, 1888-05-19
chi COLONIES WATCH.

but a sea of heads. Far up the broad
thoroughfare came the glare of a confla-
grafton, growing redder as the darkness
fell. Over the crowd was a hush, as If
loud words were treason. The first day
of pillage and destruction in the great
railway riots was over; but mob rule was
still in the ascendant. What was to be
the next lawless act7
. The crowd was made up of all grades
of men, called from their homes by the
momentous events of the day. The
widest rumors passed from mouth to
mouth. The red glare up the street
might be the forerunner of the destruc-
ton of Pittsburg; none could tell. 1t
was a period of uncertainty; of lawless-
ness. Little wonder that men gathered
in knots to discuss the rumors, speaking
low and earnestly.
ragged boy came staggering through
the throng with some brooms ON his
shoulder, fruits of the pillage of the
freight cars on the Pennsylvania railway
tracks. Little attention was paid to the
child, as the day just closing had been
prolific of such sights, and he would nave
passed unnoticed had he not encountered
an elderly gentleman, against whose
broad and portly person q broom handle
caIne IN rude contact.
''Begone, you whelpl'' exclaimed the
dc gentleman, turning ~savagely on the
boy.
I'm no whelpl' retorted the gamin.
keep out of my wayl"
I'm hand you over to the police"
growled the gentleman, Indignantly.
"PoliceV' jeered the boy, %grinning.
81 wish you would. I'd like to see what
n am Lob. I'LL FL H.. -. H..
the mayor myself"
The gentleman looked at the child,
amazed, indignant. The couple repre-
sented society's extremes. The gentle
man, while not dressed e~xtravagantly,
had the air of a man of wealth and posi-
ton. The child was scarcely IA years
of age, slightly built, raggedly clad, but
with face impudent and triumphant.
Mob rule was reflected in his every ac-
ton.
II tell you, old man." said he, with
the same exasperating grin, sit was
jollyl Did you see the cars burnt Did
you see the depot and the grain elevator
go DOWN. Did you see IN whack open
the whisky barrels and scatter big box
fuls o crackers? Talk about yer pic
nicsr'
'-Goodr' cried n full bearded man,
paiting the boy on the back. You're
q bnck. me lad"
"Ahai' growled the doughty old gem
ueInan, anger getting The better of his
Judgment, you're a pack of rioters
yes, sir; a pack Of rioters"
A score Of men crowded about the trio.
Softly, softlyl" said he of the full
bard ITS the poor mans turn now,
old bond clipperl''
Right enough" responded half n
dozen voices.
Wei get fair a g now" continued
the full bearded man. e
You'll likely s~tarvel' retorted the
old gentleman.
mo fault of yours if we don't" cried
the man, angrily planting himself
directly in front OF his opponent.
"Stand aside, STRIP said the old gentle
man moving off.
I'm no dogl" The man stood firm.
Unfortunately, and with no intention
of provoking violence, the gentleman
brushed the man rather roughly in pass
ing. The result was a blow that felled
him to the ground. Attracted by the
loud words and the s~cufle, men crowded
in from all sides.
Are you hurt, Col. Bond7'' asked one,
assisting the gentleman to rise.
'tHurti Where is the s~coundrel9'
"At your elbow, and no scoundrel,
eitheri" cried the man, shaking O great
red fist at the colonel. 'Tt was the
scoundrel that had to be picked upi''
A laugh ran through the crowd; some
hooted.
''Of all the picnicsl' laughed the boy
with the brooms.
1000 o.r.a .1orzI - iii II 81
leading him away; "this is no place for
you"
II reckon notr jeered the boy.
Col. Bonds anger was at fever heat,
but what recourse had he? The man
who had struck him was an entire
stranger, and had he been known there
was no law to punish him. The sympa-
thies of the crowd were all with the
workman, for such he seemed to be. The
c~olonel's language in such a crowd and
on such an occasion had been foolish and
infammatory. Standing over a keg Of
powder, he had been unwise enough 10
drop fire into it.
IN go home" he said. THE towns
going to the devil. A mans life Is not
safe in h streets"
And home he went In a towering rage.
When dropping into an easy chair In his
sitting room, he noticed for the first
time that his watch chain dangled loose.
he felt in his vest pocket for his time
piece; it was gonel Not only had he
been knocked down, grossly insulted; he
had also been robbed. The old heirloom,
the watch that he had carried since he
reached manhood, had been stolen.
Grieved to the heart at the loss, he paced
up and down the room unable to control
himself.
THE scoundrell" he said. "Who
would have taken him for a theft /
said some cutting things to him, and he
knocked me down. / half deserved it,
i confess; but to rob met I'd never have
suspected the man of that. The query
Is, how can 1 find him, or get the
watch2"
In a day or two the newspapers con-
tanned this advertisement:
al cat-Op I iharfv efraaf 1o.u c.-4L