The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-08
MRS. MAGRUDER'S MISTAKE.
Her BARGAIN with Thin Man from nay
ton. and what Came of IL.
detroit Free press.l .."...

Yesterday morning, soon alter the ealDk
stands In the g ntral Market had been
thrown open to the nav Of the hungry pub
lie, and while Mrs. Magruder WIS telling
small boy that she could hold up her hand
and swear that she never used beams 10 ner
coffee, strange came along and m asked as.s,dar
had been on the market for many years, ana
she thinks she know q thing or two. She
has battered herself that she could tell TO 2
bite just how much q customer could eat, ana
tempt for thin-bodied, spare-faced men, who
try to chew their coffee and mince their
toast.
This stranger was q little better than Q six-
shirt collar and mouth as big. as g mince
pie, and the perspective revealed nothing but
two hollow eyes set below thin line OF sandy
eyebrows. He remarked that he had just ar
gry, but wanted first to inquire how much
his breakfast would cost him, aS he was
rather short Of funds.
"Oh. ! suppose you, may be able TO worry
down six or seven cents worth OF provisions
and cup OF coffee, she replied. :,
Suppose you say twenty-five cents for oil
want to eat2" he said, us the corners OIL his
eyes began to twitch.
Mrs. Magruder looked him over and men-
tally calculated that she would make Just
| thirteen cents by the bargain, and she replied !:
II must have my money In advance, you
know
"Oh, certainly-here it is. Now, then I'm
| to eat my fill for the quarter
She said that was the understanding, and
winked at the woman In the next stall. The
thin man from Dayton doubled up on stool,
opened his mouth, and q fried sausage went
out OF sight 30 quickly that the last end
seemed to smoke. A fried cake followed.
then . second sausage, and after gnlp or
two the man handed out his cup with the
words:
more
1 While she was filling the cup he got away
with two hot biscuits and a slice of beet, and
the coffee came just in time to wash down q
hunk OF mince pie. He could use both arms
and his mouth at once, and ne attended
ed hs hra CUP her smile haa aae
vanished. She saw that she wouldn't come
out even without resorting to strategy, and
she began asking questions. The man an
5wered none OF them except by q mournful
jaws, and he reached out from the shoulder
like clock work. Mrs. Magruder called his
attention to dOg-iight across the way, but
he ate faster than ever. The bell struck nine,
was raging at the Union Depot; but the man
did not raise his eyes.
4 When Mrs. Magruder discovered that she
was at least six shillings behind she said that
she was poor widow with i've children to
support"
FLOW do pity your replied the man ae
he passed bis cup with one hand and raked In
q biscuit with the other.
Then Mrs. Magruder told STORY about 9
man dropping dead on the market the day be
fore on account Of overeating, but the mar
got away with two fried cakes and replied:
Curious how some folks can make hogs o
themselves"
i At length Mrs. Magruder wanted to know
how much longer he could stand 1t, and tht
thin man from Dayton gave her q reproach
full glance and answered:
"Have thus early fallen In with swindlers
and falsifiersY'
She let him 20 on three .or four minutes
more, and then she limited that a detective
was providing around there evidently "spot
, ting" some one.
ssIf he'll only give me twenty-five minutes
to finish my breakfast, he can take me and b
. hanged" answered the imam, and his arms
worked faster than ever.
Mrs. Magruder was cornered. She laid his
money down and asked him for the sake Q
her poor orphans to move on and leave he
at least one fried cake as business founda
ton. He paused with his cup held out To-
the seventh time, and perhaps something II
, her fearful look reminded him Of his poo
, dead mother, for he said:
well, am only human, and / admit tina
my heart 10 tender. I don't like to break OF
. In the middle of my breakfast, but Ill tax
the money and move on for your children
] sake"
He got up looking just as much like latl
as when he sat down, and when he was out 9
, sight Mrs. Magruder turned to the desOlat
ruins and groaned out:
'I'l take my solemn oath If four dollar
would make me good for this, and must tel
my husband that fitted out schooner o.
trust!'