THE HUNDREDTH MAN.
Flora Haines Apponyl In Tho Current
"Now sco here, my friend," said John Proc
tor, lib honest eye looking gravely Into tho
tramp's face as ho balanced n dime on tho tip
of lib finger, "I'm. not going to read you a
homily on tho subject of labor, but I -rant to
present, for your consideration n littlo matter
of statistics. You know, ns veil as I, that
the territory is swarming with men of your
class. No less than six, begging for money,
have stopped mo on the streets to-day: whllo
down there nt tho yard" indicating with his
hand n row of tall lumber puoi surrounding
a small building in tho distance "wo haven't
had three applications for work in a month,"
"Try mo."
"Do you imagine you wouldy work if you
had tho chance? I hnvo tiad pjittlo experi
ence with fellows of your tort. You havo
such remarkablo nppctitcs." Ho addressed
him generically, as tho representative of a
n race. "You work half an hour, then como
nround with tho pica that you can't labor on
nn empty stomnch, drnw an advance of half
a dollar on your wogos, and that is tho last
we over sco of you."
The man retorted so sharply that one could
almost havo fancied the joor remnant of
spirit still abiding in him stirred to some
thing resembling wrath.
"Thnt's always tho way," he muttered.
"Say wo won't work; then won'tglvousa
show. I know wo'ro n, pretty low-down lot,
but somo of us start out square enough,
a man once gota down, there's no getting up
again."
There was something almost pathotic in his
very sullenncss as ho shuffled oway, his rags
flanpinir in the breeze, and ill-matel shoes
clattering nn accompaniment to his gait.
"Como back here, will youl"
John Proctor's voico was stern nnd decisive
Tho tramp halted, hesitated, looked away,
then shuffled back again.
"Como down to tho yard this afternoon and
I'll clvo you a job. Hut tako tho half dollar
and get tilled up first."
Ho had exchanged tho dimo for n larger
coin and held it in lib outstretched pnlm.
The man did not Immediately extend his
hand to tnko it. In tho moment or two that
elapsed tho young lumberman thought that
ho detected a traco of something nllled to
resentful nrido in his bearing. Hut tho illu
sion vnnished as a grimy hand closed greedily
upon tho silver, and tho fellow disappeared
without oven troubling himself to make any
formal expression of his gratitude.
John Proctor looked after him with a quiz-
deal smile. Five minutes later ho know lib
own nnmo would Ixi tho toast of a drunken
crowd of loafers in tho saloon around tho cor
ner. It was not his first oxiwrienco of tho
kind To be sure it wouldn't help to advance
n certain Quixotic reputation which had at
tached itfelf to him since lib fli-st advent
In this littlo now Mexican town. Hut ho had
steadily adhered to his creed: Granted that
ninety-nine out of n hundred of this Dentin,
Imputation were thieves and mendicants, ho
was wont tosny ho preferred tolxi victimized
by tho ninety and nine, rather than mbsthat
hundredth man.
Arrived nt tho park, a strip of land run
ring through tho heart of tho place, tho title
to which was in dispute txnweon the railroad
comiuinv, a handful of determined squatters,
and tho government, John brought down tho
wire fence this noon with ono vigorous kicli
Kicking down tnls wiro fence was ono
of tho legitimate pastimes of tho in
habltnuts, who could not alford to niako a do
tour of a milo or more to reach their plaits
of business, nor yet hazard garments by
scaling it. Then) encroachment) on tho jwirt
of the citizens had onco lieen resisted with
wnilikc demonstration, but now ns Proctor
stepjvd through the gap, n ) ntient looking,
round-shouldered littlo man advanced, trim
dllng n wheelbarrow laden with a huge coil
of bail) wire, and, lxjlitolv greeting tho tivs-
liastcr, tot about repairing tho fence. Par
sons was in tho employ of tho rond nnd
scrupulously obeyed his instructions but a
gleam of humor in his eye told tlmt ho sym
-utilized with tho transgressors.
As John Pnx'tor took his way down
through the park in tho direction of his or
tlco, ho seemed to throw olf tho unpleasant
reflections which luul Ixwi annoying him,
with ono shrug nt li.s powerful shoulders.
Tlio young man's e. - fell cheerily upon tho
somewhat Incongr., m army of buildings
which constituted ,' ii town. Ho gloried in
tho homely littlo idllicos, squatting over tlio
ground In various directions. Had not every
foot of lumber I eon Mipplied from his oun
yard, and did not this nvnluucho of trado
mean Annlol Ni thing could Ik) mean or
ixxir which brought these wonry years of
waiting to nn end. 110 was n prac
tical man, littlo given to enthusiasm
of any sort, but for her sake ho looked
with glowing vision limn tho turrotcd moun
tain tops in the distance, w 1th their purple
shadows and golden lights. Hnv she would
rejoice over tlioni, that quiet little denizen of
westoni prairies who had lived among tho
monotonous luvtil of cent ml Illinois all her
life.
l'ho thought lent cheerful energy to his
voice as he enteml tin yard nnd gave sonio
direction to Mnxon, his hard-worked lxxk
keeper nnd general factotum. lYtx-tor wis
deeply engrossed in making out nn order for
several car-loads of flnishflig luintxr, when a
bluulow darkened tlie door, and tho tramp
Mood before him. lie could not repress nit
cxchuuatloii of snrpriH. ''he vagaltoiul ob
served it, nnd his fuce luwered ns ho aborted
himself defiantly.
