very much like a sob. ".-xi help me lxl," ho said reverently, not profanely, "I have Ixx-u trying ever since I first raw you to get work, nnd not a single day's lalxir havo I hnd an opixirt unity to Inform. I U-gan looking for a clerkship, and when I bad tried that without success fcr six weeks I cume down a grade, and tried to get a job ns a jxirter. I had tho Ust re ci.iuinen.tntions from theiinn whose employ Iliad been in U-fore, but I couldn't get cn opportunity anywhere. Every place I went to they were full. Some of them 1 cot to only a day or an hour too late, but I al ways was t'X) late. 1 stretched the little money I had put by. and my wife heljxxl me, but it didn't la-t long, and, try my bust. couumt get a place to earn a cent At last I had to send mv wifo tn live with her mother, and my Uiv to live w ith her sister, and I took a little room by myself and sold my furniture at a sacrifice to get money enough to buy myself bredd. All this time I sjxMit every sjre hour in tlie day bxiking for work and never finding it Mr clothes .got so old and worn that I didn't pre sent a decent appearance when I aiiplied foi a job, and that was against me. I even came down to try and cct iwaition to driv street-car, but I coulduVHrr any of the lines. J know . tic-Ian whocoull m 'T'n'Uliu' twice a day for tho tost six wTi. 10 time they've told Lk.m.i night I look for him in tk. "HOW I MVH THmlt l going to live I can't iniagi,,. h for that boy of mine I UUeveiyS nutted tuicide long aim. a , . b'i. seen the littl ft.ll,.- .. ' 7 1 iur found this light shinin,, i """"n L em water. Hay, could you . trifle of money until I it h ! myhoiwrl'UpayitUckV'A broken my fast fcnlay, and I ZS square meal since I took dimZT fneud almost five weeks aeo. jf know bow low down I'd gon? it tluit a man willing to Work to find something to do in . hi Terhujjs you think 1 don't try W.'H my word that I have tried ,tL J S every day for tho ever last v. ';"!1 hard of me because 1 come tothii iT uie omy one 1 know of where thov h v ' a man out if he don't spend nZ. stayed up in my little room all .jL?' driven to suicide. I've got tob, rt2.?k see people more wretched than I. me from it Don't think ZJ cause I ask you for money. Yn,,Ti know bow hard it Is to have tosiTt JT' die before I'd beg it In the stW,;!!r!: one I didn't know." "wot This Is a truthful representation I man's predicament-a man who L ,1 to risk his llfo to help a perfect 1 able to earn bread enough to km iZ though he is both willing and ThkJt a guarantee of crood chaK,. ...'r" ness from one of the most influential IW the citv. " j . . JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY, vari ' ... " Sionaon Journals .. . ... ... . . muiiraiMllcai notes, Xaples Cor. American Register.) I have lieen vprv nm..l, . ...uvu HU1UM IHb an item floating aUmt the American I which has also crept into some of tha t.Hr jourmila, concerning James Whitconibiij, iuo iiuniiiia jxx-i,, -wnose numorous ud. ,i...nn,ni 1 . , . . luiieuun vi-m- uave mane Mai hntn This quotation is oidy just, boeau w few poete iu America, except Jamos Ej,. ", uu imve uiuen up tue uiafettolij portion 'of tho United States and mktt olastically subservient as a popular tin iu a nietricul way, and who at tliesamn iiuvo inuiio ineir murK as true poets. Whi am amused ut the Moating item is Uku,, pretends to give in all sincerity a briefs ography of the poet, but nothing can beat, erroneous. Just lx)k at this pen picture, qnoW fca tuealoresaiu Uriel biography: "lie (Rik-fli originally a hotel keojxr. He was Un 1 Now Bedford, Mass., and there lived fummr yours. His futher was the captain i wuulor, out tue son never took to Ut a Cujit Hiley gave the young man an up fortune when be attained his majority, m Juntos invested the bulk of it in a U, which he named the Ocean View bw Riley sold his hotel in tlie winter of K invested his money in Teiinsylvania oil k everj'thing and then moved to IuJiam t try farming. Until within the last la years he never wrote a line of poetry." If I could laugh out loud ou iiauer I do so in this letter. In tho first place Jut hiteoinb Riley (named ufter tho late p ernor and United States senator, Jax Whitcotnb, of Indiana,) never sow Newfe ford, Mass., but was Uirn of Hoosier pares at Greenfield, Ind,, twenty miles east of l dinnnjxilis. So fur from his futher vein; whaler and Riley being brought up wiuJ sight of tho briny, he never saw the set nil until he wus a quarter of a couturj d llo never hnd any money left him; he nc- kejit a hotel, nud though a fellow of gem,' couldii t do it, even though he had a tufa Ho never had any money to invest in ou, k- cnuso ho always, struggled for a living, did not have any money to invest in thing. From his boyhood he wrote res and good ones: too. In 1S77 (a year before our item biogriph makes him a hotel kecjier) I matle his qiiuintance in Indianapolis. Idonottli 13 was more thuti '25. His poitry M already struck my attention, whetlw was in the grave or gay vein. In ISo ttai traveled all over the United States, and in England, linos purporting to be from f and from Tennyson. They traveloitoi year unchallenged, until some ktteraW seriously undertook to show that fillet" verses were like thoso of the two niastfr.' they could not be found in their B turned out by his own confession in banter, hud written the lines witWJ intention of palming them off on tier and was heartily sorry that they ever p into print But his original poeuisaniu of poetry, whether serious or funny. is equally strong in jirose. In the duW jxx'ins, where westornisms come in, ie bajijiy us James Russell Lowell in the Yaw dialect. He is ns much to the point as Harto or John Hay without tho procliiit" to profanity thnt mar some of their p Few jx-rsons are his equal In tho recitaiim funny jxx-iiis. From Ireland. Savs tho Hon. If nntius Donnelly, VT- in The Tilot (Hoston) : "Wben in few members were joking me about my one of them a long fellow, some six fcett"" high, well named of nature Shanks, f fellow from Indiana. Turning to a' said, 'Where were you bred? He menced to laugh, and said, 'My ftuer nn Irishman and my grandmother Irishwoman.' In tlie senate there wM J from lllinoU. with nniiilina nose I" black hair. Time and again ke thought to be descended from Logu11! the 1 dian. Chatting familiarly with h.m co ou the street-cur I said, 'Gen. LogsDi T 14 vnur ilesrent P TIo linsitnted I in., -..o f.,,i.. .v,.,, 'Frnm County Moiuiglian in Ireland.' I this worthy Irishman had married a H and asked: 'Where was your motlier 'From tho County Wonaghan, too,' bJ and there was my Indiun with long hair. I had read in the news!"1 on Win rktitch ancestry of Gen. Urant, so IU M,'i,i.,..i'l n.l-l fntll.T. are you from? He said, 'From ThikuWP1 'Where are vour people from? 'n)(r north of Ireland.' I questioned him f and found that bis giandniothcr f wliich is not a Scotch, name. (itfT.1', Ramsey, of Minnesota, was publi111 the country as a Scotchman, of W (Jeniuai dwent By atvident I feu1 he was Swiss on his mother's side ""v fnther from llm f.Mn.fv Mniui'haU, the' place my Indian came from." A Kesnrrrrtlon Text. l.Mfw i ors .uuu aim '. Th ii j t.w......,. b-L- the ... 1 . 1 .. 1 tin-if-te1 vix: "In my fesh shall I see God." T, vised versiiin has it "yet out of n1 etc. Those who believe in the resurr to look for iww buttress to their theory-