The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-02-06


baby mutually involved, who had
stumbled over his feet. ''Do you think
that patent-leathers grow on trees?"
The wan woman chung more closely
to the indetcrminate bundle. but an
| swered not IA word. She was used to
| unllind speech; it reminded her of home
| and husband.
But she of the Gaunt elbow upon his
left flushed and hustled as though heat
and humidity had regained courage, and
had actually attacked her. She pro-
| longed a finger; She tapped Arthur on
the shoulder.
Young man." she cried, in buzz-saw
tones, aren't you going to give this
poor woman your seat?"
He stared in amazement over his
glasses.
Il never do" he drawled: mot if |
know myself. What do you take me
! for? Stand yourself, if you want to;
you ought to know how by this time.
All, no; I've cut my eye-tceth, old
lady"
lie lolled more extendedly than be-
fore; his coat tapped more widely. His
eyes and nose and chin were eagerly
engaged with the details of fashion
able wedding. He saw, he heard moth
| ing.
The indignant female gave snort of
defiance, it may be of warning. He
never docsr' she muttcrcd. Il couldn t
find better subject if | went to Har-
| lem"
One deft. rapid motion did that spat-
ulated hand make from the reticulc to
the ide-pockct of the Tapping coat of
the unconscious Arthur, who was men
tally personatinr the best man. Then
she sprang to her feet and gave her seat
to the wan woman, the shawl and the
baby.
More jostlings, more Scramblings.
more rollings. Heat and humidity re-
turned from the pursuit and ravagcd
the bodies Of the vanquished. Arthur
still stretched himself and read. The
keen. alert business men swayed easily
with the motion; the Wearicd women
exhibited the centrifugal force of each
curve. The gaunt and angular female,
with one hand appraised grasping the
strap. stood as rigid as the Goddess OF
Liberty enlightcning the world.
But as the rolling internationally
she suddenly released her hold and
fumbled through her reticulc; then she
uttered a series of shrill screams, which
startled the alert business men, the
baby in the shawl, the gyrating women
and the locomotive, which hitherto had
deemed itself proficient in that line. 1t
recalled Arthur from the wedding
breakfast, where he had been doing the
elegant to an American duchess.
"Oh, I'm robbed, I'm robbed" she
cried. "And by that bold, bad man.
And she pointed full the doubly-articu
lated tngcrof accusation at the agitatcd
Mr.. Chumpney.
Immediately there was Il confused
din which drowned the squeal1ing of i
stopping at station. The alert bust
ness men, the guards, the station men
pressed forward. The debilitated WON
en- screamed surprisingly and dropped
their baskets. The beshawled baby
doubled its fists, grew red in the face
like the sun and yelled. The angular
female still vocifcrated in tin-horr
tones: Its him! Don't let him escape
Catch him, kill him, the rascal, the
thief! Oh, my precious earnings"
What have you lost, madam?> in
Quired one Of the aforesaid Representa-
tives of commercial activity.
My all! My pocketbook! Oh, don't
let him escaped she necessarily piped
like siren in Il fog.
Come out of thiS!' shouted tho
guard, laying a heavy hand on Arthur's
shoulder.
"Oh, the rascal" tine BLACKBOARD,
''the thievish jude!'' Search him.
"Oh, he's a slick article!" resoundct
upon all sides.
Despite heat and humidity the eXcitcC
crowd surged through the aisles ant
out upon the platform. following the
important guard, the trembling Arthur
the spare, swarthy and Sbilant female
and unanimously crying: Search him
Search him.
The guard plunged his grimy hant
into the pocket of the widely-happine
coat and drew forth purse. He helC
} it above the pressing throng.
That's mine; my air the virgin &C
cuser cried, reaching her simian tinge
an amazing distance toward it.
Excuse me, madam" interposed thu
guard. That must go with this err
bloke to court, and you with him. Their
| will be a perlice along presently.
seed one come out of the saloon be
yant." And sure enough, blue-coatec
, refugee from English tyranny nov
forced his vigorous shoulders through
the crowd.
"Phat's this? Thavin', is it? | know
, yez we'll" he calculated, grasping tn
, collar of the widely-happing coat
Come along wild me!''
, He took the purse in his other hand
7 which hourished the club of authority
. He dragged his victim through the jeeI
: ing throng, down the stairs, followe
by the angular female, who stalked aft
: err them like one of the Fates released
: temporarily from the thread factory.
: The squeaking increased and dwin
5 died, the rolling began. Attended b.
: heat and humidity, the alert bushes
f men, the wan woman, the baby and tn
1 shawl fastened away, as if drcading tn
: vengeance of score of irate trains
! 1Naay, tb,1c InlnunI Inv Grim