"Yos, I've come," ho said. "What nro you
going to give mo to dor
John I'roctor put on his hat and went with
him into tho yard, whore nn empty wir was
wniting to tx) filled on nu order from n neigh
taring town. He showed the man n small
tlipof )MUor tacked uou theeud, mid wis
nliout to explain wltere he would 11 ml the ma
terial designated, when tho fellow throw olt
hU coat and deftly attacked a pllo of scant'
ling, which chanced to bo tho first itoni on
the list.
"llulloat" said I'roctor, guadng nt him In
surjM4m. "You houi to know bonupthing
about this biuiuetM.M
"A little,'' returned the man shortly.
Tho young liimUtmmn Uxk hU way to tho
otlkH. A lltilo later tho ruddy visage of
Mnxon looked in at tho door iu he returned
from dinner.
"Oh, by tlie wny, Maxon, I haven new man
nt work out tu the yaiL You midht keep
uu eye on hliu.1
"Now , Mr. l'roetor!" exclaimed Maxon, iu
ho'xiloss protest "Is it another of thni fel
low r
"Well, you see, ho declared hu wns willing
to work, and it scorns only fair to give a uuui
n cliaiice."
The broad-shouldered young proprietor
was avowedly on the defensive.
"So far ns I'm coiutinml, ofcounfoite
nothing to me," observed Maxon, dejectedly.
"Hut it piHs mo out to havo you made a
huighlng-4oek oil over town, it's n shame
well, It's no uo talking. Yen, you may
ilfwnd upou me to keep nn eye on liiin, sir.
Those fellow will Ixvir wutchhig. 1 say,
though," Jdr. I'roctor, luivun't you got mighty
close up tu that hundred I"
Half an hour later Maxon looked in again,
hU face lit up with a mischievous smila,
"Don't you want to take a look At your
now hand now, Mr. Procter! He's U just
like tho rest of them; sitting on a lumber
pilo all doubled up with a pain In"
A flying Bpankli conversation book
checked further intelligence and Maxon
dodgod nround tho corner to oscapo
other missiles. At 0 o'clock, when
tho hands camo up to receive pay for their
day's labor, John Proctor 6a w his protego
standing off n littlo dbtnnce. Tho man mado
no demand for wages, and hb employer took
no notico of him. As tho men filed out, tho
express agent of tho Plumbago City train,
n ix?rsonal friend of Proctor's enmo runninc
into tho olllco with a package in hb hand. I
"Here, I'roctor, run them over quickly and
sign thb receipt. It's tho 6,000 from Juarez
& Signor. I haven't a moment to spare."
Tho lumberman hastily counted tho notes,
signed his nnmo to tlio receipt In a liold
dashing hand, and tho-ngont hurried off. Left
nlone, I'roctor drew from hb ixjcket a long,
Russia-leather iockct-book and laid tho notes
carefully inside. As ho thrust this into his
breast pocket, ho chanced to glance townrd tho
window, nnd encountered tho hungry eyes of
tho trnmp sharply following hb movements
from without. As tlio man saw that ho was
detected, ho paused, seemed about to speak,
then changed his mind and saun
tcrod carelessly away. A vague, anxiety
assailed John Proctor. It was long
after banking hours; there was no help for it,
ho must bo custodian of hb treasure until
morning.
He sat up lato that night. The payment
of thb sum was all that was necessary to
mako tho eastern trip a definite and tnngiblo
matter. There was a pile of correspondence
to Ixi turned off and a letter to lw dispatched
to that little woman in Illinois, telling her to
discharge her music pupib nnd mnke ready
for his coming. When ho had finished hb
letters he sat quietly for awhllo in hb big
armchair. It was very lato when he rose,
nnd, locking doors nnd windows, proceeded
to tho llttl inner room where ho slept. Ho
drew oft his coat, and, folding it carefully,
placed it beneath his pillow. Tlicn ho ex
amined tho Ixirreb of an Knglbh bull-dog
pistol, which hung upon n hook bcsldo hb
bed. Reassured by thb precaution ho sank
into n heavy sleep.
Several hours Ixjforo a man had crawled
upon n low pilo of plnnks.flnnkod by two others
of towering height. As ho stretched himself
nt length, with a bundle of shakes for a pil
low, ho philosophically reflected that such a
Led was not to ko despised. Ho was not ill-
qualified to judge, for his cxjxsrienco hnd
Ixvn wido and divcrsilloil, and ho had
learned to weigh tho most ilclicato jxjinta of
variance with tho lino discrimination of a
connoisseur. Ho had traveled half way across
tho continent without onco knowing tho shel
ter of a civilized roof. Ho had tented beneath
tho fragrant shades of orange groves in south-
em California, and, in waving fields of golden
grain, irnssed sonio terrible July nights on
tho Colorado desert, where tho mer
cury marks ill) degrees at mliinigiit, urcn
ing for water and choking with tho liot dust
of the nrid waste, waking at daybreak to find
the delusive minigo mocking him in tho dis
tance. Ho had sunk down exhausted on tho
lwirren plateaus of Arizona and roused to find
himself stnblxd in a thousand places by tho
minute cactus needles, cast ujx)ii him by tho
malicious breeze; over lured on by tho sweet
fneo of a child who had smiled farewell
through a mbt of tears.
Tho quiet of tho place, tho gently stirring
air, odorous with tho fragrance of tho pino
wixxls, tho sleepy twinkle of tho stars over
head, and tho weariness of muscles unaccus
tomed to labor, soon lulled him into slumtier,
A littlo Inter, two glowing spuria of lire
seemed to glido down tho railroad track,
stole around tho olllco and disupxared
within tlio long drying-shed at its rear.
