The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-03-10

above al, Il Is thoroughly warm and well made.
Those are the principal points, with your Ia
bility to rheumatism and gout.''
face! Remind me of my iil-health-of my pain
and suffering. It's like you! Don't let me
80 papa!'
"There, don't begin to cry and whimper. I
suppose YOU mean wen, and are good girl,
after all Got any money, Madge"
Not much" she faltered, trembling.
haven't had drain worth speaking about
for more than week. You have kept me on
short allowance long enough, think, Madge."
but see how i'll you have been, papa You
know the doctor said you were to drink scarcely
anything"
about it! Besides, I'm we'll again now-weil
as ever. really must run out and get three
pen'orth. Lend us sixpence, Madge." He
always said ''lend." By no chance did he ever
employ the word "give" in pecuniary nego-
tiations.
After many promises and much whining and
persuasion, he worIned the coveted sixpence
from his daughters slender purse. She knew
he had no other money, and that it would he
impossible for him to hurt himself on that
amount.
"I'n try this overcoat for the first time" he
said, as he put it on. "Yes: you are right; 1t
is very comfortable, and will las: me for ages.
''Do come back to tea, papa, were her part
ing words at the door. THE weather is very
rough, and you are not yet strong enough to
stay out late. Do come back to tea.''
''Of course, of course! How far do you think
can travel with sixpence-a paltry siIpence"
he inquired, sarcastically.
Between two and three o'clock In the morn
ing, he staggered home drenched with rain,
and, alas intoxicated.
Madge was accustomed to the spectacle In
silence and without reproach she led him to
his room. Suddenly she missed his coat. 1t
was the old story. He had pawned it. She
asked him for the ticket, and found that it also
was sold for a mere song. The coat she had
worked so hard to pay for!
The poor grief-stricken girl, in the retire
ment OF her own room, threw herself by her
bedside and wept in anguish to that other
Father who has promised how, one day, He
will surely wipe away all tears from the eyes Of
those that mourn.
The individual who bought the ''duplicate''
from The drunken old man, probably lost or
forgot it altogether, as the coat remained I'M
disturbed in the store-rOom Of Messrs. Bate Il
GrindweN, pawnbrokers, for over the statutory
twelve months. 1t then became an ''unre-
deemed pledge" and as such was labeled, hung
up, and dangIed before the public as q remark
terested vendors were prepared to forego all
personal profit for the general veal. The coat
was fingered and thumbed and twitched, and
tried on, and turned over by some dozens Of
persons before one ShOrtmiles, cabman, took
fancy to it and eventually became its owner.
And now it began to see service. He wore it
hard, did Shortmiles. What with snow, and
rain, and frost, and sunshine, its original color
grew many shades deeper. Beer stained II,
tobacco smoke impregnated it, cold pork
creased it. 1t saw great deal OF out door
life in London, and acquired an impudent, reck-
less appearance. Its big bone buttons seemed
to stare in awful astonishment at those mean
persons who presumed to offer its master less
than double his legal fare. When ShOrtmiles
tossed coin in the palm of his hand, and in
quired of victim: 'What dyer call this 2
What's this fOr." the big bone buttons seemed
ready to burst from their places with surprise.
indignation and reproach. The victim could
imagine them saying: Gay, what do yer call it {!
What is it for! That's what We want to know,
Yah-shabby!''
1t happened one day that Shortmiles, feeling
himself insulted by the remarks of a rival cab
man anent the symmetry and attractiveness
Of his features individually and collectively,
including definite opinion respecting the
lowest market value of his face If put up to
auction by cheap Jack in the neighborhood
of the New Cut, leaped from his vehicle and
challenged his tOrmentOr to personal combat.
The gauntlet was at once picked up and the
battle began.
How furiously it raged-how women
screamed, "Shame! why don't you part
'ems" and meI replied: "Get out! why don't
you leave 'em alonel"-how a stately police
man, with slow and measured step approached
the scene, forced his way through the crowd,
and said: Now then. stop this ERE; show us
your badges both on yer''-hOw the two COM
batants were summoned before the magistrate
ho,r xDlv ehD1l IL
hands and swore eternal friendship-are not
all these things matters of trifling concern,
in comparison with the following fact! When
Shortmiles was preparing. for the duel he took
off his coat, folded it carefully, and placed it
under the box-seat of his cab. OF this he was
certain. After the struggle, when he returned
to his post the coat was gone. OF this he was
also positive, and he never set his eyes on it
again.
VII.
A certain loathsome lodging house, situated
in back slum, whittier We must now repair,
was nothing else but a nest of thieves-wretch-
ed, ill-clad hungry thieves; outcasts from the
more sturdy and holder ranks OF crime; de-
spised by the clever burglar who took his fifty
or hundred pounds worth of g swag' at a
haul; ignored and disowned by the dashing
swell-mobsman or the accomplished pickpOck-
ct. These poor creatures were only stall-li.t-
erS ana area-SneakS-men, women and chill
dren who were willing to risk the terrible pun
ishments of the law for sixpence. A num-
Der of them were assembled in an under
ground back kitchen, discussing the good and
bad luck of the day. They separated them
selves into little groups of twos and threes,
and established temporary partnership on the
basis of uniting their pilferings and 'going
whacks" in the profit.
Presently the door opened, and a man with
detestably cunning expression of face and
having stumpy horsewhip in his hand. en-
tered the room.
"Well, my lads and lasses, how are you all
getting alongF' he said. 81 was Just driving
round this way, so l thought I'd give you q
look In. Got anything in my line to-day!" He
walked round, and rapidly inspected the vari-
Gus little piles of articles presided over blythe
respective firms"
"You're a-p.cking," grumbled one lean and
tattered chevalier d industrie; land it amt
fair''
~ allus pick, and pays extra for it-yer
know 1do," reflied the dealer. ~ on'y wants
boots and ciothes-nothing else amt no good
to me, not at a gift"
Having selected sundry odds and ends, and
having paid for them, after considerable bag
CLING, out of big bag of silver and copper,
he stuffed his purchases pell-men into can
vas sack and carried them of. At the top of
the street he mounted clumsy cart, drawn
by a melancholy pOny in q decline. drive