The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1883-02-17


amongthe laborers in the Street Cleaning
Department who are engaged filling in
the North River front at the foot Of
Seventy-ninth Street. 1t was reported
that Michael Cummings. the father of 8
young man who is employed by the De
partment as trimmer at the river, had
found q Government bond valued al
$40. 200 among the refuse. and that some
OF the men had seen him pick it I'D and
tuck 1t carefully into the bosom of his
shirt Cummings could not be found
that afternoon, but on Saturday, when
his friends congratulated him and sug-
gested that he 'swet'' the bond, he com
piled with great generosity. This settled
the question in the minds of his friends,
and when he disappeared again it was
said he had gone to buy q house and lot
in Fifth Avenue. A Times reporter
called upon Mr.. Cummings last evening
to ascertain how much truth there was
in these stories. Mr.. Cummings was
found in his comfortable cottage at the
foot Of Seyenty-ninth Street. He was
attired in blue ssoveralls'' and a
Jumper" and was complacently smok-
ing clay pipe in his sitting-room. Mrs.
Cummings and Mr.. Cummings, Jr.,
were also present. When the reporter
announced the object of his visit the ex-
precision Of Mr.. Cummings countenance
changed from lofty calm to one of ex-
treme sheepishness, and half suppressed
smiles were noticed upon the faces of
Mrs Cummings and Mr.. Cummings,
Jr.
I'm fist wan minute, sirr' he said, and
disappeared into back room. while Mrs.
Cummings and Mr.. Cummings, Jr.,
laughed outright
Poor divvle," said the former, 'she'n
niver hear the last o. that. ID we see"
But here Mr.. Cummings appeared with
small lamp and beckoncd the reporter
to follow him. He led the way through
bedroom and the kitchen out into the
woodshed. Then he placed the lamp
on a shelf and babe the reported be
seated.
Nov I'll give it to We straight.
Yell excuse me for bringin' We ont here,
but I'd git the grand laugh il l staid
there, agin, and I've got all | want of it
already. Now, thin! About four
O'Clock Friday afternoon ] was out wild
a coal-scuttle picking up small bits of
coal in that street refuse, whin suddenly
/ finds piece of paper marked tin
thousand dollars. / looked at it two or
three times to make sure was right,
an then kicked the coal-scuttle into
the river and made break for home.
The old woman was mending me socks.
Throw them old things into the
stove! says, and showed her that
bond. Thin some of the boys got onto
it an came in to see about it, an sent
out for the whisky and called in the
neighbors an we had high time. 1
showed the bond to the foreman of the
work at the river, and he told me fer to
60 to Drexel. Morgan & Co. (which
their name was on the paper--and see if
it was good. So ON Monday took it
around there-Sayr' said Mr.. Cum
mings. suddenly interrupting himself
and pointing to the corpse OF remark
S Sny 1s5gs and 1. plump turkey which 1sa,
bird q hangin' thereP That don't look
as if this family was goin' to starve if
that bond wasn't genooine, does itP
Well, sor, Mr.. Morgan told me that it
was no good. 1t was only cheek that
had been cancelled dye mind? took
that check and--''
At this juncture the door opened and
Mrs. Cummings appeared. Mr.. Cum
mings looked at her warningly, but she
asked, with great hilarity:
ibid We tell the gentleman how We
run ten dollars in debt settin' 'em up for
the boys, Mike?''
ssWillye be good enough to how'd yer
jarP' retorted her husband with great |
asperity. ''She's tryin' to play it on We.
sir. That's a lie. As 1 was saving / |
took that check and tore it up in small |
bits"
''And the more fool your interjected
Mrs. Cummings.
II tore it up in small bits right before
that mans desk. and that's the end of it.
VIII you be good enough to leave this
apartment before feel obliged to use
my authority on yep Mr.. Cummings
then remarked, sternly, to his better half, |
she laughed Unfortunately.
There's another thing" went on Mr.. /
Cummings, bestowing q savage, glare
upon her, II want to tell We about. A
wrote in wan of the papers that
lived in shanty-a dilapidated shanty.
Now ask you as man and a gentle.
man il this looks like dilapi,lated shan
TYP II had that REPORTER here" con-
Iinued Mr.. Cummings with great indig-
nation, "Pl tell We what I'd do, I'd sind
my son out to ring the fire alarm fer an
ambulance, and thin I'd pound that re-
porther until the ambulance got here to
AXE him away"
Mr.. Cummings is evidently sly fat
erer. for he came outside of his door
when the reporter went away to re-
mark:
Say, can till by yer appearance that
ere the only REPORTER I've talked to
hat knows anything. Jis give Drexel,
Morgan 4 Co. the tip in the paper. that
{ they should sind me check fer one
hundred dollars as reward fer my
- - - "a