During their progress those sparks of fire
occasionally described magnificent curves in
the air, In tlio accentuation of c rffiin rhyth
mical utterances in tho corrupted S'winish of
the Mexican tongue. Tho lowest Mexican
-von, who alibis life goes half clothed, half
fed nnd unsheltered, handles his cigar or
cigarette with tlio fine i)inxwity nnd care
less grace of the proudest hidalgo.
John Prcotor awoke that night to find him
self assailed by a fio mightier than his feeble
imagination hud pictured. He tried to rise
but found himself unable to move, oppressed
by a terrible fonso of BtilTocation from don.)
volumes of smoke which filled the air,
through which vast shtnits of llamo dnrtd
their forked tongues toward him. Suddenly
the wall of llamo and sinoko was parted, and
tho face of tho tramp bent over him. Ho
was roughly shaken, pulled olf tho lod, half
dragged, half carried through the littlo pri
vate olllco and into the larger room beyond,
where tho fire had begun its work of devasta
tion. Then voice nnd memory camo lxick
and ho shouted : "My notes! In my coat
p,x.ket under the pillow let mo go!''
For answer ho was violently proxmed for
ward into the arms of some inuti, eagerly
crowding through tho darning doorway.
Ho struggled to f reo himself from t huh vtse-
llko grasp. Ho fought with them, cursed
tlit'lii, and finally 1 in ike down and cried like
a child. Maxell's fierce tones recalled him
to himself.
"Why, man, do you think woVould let you
go into that Uery nirimco iigiiuw tooe:
Tliero gixus the ixxif now."
Avitha gentle waving motion, the roof
seemed to slowly vibrate to ami fro, then
wink down with a sudden crash, and a Hying
column of spMrks coleliruUsl its downfall.
With lutlf-thiMHl soiiros John Proctor stared
iiIkmiI him, and his gao wondered to the sky
uliovo, w here nu angry crimson glow had
blottetl out the star and re-ded iqxHi the dis
tant mountain chains weiidly reflecting from
their seamed fronts and craggy ivks the
itlare of the unrighteous tlninots. AVould she
admire them now!
Surely it was a sivctaclo to onchnnt tho eve
of nu unprejudiced spotntor, whoso whole pos
sesions were not being sacrificed to tlie elbvt.
Ho turned iMllei'tiHllv to thoscttlM before him.
There was still something to Ixi done. The
cream of the stock had been destroyed, but
unless some piles of lumber to the right of the
building were sp.vdtly ivmovtHl, the fire
woukl communicate with the whole outside
stock, stretclkHl for several hundred yant
along the railroad track. Ho tuniwl to the
crowd of men who stood inactive, gating
ukjii the Mne:
"Com on ami help us save tho luinlvr!"
A couple of doMii Hum came promptly for
ward. Tho lumlvrmau saw, to hU sirpri..
tlmt the volunteers were nlnumt exclusiveh
otnnpv.l of the so-called proftMenal men of
the town. 'Ine hxtd ortU wU of the railroad,
dsttiiir, well drwsstd sot of fellows, com.
moldy vieweik with contemptuous yes by
tlw hanl-worklng nirticui of the inqmlatkm,
unmtod thenurtUvos nlinoot to a man.
The tall form of Judge Cheeseuuui, a
stilf and MimewHt iirbtocruUe Wn1
luminary, lbouuM up iu thir miiL
A qutatdookiu-f little real txrtale ageut ImxI
iqx)ii a ile of shingles aul Uchii tu Oing the
bundles down to a Herman chemist UA-.
The two rival editors tfor tlie lut of New
Mexican vitkigt unially Uxisfe its miniature
new-tiviixMdoiu), who luul exchanged tlititM oil
UM avenue tlw (imvious dy, gUred ooidi-
sllv at each other ntong too of the
timbers they lUMMrtout; to traimrt to a
lilac- of safety. The UWK-ing iw-MiktioH
UTvred M'areu' a nqwu-oMtatl v, save iu Im
IkiivMM of a few- cwittctors and liuwilimiias,
who had leaniwl to know and like th idu
iiit yvung luuJjeniiAn.
The men wwked llku heroes. Their euergy
never waned until a faint light in tho cast
began to rival the ml glare which tho
flames, through tho medium of tho high, rare
atmosphere, cast over tho desert plains for
miles around, and every piece of lumber was
removed to a safe dbtanco.
"Worn and wearied, John Proctor sat down
to rest upon tho wheel of hb own copying
press. A gradual chango hod taken place
in tho ranks of the loungers. Many of tho
spectators of tho night had gone homo to re
fresh themselves with a nap, and the re
mainder were reinforced by a straggling
corps of men who had slept through all tho
turmoil nnd oxciteinent Onoof these, nstou.
fellow with a big diamond blazing in his shirt
lx)som and n mimic beer bottle susjwnded
from hb mnssivo watch chain, was recount
ing his experience, as all pooplo revel in de
tailing their individual improssions on tho
occasion of a fire.
"You sco I was sleeping like n log when
Lizzie caught hold of my shoulder and sho
says: 'Hob, Bob, wake up, I tell you. Tlio
sky is all afiro nnd there must bo nn eclipse'
I reached up to seo if my pockotbook was
safo"
Tho words brought back to John Proctor a
senso of tho loss ho had sustained. At that
moment Mnxon strolled up, Hushed with ex
ertion. Ho had just administered a sound
kicking to n couple of young Mexicans,
whom ho had detected making oil with a
keg of building hardwnre.
