Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-11-29
there are sometimes strange meetings i

Ing 10 nef eyes, your neaft Is DetteI tndu
, mine. | have always been afraid-yes
afraid-lest my father should some day
appear and stretch out hand-a con-
i vict's hand, remember-and drag me down
, to misery and degradation"
I "My poor, friendless Kate" said the
young man, tenderly, there is no fear OF
!. that now; no one can claim you when you
are my wife-Kate Dasborough."
At the utterance of this name CHASTITY
pallor spread over the face of the listening
sandwich-man. He gasped for breath as if
choking, and leaned against the pillar for
support.
Eyes l shall soon be Kate Kelly no
morew she murmured, with happy smile.
"That reminds me" said the lover, shat
have lost my pocket-book. l had in
tended to buy you wedding gift with
part of its contents" The girl released
her hand from his arm quickly.
"Where did you lose it? You said you
passed this way before. Let US look about.
There is little traffic round this corner.
She glided under the colonnade round the
pillar, and came face to face with a man
crouched low. "Why, here is sandwich
man, fallen asleepw The crouching crea-
ture lifted his head and stared at her in a
wild way.
You are Kate Kelly he muttered.
"Oh, Pm wide awake, young lady"
Kate drew little back. The man
alarmed her.
''But how pale you look You must be
| i'll. Have you fallen down? See, Cecil,
| how the poor mans hand trembles."
The trembling hand brought forth the
lost pocket-book and handed 1t to the
owner.
is this yours"
Cecil took it slowly, and his eye
searched the mans face. "You picked it
up?'
EYES," said the sandwich-mau, "and
looked inside"
The doctor opened the book and counted
his notes. "You are an honest man."
"For once" rejoined the fallen gentle
man, with bitter irony.
"You will accept reward ~ and the
young gentleman offered a sovereign. The
other mans eyes gistened, but with su-
preme effort he resisted the temptation.
From you-no."
During the exchange of these few brief
words great noise of voices and footsteps
was heard approaching.
Something has happened" said Kate,
looking timidly towards the end of the
street, where the advance guard of a
ragged crowd was visible. 'See, Cecil,
they are coming this way"
"Some street brawl, no doubt. / must
take you out of the way. Come, my
Kate"
NO." said Kate, "they are carrying
something-some one"
at must be man hurt or run over,"
said the doctor; "they are carving him
on boards. 1t is sandwich-man knocked
down, think"
Kate advanced few steps.
"Oh," she said, mot my poor sandwich
man-old Tom? Do something quickly
for him, Cecil.'
eco away at once, Kate" said the doc
tor imperatively, for he saw a piece OF
sacking had been thrown over the still
form. Then he approached the bearers
| and was lost to Hates view in the little
crowd.
"Let me look" he said to the police
, man, 81 am a surgeon"
1.-THE old chap has been run over by {
, bis. 1t amt no use sir; it's all Over
with the little Irishman." Tom was {
| well-known character, and even the police
? men showed rough sympathy with hi
sudden end. Then decently and reverent
. ly they carried the dead man away, an(
no one saw that nesting in the rags abov,
: his breast was a little bunch of sweet
smelling violets.
t As they carried him down the street tn,
crown of his red head was visible TIL
} sandwich-man beneath the colonnade mad
a stumble forwards as if intending to fol
: low the procession but he staggered ant
fell back with some sudden weakness OF
f Cecil Dasborough's arm. He was mutter
, ing strange words-mad words, the,
| thought.
"Dead is he before me- Won by neck
Tom He's got the game, though | VOL
E the toss. Death. old fellow, you've cheated
f me again.
. The girl Kate was weeping softly. Sh,
e turned to her lover. saying
|, "He had no friends, no one who cared
], for him at all; but he had daughte
!. once, and she might be about my own age
. Poor Tom--poor old Tom. He said, Goo
/ bless you, Katep" And she sobbed.
e The young doctor half lifted, hal
? dragged the sandwich-man to the shelte
r of the colonnade, and there loosened tn.
| neckt and of his shirt. He still muttereC
s incoherently
"The boards are not so heavy now, my
e man, for you. Has God Almighty giver
you the cross for valor at last? Oh, I'm
| coming soon to give evidence in you
favor, Tom-in your favor, do you hear p
He struck his breast "Here stands tn,
gentleman who was a liar and thief"
i. They thought his brain was weak, ant
| that this was delirium caused by the sud
den alarm. The stragglers from the Grove
+ who yet remained behind eered anc
Knocked at the poor gibbering creature, bu
; ; Kate and the doctor stood over him t.
protect him from actual molestation
With eyes blazing he went on more volu
bly,.
II robbed him, my servant, of honor, o
, home and wife and child-that child
. ne pointed to Kate. II left him to beal
the penalty Of my crime, to be branded a!
, a thief, and nothing can give back hi
) blasted life. Out of the way there, yor
, cursed foolsl Tom, am coming to beal
, witness to you before this day dies" H,
, struck right and left to clear passage fol-
himself "Oh, you were brave man
Tom-no one knows how brave, but
know" He took up his boards glarine
defiance at the insulting, grinning throng
which pressed about him, hooking hin
with coarse street banter. he cast one
strange look of fear at the weeping Kate
and the young man who sought to draw
her away.
81 must send in my papers tonight" he
said drawing his breath heavily. 1.-THE
court-martial will sit before to-morrow's
sun. Out of my way, you internal crew p'
,, And, pushing forwards, the sandwich man
walked down the street with brave front
and no backward glance for friend OF
enemy. His face was set before long,
long journey.
That night he was missing from Che