The true northerner., 1882-04-14
A DEBT OF HONOR.
PART l.
A CnUnIB TO A MOUSE.

A cnUnrB TO A MOUSE.
1t was the wet forenoon of January
day, just two years ago, when the usual
gang of idlers that hang about the ferry
wharves were delighted at having the
monotony of gazing out from under the
dripping awnings broken by the singular
movements of Il couple of policemen.
One of these well-fed guardians Of the
peace was on his knees beside hole
broken through the flooring of neigh
boring dock, and engaged in angrlly
issuing evidently -disregarded commands
to some fugitive concealed beneath,
while his fellow, with equal profanity
and perspiration, endeavored to pry up
a loose board further along, for the
purpose of also gaining access to the
offender.
"What's up? What's the matter ?"
asked the bystanders, crowdipg up, while
the passengers coming off the just-landed
ferry boat stopped TO look on.
Tie policemen, however, ignored the
inquiries leveled at them with all the
haughtiness peculiar to the municipal
official of the period. But VIXEN
bustling citizen, who wac evidently
merchant and taxpayer, paused and said
brusquely, " Hello, there, Mike What
are you after, Pat ?" one of the blue
and-braSs luminaries looked up ard
growled
Nothing but wharf-rat, a,lr."
Then why didn't you send in dog
If it's rat ?" returned the merchant,
nnocently. But the contemptuous
criticism OF his ignorance about TO be
made 10y the officer was interrupted Just
then by tho cries of the rodent in ques-
tlon, which appeared at the first men
toned aperture In consequence of Wig
orous clubbing administered by one of
the policemen. who had finally succeeded
in removing the plank. The captive
thus secured was an indescribably di-
minutive and preposterously dirty
urchin, with the blackest eyes and
reddest head imaginable. AS the police
man dragged him into the daylight by
his threadbare collar, and perched him,
trembling and whimpering, of bale
near at hand, shout of appreciative
qualification went up from the bystand-
ers. Nothing tickles the risibles of your
ordinary street crowd so much as little
genuine pain and suffering exhibited
gratis.
lar and kindly fashion, there was indeed
much cause for merriment. Nothing
sadder or more pitiful could be imag-
ined than that little hunger -pinched,
bare-footed, ragged figure, with its un-
timely aged and wlthered face, white with
despair at the contamination of the one
terrible dread of its owners brief life
he had been "took up."
"What's he done ?" asked severe
looking man, eagerly. "Not been fight
ing dogs, eh ?"
"The bye, is't," responded one of the
blue. coated magnates, leisurely putting
up his club. "Oh, he's only wan o. thin
wharf rats that lives benath the wharves
here, and stales from the projoose
schooners o'nights." We be runnin'
thin al in now for vrgrancy and onda-
cent exposure, by raison ov thin goln'
in sch wimin, livery foive minutes widout
their clothes. It's afther this divil we've
been for wake or more. It's no use
thryin' to catch wan o. thin felleys in
the wather. They schwim loike fish,
begorra, thin does. and they've more
holes ter schlip inter than the cells them
selves, so they have"
"Ahr' said the severe-looking man,
who was an officer of the s. p. C.'s, 1
was in hopes it was case for me-" and
he walked off much disappointed.
The wharf rat ceased his low terrified
sniveling long enough to put in a plea
that he was not o vagrant, but sold pa
pers; that he only slept underneath the
wharf because il didn't cost anything I;
that he didn't know it was any harm to
go in swimming, and other excuses COM
mon to great criminals.
One of the officers strolled off to look
up an express wagon to convey their