"Maxon," ho said, abruptly, "did that fel
low who got mo out last night como out safely
hlmselff
"Now I think of it," returned Maxon, "ho
went back a minute; but ho got out all right
just as the roof fell in. I thought nt tho
moment n piece of falling timlx-r hit him, but
ho scrambled off fast enough."
A dread suspicion allied John Proctor's
honest heart, but ho repelled it sturdily. Yet
all day long as he wandered dreamily about,
answering a thousand idlo questions,
or ushing from tho rums various
mementoes of tho wreck, there would
constantly intrudo upon him tlio
memory of two greedy, devouring ejes,
xjering through a window, a strango retreat
into a burning building, nnd disappearance
into tho shadows. When night camo it was
necessary for sonio ono to stay and guard tho
ruins, for if tho wind should rise, homo
smouldering piles of lumber might lxj fanned
into a blaze, and tho remainder of the stock
swept nwny. Jlaxon, weary and hollow-
eyed, olfered his services.
"ot n bit of it, Maxon. Go homo to your
wife nnd babies, I hnvo engnged n man."
Proctor did not add that tho watchman ho
hail engaged was no other than himself, but
when tl.e rest had gono home, ho remained
there nlono. Seiiaratcd as it was from tho
restof tho town, by night tho place was a
dreary solitude. Onco tho call oi a mocking
bird thrilled in tho distance. A fiery spark
miles away over tho lovel plain, tleveloiied
into tho headlight of tho locomotive of tho
evening train, which thundered past on its
wny to the dej-ot below. Tho moon camo up
and throw into weird relief tlio blackoncd
ruins.
John Proctor, who hnd lx?en slowly pacing
to'aiul fro, sat down upon a bunch of shingles
nnd buried hb face in his hands. He knew,
what not oven Maxon had guessed, that thb
disaster had wrought his irreimrab'.o ruin.
It would require every cent of tho insnrnnco
money to settlo his outstanding liabilities,
for ho had dor.o business on tlio rush ng
western plan, and had carried a stock out of
all promrtlon to his capital. If ho could
only havosaved that ffl.OiX), or if ho had not
lven so ambitious. Annio hnd been ready
jxxir little girll Sho had oven proxsed bring
ing her piano to this raw southern town, nnd
eking out their income with tho result of her
own labors. On one iint ho was re
solved. Whenever ho got square with tlio
world again, ho would put his pride in his
xket, and humbly pret-nting himself Ixj
foro tho little woman, ask hor to sliare his
fortunes, for lxtter or worse. Oh God! how
long would it bof A stilled groan escaped hb
Hps
Suddonlv ho rose and stood erect. His
quick oar had caught the sound of some
heavy Ixxly slowly moving over tho ground.
"Who is theref'
A wavering voico replied.
"Only me. Is that you, twssP
John Proctor bunt forward and perceived a
man slowly crawling along in tho shadow of
a pilo of joits. As tho figure emerged into
the moonlight, ho saw that the fellow dragged
one leg helplessly after him. His suspicious
melted away beneath his natural warmth of
lunrt.
"Are you hurt."
"Only a falling timber, Ikjss, but the flro
got into my eyes and I can't sco very well''
Ho hnd drawn himself to Ivoctor's foot and
stopped, turning n little iqx)u lib side, hb
head propped up with his hand.
" on see when I como through tho door
something fell against me, and not seeing
you, and not txmig able to get about very
well, there were so many of them cusxed
Mexican thieves alxiut, I was afraid they
might make olf with this" holding out n fiat
Veil ther 1 ook which John I'roctor soiled with
a glad exclamation. Tho man went on, talk
ing in an nloeut way.
"I wouldii t have liked to linvo you tliink
ill of me. Ynii're the first man w ho j:ive mo
a clmnco since 1 got down. I waif t always a
loafer, sir. i on spoke of niv knowing ins
tiling nlxmt the Imsinow, nnd to be sure I
ought, if fifteen years as a 'sorter' in tlie
Wisconsin hunlvr regions can teach a man
anything of lumber, Hut when my wife died
1 struck oil' out west. It's lx?en hard luck
ever since and my little girl uack tuere
with her grHiid-jxuviits"
HU voice nn'iuid to fail from weakness.
"What have you eaten to-dayf asked the
other sharply.
The man answered reluctantly and nlmoM
iu a tone of iiology.
" ou sue. sir down there among tlie luin
bor jiiles Ikiw could I !"
John Proctor was a man mere given to no
tiou than sxhh1i. He addressed tlio man now
in clear, decided tunes.
"Do yon think yon could liold on to my
back while I carried you down to the liotelt
"Whyv sir! It wouldn't be fit. "
"Shut up! Put your arms around my
wok."
