Mexico weekly ledger., 1882-04-20
MEXICO MISSOURI, THURSDAY, APRIL 90 1882
Some laughed, and I felt cheap

Some laughed, and / felt cheap.
enough.
Another time walked right straight
into lady's face and eyes, my gaze
bein' fixed ahead in the road, on
coal coat just heavin' in sight; I jest
bumped square into her face, and her
spectacles fell off, she dropped her
purse, and Let go the string that was
hitchedh onto her poodle dog, aand Z
lost my bag; so we had ter paw
round Quite a@speil 'afore we got
right side up agin.
Ipollygized as wells I knew how,
and asked her if 1 couldn't do some
thin to kind er bring her teu, and
make her feel better, and so on. She
was leanin' up agin a store winder,
and she jest put her hand and fixed
her spectacles on to her nose, more
firm, and then she looked me over
calmly, and says she: '.How very
peculiar!" Twas awful mad!
If she'd jawed and scolded 1
wouldn't cared, but to have her
treat mes if I was q menagery or
some sort of curiosity-I couldn't
stand it nohow. s--- @
Madam" says I, "p'raps you'd
be peculiar yourself if you had a
whole city full O. coal men to look
arter!' says I. .ar ~. s.sz.- se>-
She only stared the more insultin'
and went off and left her standin'
there as if she's paraGzed !; I dunno
but what she stands there yit-I don't
care snap if she does.
But that want circumstance to
what I come teu another time.
Minty and went one afternoon to
a concert to the Music Hall. We
thought it would rest us and do us
good, and anybody'd think that I
wouldn't be such fool as to look for
a coal man there but sot through
the first half o. the concert-the mu-
sic want very interesting to me
too high-toned I 'spose. I don't like
this helter skelter music like some
thin with tune to it, if it's no more
than "Yanky Doodle" Wall, as I
was a sayin' 1 didn't feel interested
in the music, and SO I got ter thinkin'
and wonderin' about my coal man /;
when all to once a man right in front
on us had little coughin' spell, and
turned his head round so't I could
see his face; I grabbed Minty's arm.
"Minty!" 1 whispered, "there's
Imy man-there!" ...
She looked where 7 pinted, and
says she: "Aunt Ruth, you're
crazy that man is q gentleman; he
looks like a Beacon Street swell! Do
be quietp' says she. 4 =
| 81 can't help that" says I. 'sHe's
the feller I rid on the coal cart with,
or less he's twin, and I'm goin' ter
speak to him after this show is over,
sure's my name is Ruth!''
elbow foolish" So Is Minty. ''It
is not very likely that coal men make
a bizness O. washing up and putting
on their white kid gloves, and going
to concerts right in the middle Of the
day."
But there I sot and looked at him,
and the more / looked the more sar-
tin grew that he was the very man.
Every feature in his face looked nat.
ural. g..
4 So 'sWho knows but that he's had .
fortune left to him, says I ter my
self. "Stranger things have happen.
ed" -e.sr..- E. E.
So when the concert was over,
! jest pushed my way along side or
him, and laid my hand on his arm.
excuse me, SIR" says I, all of 8
tremble, s'but amt you the coal mar
that kerried me to the depot one day
bout Christmas time last year?''
The man drew back a little, anG
looked at me serious and inquiring'
/ T. was awful scarf, but he didn't
. speak, and rs bound I'd make him
l So I follows on, and says I: a
''Mebby;you've had a fortune lef'
: yet looks like ia i. if so, I'm
glad ont, but ye needn't be ashamed
ter remember doin' kind act, and
want ter thank ye and relieve my
mind all the same, If ye don't neet
any money!" says r..
l We was half way out by this TIM
and he seemed ter have his mint
made up about me; for he turned t,
9 me, and he says, very serious and re
spectful: -. -...,, e
MADAM, you are laborin' under
> mis- apprehension. but beg you t.
1 take this, and when you find tn,
honest coal man that does me tn
honor to resemble me SO closerwl
/; you give It to him for me 2"
Them was his very words, and h
. dropped twenty-dollar gold piec
Unto my hand, and lifted his hat m:
off n his head to me, as Il I'd bee
i the queen, and walked on. 7.
a I looked at the money and won
d dered whether or poI was awake q
d dreamin'. And Minty, she ketehe
It hold ONE and hauled me away dow
yIthe stairs, quick as she could.
SO, Aunt Ruth!''' says she, ha
t fcryin' ''why what have you done7''
Il 81 dunno what I've done,Y says
q