San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-06-26
'1emme go! I'm ZCno.

Brant stared at him in amazement.
What was it? A walking advertisement
for an automatic toy or a new tooth pow
der?
''It's all right" said the slim man, his
teeth chattering, "lemme get along. Pm
most freezing, I'm ZOzo, the astrologist.
Why-dOu't you know?-on Rapelyea
street,"
Brant dimly remembered that there was
a Rapelyva street, through which he some
times passed on his way to the station, and
he had some faint memory of a guadily
painted shanty decked ont with the signs
of the zodiac in gilt papier-mache.
MY orfice got afire this morning." ex-
planned Zozo, from the bakery next door.
And had to light out over the back fence.
Them people in the neighborhood is kinder
superstitious. They amt no idea of astrol-
ogy. They don't know it's a science They
think it's some kind of magic. And if
they's to see me drove out by a common,
ordinary fire they'd think was no sort of
an astrologer. So lit out quiet"
His teeth chartered CHAT he made ten
syllables out of quiet"
"They don't understand the science of
it," he continued, land the fire got at my
street clo'e before | knew it, and so / had
to light out mighty quick. Now, jes' lem
me get home, will you? This here flannel
amt no fur coat"
Brant's coat came off his shoulders in an
instant.
PUT this on" he said "Confound youp'
as the man resisted, put it on"
The astrologer slipped into the coat with
a gasp of relief.
"Crackyr' he cried, "but was freezin'w
"Do you live far from here?" Brant in
quired.
Just bit up the road. Pm most home
now," replied Zozo, still chattering as to
his teeth.
AS they walked along the half built
street Zozo told his tale. He had been in
The astrology business for thirty years, and
it barely yielded him a living. Yet he had
been able by rigorous economy to save up
enough money TO build himself house.
Elegant house, sir" he said; "'tain't
what you may call large, but it's an ele-
gait house. | got the design out of book
that cost a dnllar, sir IA dollar. There
amt no use in trying to do things cheap
when your going t. I'D house."
But his joy in u. ..puse was counter
balanced by his 80, for the loss of his
"orfice." He had taken the ground rent
of the city lot, and had erected the "orfice"
at his own cost. Three hundred and twen-
ty-seven dollars he had spent on that mod
est structure. No, he had not insured it.
And now the baker had caught fire, and
his "orficc" Was BIZ, ned to the ground,
and his best suit Of street clothes with it
his only suit. as he owned after a seconds
hesitation.
In ten minutes walk they arrived at
Zozo's house. II was quite the sort of a
house that migAt have come out of dollar
book, with great deal of scroll work about
it, and with "A tiny tower. adorned with
Enthusiastically adorned shingles. AS they
stood on the porch-nothing would con-
tent Zczo but that his new friend should
come in and warm himself-Mr. Brant
looked at the door plate.
"Zozo's only my name in the. SCIENCE"
the astrologer explained. "My real name
my born name-is Simmons. But took
Zozo for my business name. as seem to
kinder go with the astrology business,
somehow don't know why. There's Fad
kiel and Zoroaster and-oh, | don't know
they're rs or KS most of 'em, and it
goes with the populace. don't no more
like humoring superstition than you would;
but mans got to live, and the world amt
up to the science yet. Oh, that's you,
Mommer, is it?' he concluded as the door
was opened by a bright, buXom, rather
pretty woman Mother amt to bed yet,
is she? Say, Mommer, the orfce is burnt
down."
"Oh, Popper" cried the poor woman;
you don't say" -
"True's ive," said the astrologer, land
my street clo'es too"
ooh, Popperl" his wife cried, what shall
we do?"
81 don't know, mommer; | don't know.
Well have to think. Jes' let this here
gentleman in, though. rd most "a froze
if he hadn't lent me the loan Of his over
coat. My sakes," he broke oUt as he looked
at the garment in the light of the hall
lamp, "but that cost money! Mommer,
this here's Mr.. | amt caught your
name, sir"
"Brant," said the owner of the name.
"Braut. And a reel elegant gentleman
he is, mommer. I'd "a frOze stiff in my
science clo'es If it hadn't been for this coat.
My sakes" he exclaimed reverently,
never see the like That'd keep corpse
warm. Shut the door, mommer, an take
the gentleman into the dining room. He
must be right cold himself. Is mother
there?"
eyes," said ZozO's wife, land so g
Mamie. You was so late we all got a
kinder worried, and Mamie come right
down in her mighty, just before you come
in. Where's popper?' SEE she. Amt he
Gonna in vat IN kiss me- good MIGHTY Tain Z
mornin',' seq she. And the orfce burned
down! Oh, my, pepper! | thought our
troubles was at an end. Come right in,
Mr.-Mr.-I amt rightly got your name
but thank you kindly for looking after
pepper, and if you had an idee how easy he
takes cold on his chist you'd know how