Tlie oflice and tar-room of the hotel, a
pretentious structure of Kusthike architec
ture, held its usual quota of ivaj eotnele ksaf
ors, when Jehu 1'ivx-ur enteral with tlie
uncouth figure on his back, A gurgle of
laughter ran through the crowd. The ma
jority fancied the young liunberiuau's
txiiin had lsm turned by hb vtomt ktv
ami that his dementia had taOcMi the form of
a violent devek-ptuant of the weakiMMi with
which lie luul hitherto Ixmus aoomliUol
Their laughter suddenly coast. 1 when the
young niaii wvnt ktraigiit to tho dork, say
ing, in clear, ringing Umms:
-Uive me tlw best room you have. Hits
mau, who saved my life last night, is Imdly
lmrc Sutue of you," turuine to the idWrs,
"go at once fur the surgeon of the Atchison
t-oail"
A doson men sprang fonvarvl to raueve hun
of his hi den, to help him mrry tlie Kor fel
low to a oomfortahh- room, where he was
gently laM msjw the bel. Tlw sufferer iv
ceived lUutm nttenUons in sihmce. life dim
ores stureit iHcn4uleoly about the nini,
ami into the kindlr faoss Ixxidtng ar him,
Tliat am thlHg likw this should hap'xm tc
hunl lfow long wuld it hull Would
thoy lot Jm have ono good night's rest be
fore turning him out again. When onco
more on tho desolate plain, wandering
through sage-brush, mesquite and soap-weed,
it would seem liko sonio strango dream. But
what was thbl - Tlio stalwart; young lumber
man, speaking huskily to tho doctor:
"And mind, McLean, do your best I owe
him more than I can tell you. Put him In
good trim to tnko tho foremanship of my
yard when I get stocked up."
Tho silly old vagrant buried hb face in the
pillow and wept.
A REPORTER'S" STORY,
pfew York Times.
"Tlio night b still young," saW Ximines,
tho nowsjxiper reporter, nt midnight just
about one year ago, glancing at tho nickel
plated alarm clock which rested upon hb
mnntelpieco, partly obscured by numerous
tobacco jars, long-stemmed pipes, match
boxes, ink bottles, and similar elegant bric-a '
brae. I will go down to Newspaper row and
see if, perchance, tho maib hnvo brought mo
any checks along with thb usual allowance of
tradesmen's bilb slnco tho afternoon."
Ximines consequently attired himself in his
hat and walking-stick, and fared forth into
tho' lamp-lit streets of tho great metropolis;
and, deciding that a Third avenue streetcar
whoso route lay through tho Bowery, would
provo tho most interesting as well as tho
quickest method of reaching tlie city hall, ho
wended hb steps toward that thoroughfare
and took a rapidly moving downwnrJ-bound
car. Tho vehicle was crowded with that vari
egated class of humanity which makes tho
Bowery and its locality lively by night, inso
much that there was no room inside. Xim
ines therefore stood on tho back platform in
company with two gentlemen who had sta
tioned themselves on tho steps for greater
convenience in relieving outgoing and in
coming passengers of their watches. On tho
platform stood two or threo other night birds,
the ono who was nearest Ximines being n
medium-sized man of powerful figure, who
wore a long brown mustache.
At Fourteenth street tho enr stopped nnd
the pnssengers who got on were of so un
usual a description that even tho light
fingered gentlemen stared. Throe men got
on to the car. Two of them were under SO,
sleek and well dressed, and of a tyjxj which
frequenters of tho courts would recognize as
being brought to trial almost weekly on
charges that could never bo proved ngniiLst
them. The third man was tho one who nt
traetwl the attention. Ho wns to all appear
ance more than 70 years of age. Ho was
bareheaded, lib hair wns silvery white, nnd
ho was exceedingly drunk. Hb corn-unions
held him up by each arm, and tho patriarch
was so extremely full that ho could scarcely
lift hb feet to the car step, whereupon ono
of tho young men exclaimed savagely;
"Blank youl Get up there!" and gave him
n rough shako. Tho two younger men of tho
three now arrivals exchanged glances with
"soujxji fakes," or watch thieves, on tho car
steps, but no word passed Ixjtween them,
and tho Ill-assorted trio went into tho ear,
crowded their wny forward, where fome one
gnve up his seat to tho inebriated patriarch,
and ho sank into it and relajiscd into uncon
sciousness, closely gr.aided by his two com
panions. They- had scarcely -Missed iusido
when tho man who stood next to Ximines on
tho platform said to ono of tho other passen
gers: "Well, by G , I call that rough. Tlio
crooks are playing it pretty low down when
they've got to work an old man with whito
hair."
There was n murmur of sympathy from
thoso in tho vicinity, nnd one of tho souper
fakes remarked threateningly:
"You want to lx pretty careful how you're
talking around here, young feller. Them's
gentlemen, an' that's their old man they're
a-takiif home."
"Who's going to mako mo careful how I
talk?" demanded tho brown-inustnehed
stranger fiercely. "Don't you jury out any
more slack. .Those fellow-s are crooks, I say.
If thnt wns their father would thoy bo wear
ing hats and let him go bareheaded? Would
they lie cursing their father to make him
get, up the stops! Would they Ixs making a
holy show of him, drunk, in a street car,
when they might take him homo in a cab if
ho was their father?''
"It's nono o' your business, nnywny," said
tho thief surlily.
"Well, I'll mako it my business," said tho
stout stranger. "Just wait till wo pass rt po
liceman." Of course there was no policeman in sight,
and the two car-stop thieves dropivd otf nt
tho Cooper institute to take tlio next car back
for their prey which goes up town from
Fourteenth street early in tho morning. Tho
stout stranger glanced into tlio car at the old
man sleeping in tho forward end, and then
remarked to a young mechanic in hb best
clothes, w ho was on lib way home with his
"girl" from a picnic at Jouo' wood:
"It gxs against 1113 conscience to let those
two crooks get away with an old man liko
thut, even if ho is drunk. Will you stand by
ni if I go in there nud take him away, from
thorn? I wouldn't be afraid of the two if it
wasn't that you can never tell how many pals
they've got in the crown, but w e two nro
gtvl for a whole carload of crooks!"
