The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-04-21
A STREET FAKlR STORY.

We will begin by saying that person
dressed mp in strange, fantastic manner
and going about the streets distributing
circulars, selling patent medicines, or
advertising some house or business by
show cards, is called 'sstreet fakir.'
When Teddy Banker came home in the
disguise Of frog, his little girl baby
Bobinet, as she was called,) was rather
in doubt at first; but after the father had
explained matters, the odd dress be-
came source of perpetual delight to her
heart.
It was Tedly's first employment since
rheumatism had taken him prisoner and
obliged him to resign the head watch
mans place of the !" Fidelity Bank
The humiliation was o grievous one,
and Teddy was abont to decline wear
ing the ugly suit, when Baby Bobine..' s
infantile face came before him, and for
her sake he at last concluded to par
ade the busy thoroughfares in that dis
guise.
Teddy's new employer was desirous of
introducing to the attention of the pab-
lie a new brand of shaving soap, or tooth
picks, I can't say which, to which he
had given the irrelavent title OF Jim
jams" In the equally irrelayent dress
of frog he meant to attract the eyes of
q buying world. Closely fitting breeches
of green stuff, came to his knees, eontin-
ing from thence downward in vivid yell
low, and concluding in broad shoes,
painted to represent the splay footed ex-
panse of frogs extremity; coat with
long and narrow tails, also of green. fitted
closely about his body, and was literally
splotched with black, the breast being of
deep yellow; while mask. with huge
glaring google eyes completed Teddy's
outfit.
OF course the "street arabs" could not
resist an instinct, natural to every boy,
to pelt Teddy with orange and banana
sbins, and objects OF more solid char
aoter-it being, apparently. the incon-
testable right of every urchin to stone
bullfrogs, from Nsop's day down to the
present.
Baby Bobinet could not know this, and
her papa's costume was a source of un-
mitigated pride, in which her delight
never lessened. Baby Bobinet was the
priceless treasure which Teddy Bankers
wife had bequeathed to him some Ave
years before, and the legatee cherished
the little sunbeam with devotion to
which all other objects were small in
deed.
Teddy Banker occupied two rooms
with an honest widow. Mrs. O'Glinty.
and Baby Bobinet remained in her care
during the tireless wanderings of the
"street fakir."
After her father, no one fostered great
er love and pride in the little lass than
Mrs. Catharine O'Glinty.. IsSould have
been hard heart that could have resist
ed the claims of Baby Bobinet to a reign
ing place among the first ladies of the
royal heart chamber.
Teddy's modification had lost much of
its wire edge at the time of which write,
although Baby Bobinet had not yet
ceased to enjoy the costume in an emf
nent degree.
It was somewhere about dusk one day,
and the coal-oil lamp was Illuminating
the front room. with it's window looking
out upon the rather out of the way street.
Baby Bobinet was seated on the floor, in
the center of the room, surrounded by
her collection of marbles, blocks and
miscellaneous toys.
Mrs. O'Glinty came in from the kiteh-
en- with platter in her hand and an
apron thrown over her head-going, as
she said, ''to the corner beyant for a
rasher for daddys suppher."
She had been absent but moment,
when Baby Bobinet was attracted by the
closing of the door which opened di.
and saw o slender young man pass hastily
,rrl, khn hn Of fa1
by the fur collar he wore about his
colorless face. As he passed rapidly
across the room he drew handkerchief
from his pocket and wiped the moisture
from his forehead. Baby Bobinet stared
in placid way at the intruder's exit
and then went across the room to picl
up one of the glass marbles which had
evidently come in contact with the toe
of the briskly moving stranger.
The marble had an especial attraction
for the little maid; and when Mrs
O'Glinty came in from the grocer's, sbe
held it up admiringly that the dame
might observe it.
sTroth, an yer an angel gossoon-bu
| / can't be afther playin' wild ye now
Daddy'll be wantin' his bite, I'll warran
ye; for it's sharp the weather is outside
| my darlint" and then she hustled out o
the room with the closing admonition
.tNow, be afther gittin' yer gewgaws il
the boxl Daddy'n be here in a pigi
whistle"
Baby Bobinet made haste to put NJ
her treasures, the better to devote he
whole attention to the wondrous "stree
rig which only her. papa might wear.
Another incident happened to diver
the damsel's attention; and that was
second strange face, whose bearded out
lines she saw peering in at the window
But it was quickly gone also, and Bah
Boblnet gave her whole mind to gather
ing together her valuables.
The next evening there was an even
OF much more startling nature, the lik
OF which was quite beyond her comprs
hension.
/ Papa had just come in from the stree
and put aside the mask, in order to oh
tain his daughters kiss in all its purit,
when the door was thrown violenti
open and two men laid hands upon th
indignant Teddy. Why they should tax
him away, or tumultuously toss owe
and examine the boxes, drawers and be
clothes throughout the house she coul
not understand; but they did SO.
Even the usually sage Mrs. O'Glin,
J had no explanations to offer which coul
! satisfy Bobinet's perturbed mind.
} That worthy matron's humor oscillate
from fearful mood to spirited denunc
] ations of sperlicemen" and the detecti,
force generally.
: During the afternoon, Mr.. Sticker