Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-05-24

doomed into prominence, and he hest
tatcd, feeling the humiliation Of his de-
feat.
"And then-and then, said he, blush
ing.
"And them" said the young man, SOL
EMMY, ''you put the cork back into the
bottle and the green snakes disappeared.
Icommend your prudence. You've had
enough"
DO you mean to intimate that I am
intoxicatedw
ssNot ut all" replied the young man;
''but you'll have 10 try this story at the
main Office on Broadway. 1t is too ex-
citing for my nerves."
From this position the manager re-
fused to recede, and Lawrence was
Obliged to content himself with direc-
tions how to find the main ONCE. 1t
was not very long walk, but shame at
his garments made 1t q path OF torture.
It was not plain. sailing after he got
there, either, for it took half an hour OF
painful argument to coax the message
on to the wire.
The answer was slow in coming. Tho
long evening twilight was well adj
vanced before he was notified that Kan
sas City had been heard from. This was
the reply:
''Have wired money to New Haven.
SANFORD DRANE."
When Lawrence read this he deeply
regretted his small command Of ex-
pletives. His disappointment nearly
burst him.
ANY rcply?" asked the man who had
brought the telegram. Lawrence's tenn
per got the better Of him, and he wrote:
why didn't you send it to Jericho?
al. D."
He cooled down after awhile, and
finally persuaded the night manager to
have query sent to New Haven. The
answer read as follows:
Lawrence Drane collected money
here. Fully identified"
When this reply had been read by
the night manager it was evident that
he had made up his mind what to do.
|
knew that he was in bad scrape. He
prepared to get out, for he was well
aware that arrest stared him in the
face. The manager tried to detain him.
Lawrence pushed him over chair and
fed, holly pursued by half dozen
messenger boys and q few clerks. He
was too nimble for them, however, and
in few minutes he stood alone upon
the street.. penniless, tired and hungry.
1t is curious physiological fact that
man can voluntarily abstain from food
for twcnty-four hours with far less re-
monstrance from his stomach than that
organ will make II it's owner unwillingly
fasts for half that time. When Lawrence
realized that he had not money enough
to buy sandwich he became hungrier
than he had ever been before in his life.
He was positively faint, and as he stood
upon o corner trying to decide upon q
course of action he closed his eyes and
actually reeled with exhaustion.
A man passing rapidly along ran
against him. Lawrence did not even
look at him.
poor fellow" muttered the stranger;
''hc's blind" and he slipped ten-cent
piece into Lawrence's hand.
"Confound you!" exclaimed Lawrence,
in a rage, II can see as well as you
can"
The stranger opened his eyes. his
mouth and his charitable heart at the
same moment.
Have lived to see this day" he
cried. ''Here, my friend, here is half q
dollar for the only really honest man in
New York"
Lawrence refused it, and tried to give
back the dime, but the stranger wouldn't
take it. He appeared to be an excep-
tionally humane old fellow. Lawrence
walked along by his side for few steps,
and the idea struck him that here was
chance to tell his story to believing ears.
He began 1t with considerable hope in
his heart, but he had got no further than
brief outline OF his real financial solid
ity and apparent poverty when he heard
the stranger mutter: New game; now
game. Never saw it before, but I'm onto
1t just the same"
Then he hurried away, and Lawrence
was left alone with the dime still in his
hand. The encounter had not been
wholly improbable, at all events.
He debated long with himself upon
the question how he should expend his
ten cents. That he should buy food
with it was of course foregone conclu-
sion, but how could he get the most for
his money? He tried to recall all
the stories he had heard Of men who
had been in similar depths OF poverty
stories told by bohemian acquaintance
who prided themselves upon such ex-
periences. In all Of these that he could
remember the salvation Of the narrator
had ultimately depended upon that
great modern institution, the free
Il A.I A,H ann ,.oro0U al