"I've got a woman on the car," soul tlie
young mechanic, "or I'd go in with you, but
I uon't want to git iu no row while she's
nround."
The stout stranger turned from him con
temptuously nud it the question to another
able-bodied iiaaounger.
"1 don't want to git cut to pieces in soiue-
lxxly else s fight." retorted this individual
with frank cowardice.
Ximines liad been an interested and admir
ing listener to the stout stranger's champion
ship of tho ancient luebrmte, ami when he
asked next for Ins support, as he bad for that
of tlie oilier two xissengers in righting the
old man s wrongs, Auumes promptly agreed
to second hb efforts.
"Good !" said the stranger. "Xow our lxst
plan is to get on to the front platform ami
wait till they take him off tlie car. Then
we'll tackle 'em in the street. If they refmw
to give him up there'll be an ambulance call
for one of 'em anyway."
The interior of the ear was crowded with
passengers clinging to the straps,' nnd it took
Xiniince and the stout stranger several
minutes to force their way to the front end,
but when they got there tlie old man nnd hb
two roiuvuiion wvre gone.
-We'll tmd him or ele hunt nil night," said
the stranger. "Say," he asked of 'the drivw,
"did an old man and two young fellow gut
otf the car only a few minutes agof
"Yes." returned tlie horveuKut. They got
off at Broom street. Old fellow boiling full.
Two crooks hanging on to hiuL"
The car had then almost reached Grand
ftreet, but before the driver had HhWhsI
the stranger had junqxol front the steps, and
was running back to Hroonle fctreot, ckety
fuuowed by Ximines. At the corner lie
tonpixl ami gaaed down the deserted ami
gloomy thot-oughfai-e. There wsrs no signs
of the crooks or their vknim. awl the patri
arch's companion exclaimed to Ximines:
"Take the left side of the street and open
vary doorway. Ojxm'em quiek, and shut
Vm quirk, and look out or you rues' f. Those
tallow urn going to atund the ok! man up hi
ome hallway. I'll go down the other sida."
The two oixmed all tha doors that were not
locked between tho Bowery and Mott street,
but found no traco of their gamo. Two
Italian rag-pickers just starting out for their
morning's labor met them on thb corner,
nnd Ximines' now companion asked them if
they had seen tho trio of whom ho was in pur
suit. The Italians pointed to tho south with
out a word and went on their way unin
terested. Tho stranger and Ximines ran
softly up Mott street to Spring, and peoring
up thb thoroughfare, discerned tho three men
on the sidewnlk. Tlio old man had sufficiently
recovered hb senses to realizo tint every
thing was not going right with him, and he
wns struggling feebly whllo hb two com
panions were urging him on by threat nnd
iwrsuasion.
"They'ro steering him right down into one
of tho worst quarters of tho city," muttered
tho stranger, "Now I don't believe those
crooks havo got the blood to tight, but If thoy
do you uso thnt walking stick. It's a heavy
one. Ah I you've got n revolver, havo youl"
ho exclaimed, still under hb breath, as
Ximines produced a seven-shooter. "We're
all right, then. I'll knock ono of them over,
nnd if they fight, why, kill 'em, 'enit
Tho polico '11 tliank you for it. All ready,
como on I"
Tho champion walked slowly down tho
street Ximines feeling, it must bo con
fessed, slightly norvous at his side, and as
they readied the trio, who had now come to
a real struggle on the sidewalk, tho stout
stranger, without a second's warning, sud
denly struck ono of tho blacklegs a frightful
blow under tho car, which dropped him into
the street, where lib bead cracked against
tho curbstone with a noiso liko tho breaking
of a pano of glass. Before tho other had re
alized what had happened tho righter of tho
old man's wrongs was upon him and showered
a rnin of such heavy blows upon his head
and neck that ho fled across tho street with
tho utmost precipitation, whllo tho rescued
Iatriareh fell against n horse-post, throw his
nrm nlwut it, and huskily shouted:
"Stand up to him, Dnnl Into him, Jcel
Down ho goes! Hi, hi, hil" under tho evident
hallucination that ho was attending n prize
fight.
The stranger lost not a moment, but seized
0:10 of tho old man's arms, and shaking him
roughly, asked: "Sav, where do you liver Tho
old man muttered a number on Grand street,
near tho East river, and then having over
come tlio temporary effect of hb excite
ment, ho relapsed again into a comatose state.
These entire transactions had all occurred in
something liko ono minute, and by tho time
Ximines nnd tho stranger had taken the pa- ,
triarch's arms and were leading him toward ;
tlw Bowery, tho two crooks hail regained j
their feet and their senses, nnd wero follow- j
ing them with divers imprecations nnd
threats, casting various stigmas uxjii their I
virentago nnd reflections upon their respecta-1
hility, and not hesitnting to hurl tho bar sin-'
istor in their faces, with blasphemous and ob- .
sceno variations. Finally thoy held a w his-
pered consultation, and then made p. i
rush, but tho sight of Ximines' revolver
cooled their ardor, and with a final batch of 1
curses tho curs slunk off toward their slums. I
Ximines nnd the stranger had tho pleasure
of taking tho old man home nnd receiving i j
tongue-lashing from his daughter, who la
borM under tho impression thnt they hnd
lnwi upon a debauch with her aged parent,
and could scarcely bo restrained from bo
stQ'ing a pail of water upon them from an
upj or window. This their two considered a
go d joke, and thoy laughed heartily over
the matter.
