The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1891-04-11

feet with natural chivalry. But Arthur
did not move. One glance he cast, te
see if he might detect the bonnet OF
luxury. One glance sufficed. He
stretched himself the more arrogantly
and continued his educational process.
Mind your eyes!" he angrily squealed
alta wan woman, with a shawl and a
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 indeter1ninate bundle, but an
swered not word. She was used to
unl1ind speech; it reminded her of home
and husband.
But she of the gaupt elbow upon his
left flushed and hustled as though heat
and humidity had regained courage, and
had actually attacked her. She pro-
longed 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?"
| 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-teeth, old
lady"
He 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 doesr' she muttered. 81 couldn't
find better subject if l went to Har-
lem"
One deft, rapid motion did that spat-
ulated hand make from the reticule to
the side-pocket of the tapping coat of
the unconscious Arthur. who was men,
tally personating 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 ravaged
the bodies of the vanquished. Arthur
still stretched himself and read. The
keen, alert business men swayed easily
with the motion; the wearied 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 enlightening the world.
But as the, rolling internationally
slackened and ihe squeaking increased,
she suddenly released her hold and
fumbled through her reticule; then she
uttered series of shrill screams, which
startle6 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 robbedr' she
cried "And by that bold, bad man."
And she pointed full the doubly-articu-
lated finger of accusation at the agitated
Mr.. Chumpney.
Immediately there was a confused
din which drowned the squealxing of q
stopping at station. The alert BUSH
ness men, the guards, the station men
pressed forward. The debilitated wom-
en- screamed surprisingly and dropped
their baskets. The beshawled baby
doubled it's fists, grew red in the face
like the sun and yelled. The angular
female still vociferated in tin-horn
tones: ''It's 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 pocket-book! Oh, don't
let him escaped" she necessarily piped,
like siren in fog.
Come out of this" shouted the
guard, laying heavy hand on Arthur's
shoulder.
''Oh, the rascal" 1.-THE blackguard,"
s'the thievish juder' Search himr'
''Oh, he's slick article!'' resounded
upon all sides.
Despite heat and humidity the excited
crowd surged through the aisles and
out upon the platform, following the
guard, the trembling Arthur,
the spare, swarthy and sibilant female,
and unanimously crying: Search him!
Search him.
The guard plunged his grimy hand
into the pocket of the widely-fapping |
coat and drew forth a purse. He held |
it above the pressing throng.
That's mine; my air. the virgin ac-
cuser cried, reaching her simian finger
an amazing distance toward it.
Excuse me, madam" interposed the
guard. THAT must go with this ere |
bloke to court, and You with him. There |
will be a perlice along presently. l |
seed one come out of the saloon be- |
yant." And sure enough, a blue-coated
refugee from English tyranny now
forced his vigorous shoulders through |
The croxv6