The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1883-12-20
THE MAN IN THE SHADOW.

THE MAN IN THE SHADOW.
1t was bitterly cold that night The
wind swept furiously down the long
avenues, sending the light snow. that
had Just ceased to fall, flying hithcr
and thither through the air, sweeping
ii from one side of the street and piling
ii up with mcthOdcal carefulness on
the other; driving it in long, feathery
drifts from the houSetopS and busting
it down the nccks of unfortunate pc
dcstrans in spite Of their closely but
toned coats and turncd-up collars. All
shivcrcd as they came to that corner,
and then with halI-avcrted heads hur-
ricd past into the more sheltered street
beyond. The Man in the Shadow
cr0uchcd closer vet into the arahway of
the big bank building and looked curl
ou>ly out on the passing throng.
Everybody seemed to be anxious to
get home-as who wouldn't be in such
weather? that was no reason why
everybody should look SO happy and
CNpcctant over such an ordinary event.
Then, too, hy another extraordinary CO.
incidence. everybody seemed provided
with n bundle or package of some sort
and such packages. Whitey-brown
parcels. tied up snugly, mysterious in
their every aspect: brown paper par
GELS whose very folds breathed a de-
lightful suggcstiveness of turkey and
pudding; smooth, Gin packages with
sleek. wcll-roundea sides, thoroughly
conventional and respectable; broken,
disreputahle ones, with pcrchance II
skate-strap or Il china dolls head peep
ing out, and thus basely betraying its
owners secrets; long ones and short
ones, little packets that could be car
ried in the waistcOat pocket, and valua-
bic, no doubt. in inverse proportion to
their size, and big bundles tightly bound
with manifold Shawl-strapS and proving
almost too much for their struggling
owners. Everybody that was anybody
seemed passing that particular corner
that particular night and carrying
everything that could be bought i'll the
city.
The Man in the Shadow looked puz-
lied. Across the way the door of n
shop opened, and a little girl. with long
fair hair flying out from beneath her
red worSted hood, came running over
the crossing. But the ground was
slippery. and the rash little adventures
suddenly disappeared into the big snow
drift beyond The curbStOne. The Man
in the Shadow uttered low cXclama-
ton and, darling out, lifted her up.
"Oh. I've broken it," she exclaimed.
anXiously pulling out something from
her tiny pocket. mo. it isn't either;
I'm so glad. It's for Christmas, you
know, and I'm ever 50 much obliged to
YOU" Then, turning quickly around,
She sped away again.
"Of course that what it all means
Christmas Eve" rcd the man.
going back to his old shelter. much
good it does me- and he frowncd as
he kicked the snow off his boots and
drew his thrcadbare coat yet more
closely about him. "It is growing late
and the crowd is getting thinner"
Suddenly q tall figure closely en-
veloped in o long ulster hurried pat.
The slou he'd hat was pulled low down
over the pedestrian forehead, but as
he came into the circle of light under
the lamp-po-t sudden gust of wind
lifted il off his head and sent it lying
on ahead of him. The Man in the
Shadow started and took q step for
ward as though about to follow him.
"P-haw, what fool / am"' he said,
rs he shrank back; "as if it could be
he and even if it wcre'--
Come, my man, move on; no loaiing
around herc." met his ear, and Police
man Buffer looked in SuSpiciously upon
the crouching figure. He looked up de-
family and then, with a gesture of
assent, stepped out into the street.
Zone OF the kind as II need watch
ing" remarked Mr.. Buffer, contiden-
tally, to white-cOated waiter who had
10 see what was going on.
LAS desperate lookin' cove as ever
] seed, said the waiter, who had not
seen him at ALL "but you'd better be
coming inside. It's mortal cold out
here and your coffee is about ready
''Wot a fool | was to let him stay
there SO long" said Policeman Buffer,
regretfully. How do | know but wot
he's been drillin hole under the lock
and pluggin' it full of blastin' powder
while ! was up the street,"
faint no call for you. Mr.. Buffer,
to be THROWN yourself away Investigate
in, and come to think of it, he couldn' t
have been doing anything like that for
he's been out and in from there Il dozen
times"
''Mebbe 1 ought to have stroked him
off little with the club" hesitated
Mr.. Buffer, caressing that fifth member
of himself fondly; 'but he's out of my
beat now. and anyway he's pretty sure
to be run in before morning. and
with this consolatory reflection he re-
tired.
Down the well-n'gh deserted streets,
with head bent down and with rapid
steps, the man hurried along. Pres
emily he stopped and looked around
him. A toy-shop across the way with
brilliantly-lighted show-windows caught
his eyes. On the pane was lettered in
evergreens merry Christmas. " Every
where the same old story" he muttered,
jmpatiently, land it seems ] can't get