"The old man must hnvo been quito a sport
in his day," said tho stranger. "Did you
hear him talk of Dan and Jce when wo were
flphting?'' He was thinking of the Mace and
Coburn prize fight thnt occurred twenty
years ago, I should think."
ltli his new friend Ximines ex
chnngod cards, and tho two told each other
something of their past lives and
present circumstances, Ximines' now
ft lend, as he learned, had been a shipping
clerk with a largo dry goods establishment,
nt a comfortable salary until within the Inst
two months, when he hud been taken sick
and hb place had Ixh'H filled by sonio ono
else. "But I've got plenty of friends," said
he, "and I'll got something to do very soon
again. Tlio .sooner it is tho bettor, for I've
got a wife and tho finest little I iy in the
country to caro for, and I never thought of
putting much money in tho bank, Iwcnuse I
never thought I should bo sick. I've always
lived ju-t about up to my means. The rea
son I happen to bo here to-night is because I
went up to seo a friend about getting em
ployment" . Two hours nftor they first met on the street
car Ximiiies and his new acquaintance
purled.
Now all this story is strictly truo down to
the minutest detail, and it i only relnted to
show that the hero of the tale isn deserving
man. The rest of the story indicates how a
deserving man may meet with misfortune
ami ill-ueoess despite his utmost efforts
ugainst an implacable fate.
The facts already related occurred a year ago.
AlxHit a week since Ximines had occasion, 011
n tour of observation, to vbit kite at night a
Bowery dive. The occupants were for tho
most part of the commonplace of disreputn
bUity, and low street songs and drunken
mirth refunded on every hand. Ximines,
in looking over the room, thought ho recog
nised a familiar figure in mi unkempt indi
vidual who leaned against the wall in an at
titude of the mret abject despair.
"Who i that?" he asked of a waiter.
"Don't know lib name," replied the menial.
"He comes iu moot every night about thb ,
time. Never spends n ceut Never drinks J
anything. Never srnks to nolxxly. Sutans j
to bo kinder down 011 bis luck, don't her
Ximines glanced at the man again and sud- ;
demy recognized him as the stunt stranger
who lind rescued tlieuiebriateisitriarch from
the two thieves a vear before. He si.Ae to'
him, awl upon recalling the circuuu4nc !
Mm s,-iimr roiwinl ..rri him "CimitK.
ticed a great change in his appearance. His
hair wns unkempt, lie was uneliaven, hb
clothes were badly worn, and hb shoes were
almost gone' to pfeoea. Tlie two entered into
conversation and Ximiuus asked wljat he
was doing for a living.
Th y-tout stranger hesitated a moment nnd
gidpeilVdowii something very much like a
sob. '"00 lielp me God," he mid reverently,
not profnnely. "I have been trying over siuee
I first ww you to get work, and not a shiglo
day's labor have I luul an opportunity to
perform. I Isagan luoking for a clerkship,
and when I had tried that without success
fi r six weeks 1 came duwn A grade, and tried
to get a job as a porter. I had the lxt re
cominendations from the firm whose euqiloy
I had been in before, but I coulflu't get An
opjvvrtuuity anywhere. Every place I weut
to they wre full Sum of theui 1 pit to
only a day or an hoar too lute, but I al
ways was too late. I stretched the little
muney I had jwt by awl my wife helped
me, net it dun t lat long, and, try my lxt,
I couldn't get a lao to earn a
cent At Ut I hail to send my wife to
live with her mother, ami my buy to live
ith her sister, ami I took 'a little room by
uiyxdf and sukl my furniture nt a snerirtro
to get mo ley enough to boy myself bread. All
this time I spent every cixire liour in tho day
tooking for wtirk and nover finding It My
elotises .got so old awl worn that I didn't pro
sent a deoent npfoawuce when bapplivd fro
a job, amI that was agaiiut ma, I even same
down to trr and get a lotion to drive a
street-car, but I couldn't get a vacancy on
any of the linos. J know a prominent poli
tician who could g"i me something to do,
nnd ho promised to. Pvo been to hb houso
twice a day for tho -xist six weeks, and every
time they've told me ho was out Now at
night I look for him in the hoteb, beginning
nt the Sinclair and going up, but I nover find
him.
"How I live I don't know, and how I am
going to live I can't imagine. If it wasn't
for that boy of mine I believe I'd hnvo com
mitted suicido long ago. and I haven't even
seen tho littlo fellow for six months. Con
found thb light shining in my eyes! makes
'em water. Say, could you lend mo just a
trifle of money until I get to work! Upon
my honor I'll pay it back then; but I haven't
broken my fast to-day, and I haven't had a
square meal since I took dinner with an old
friend almost five weeks ago, who didn't
know how low down I'd gouo. It seems hard
that a man willing to work shouldn't bo ablo
to find something to do in a big city like thb.
Perhaps you think I don't try, but I give you
my word that I have tried every way I knew
every day for tho last year. Don't think
hard of mo bocauso I como to thb place. It's
the only 0110 I know of whero thoy don't kick
a man out if ho don't spend money, and if I
stayed up in my littlo room all alone Td bo
driven to suicide. Pvo got to bo where I can
seo peop!e more WTetched than I am to keep
mo from it Don't think hard of mo be
cause I ask you for money. You'll never
know how hard it is to have to ask it, and I'd
dio before I'd bog it in tho streets or of any
one I didn't know."
Thb b a truthful representation of ono
man's predicament a man who was willing
to risk hb life to help n perfect stranger un
nble to earn bread enough to keep him alive,
though he b both willing and able, and has
a guarantee of good character and faithful
ness from ono of tho most influential firms in
tho city.
JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY.
IV hat London Joiirnnls Say Sonio
Illugraplilcnl Xotcn.
Nnples Cor. American Register.
I havo been very much amused in seeing
an item floating about tho American press,
which has also crept into some of tho Loudon
jouniab, concerning James Whitcomb Riley,
tho Indiana x:x!t, "whose humorous and sen-,
timental verses hnvo mado him famous."
Thb quotation is only just, because there are ,
few iKets in America, except James Russell
Lowell, w ho havo taken up tho dialect of one
portion of tho United States and mado it so
elastically sukservient us a popular vehiclo
in a metrical way, and who at the same timo
havo made their mark as truo poets. Why I
am amused at tho floating item is because it
pretends to give in nil sincerity a brief bi
ography of tho poet, but nothing can bo more
erroneous.
Just look nt this pen picture, quoted from
tbeaforesaid brief biography: "Ho (Riley) was
originally a hotel keojxjr. Ho wns born in
Now Bedford, Mass., and there lived for many
years. Hb father wns tho captain of a
whaler, but tho son never took to tho sea.
' Capt. Riloy gave tho j'oimg man an umplo
j fortune when ho attained his majority, and
j James invested tho bulk of it in a hotel,
j which ho named tho Ocean View house.
I Riley sold lib hotel in tho winter of 1S7S,
invested his money in Pennsylvania oil, lost;
! everything and then moved to Indiana to
try farming. Until within tho last four
years ho never wioto a line of poetry."
If I could laugh out loud on puivr I would
do so in this letter. In tho first placo Jnmes
Whitcomb Riley (named after tho lato gov
ernor and United States senator. Jnmes
"Whitcomb, of Indiana,) never saw Now Bed
ford, Mass., but was lxirn of Iloosier parents
nt Greenfield, Ind., twenty miles east of In
diannpolb. So far from his father lxjing a
whaler and Riley being brought up within
sight of tho briny, lie never saw tho sea at
nil until he was a quarter of a century old.
Ho never had any money left him; ho never
kept a hotel, and though a follow of genius, ho
couldn't do it; oven though ho hnd u hotel.
Ho nover had any money to invest in oil, be
cause ho always struggled for a living, and
did not have any money to invest iu any
thing. From hb boyhood ho wroto verse.,
and good ones, too.
In lb77 (u year before our item biography
makes liim a hotel keeper) I mado hb ac
quaintance in Indianapolis. I do not tliink
ho wns more than ii5. Hb jxvtry liad
already struck my attention, whether it
wns in tho grave or gay vein. In 1S77 there
traveled nil over tho United States, and also
in England, lines purporting to bo from Poo
and Irani Tennyson. Thoy traveled for a
year unchallenged, until some litterateur
seriously undertook to show that while tho
verses wero liko thoso of tlio two masters, yet
they could not bo found in their works. It
turned out by hb own confession that Riloy,
in banter, hail written tho lines without any
intention of palming them off on tho public,
nnd was heartily sorry that thoy over go6
into print. Hut his original ixxjins are lull
of poetry, whether serious or funny, nnd he
bequnlly strong in prose. In the dialectio
poems, where westornisms conm in, ho b in
happy as James Russell Lowell In tlio Ynnkeo
dialect. He b as much to tho Kiiut ns Bret
Harte or John Hay without the proclivities
to profanity that mar some of their xxins.
Few xsrM)iis nro his equal iu tho recitation of
funny poems.
From Ireland.
Says the Hon. Ignatius Donnelly, rowrted
in Tlio Pilot (Boston) : "When in congress, a
few members were joking mo nlxmt iny'Irisli;
one of them n long fellow, some six feotthreo
high, well named of nature Shanks, a clever
fellow from Indiana. Turning to him I
saw. 'Where were vou nredf tlo com-
1 lugb, and said, 'My father wns
an Irishman and my grandmother was un
Irfehwonwu.' In the senato there was a mau
from Illinois, with nquilino noso ami long
blacK hair. lime ami ngam lie was
thought to be descended from Logan, the In
dian. Chatting familiarly with himoueday
on the street-car I said, 'Gen. Igan, what
is your descent!" He hesitated. I said:
'Where was your father from? 'From tho
County Mciiagbaii in Ireland.' I thought
thb worthy Irishman had married a squaw,
ami akod: 'Wliere was your mother fromi'
'From tho Comity Moimghan, too,' he said;
ami there was my Indian with long black
hair. I had read in the newsrajxirs of tho
Scotch ancestry of Gen. Grant, so once on
tho Mbd.-soppi I asked lite father, 'Where
are you fromr' He said, 'From Phihtdel-ihin.'
'Whero are your ixwplo from?' 'From tho
north of Ireland.' 1 questioned him further,
and found that hb grandmother was n Kelly
which is not n SioU'li name. Governor
Ramsey, of Minnesota, was published over
the country as n Scotchman, of Scotch and
German decent. By accident I found tlmt
he wns Swiss on lib mother's side and hU
father from tlie County Monaghan, the soma
place my Indian oame from."
A Kesiirrertlou 'J'ext.
New York Mail and Express.
Tlie new IHd Testament knocks the bottom
out of t leant one standard "nroof-tiixt"
vii: "In my fhtob shall I see Owl." The re
vised vorskm lias it, "yet out of my flash,"
eta Tho who belt vo in tho resurrection
of tho idtiiitira! body which b buried w ill have
to look for a niw buttress to their theory. -
11