The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1891-11-14
NOT THE RIGHT WOMAN.
PATHETIC RESULT OF A WRITER'S
BIT OF DETECTIVE WORK.

She Had Heard That All Beggars wer
Wealthy and She Followed a Woman
Who Played an Accordion. Expecting t.
Find n Princely Home-What She Saw
She sat all day in the dust and tn,
wind on the street corner grinding
dreary tunes out of dilapidated old &C
Gordon that shrieked and groaned ant
wheezed but was never in the least mu
steal.
''She owns block of houses" sale
to myself, land has money in the bank
shall not drop a penny in that old til
cup. 1t is wrong to encourage mendi
cacy."
/ was only repeating what had beer
said to me about street impostors. Now
that had good chance to study one o.
these characters from the window of 6
hotel, became interested. Yes. With
out doubt this woman was an impostor
Her rags of raiment were eloquent with
that personal poverty which appeals sc
strongly to the sympathetic Her head
dropped over her recumbent figure. She
sat on the curbstone and mechanically
ground out her doleful music
She was there at nightfall when
stepped out Of the hotel, but she was
preparing to leave.
"Aha, my lady" said to myself,
'here is chance to follow you and see
how much of your doleful plea is true.
If you are An impostor 1 shall soon know
It," and 1 skipped along in the shadow
until had traversed long distance
from my hotel. treading all the alleys
and back streets in the city, it seemed to
me.
NO DECEPTION ABOUT THIS
Then she climbed a pair Of rickety
stairs on the outside of a tumble down
house. l still followed her and CROPPED
my way in the dark to miserable room
In the rear, where chorus of little
voices saluted her.
@ mamma, oh, mamma, wese been
good-wese been jes as good as wese
could Hasn't wese. Johnny" cried a
wan faced little girl lying on the poor
bed In the corner.
The door was left open and I slipped
out Of sight behind it. but I could both
see and hear, and if was discovered,
why, 1 was looking for mythical wash
Lady who once lived in those rooms
That was all.
"Dot some pread an putter, mammal"
continued tie ild'svoice, while feeble
vail from the bed added its note of sup
'picstion.
= The woman had dropped her musical
burden on the table and now she emptied
her pocket
"Dere's feeteen cents, nall in pennies,
Johnnie, run and get some hot sausage
an loaf of bread. An I'll boil some hot
coffee against yer back"
Johnny could not run. He was
fnghtful little cripple, but he hmped
away with the pennies.
Then / came forward and made my
bogus errand known, and asked to see
the sick child in the bed.
The woman looked at me suspiciouslv.
"'Taint dip'thery," she said. ''it's con
eoompshun. al We cannot take her 70 any
hospital while | have breath in my
body"
''Do you go out with that thing every
day and leave these children here alone:"
asked.
A TALK WITH THE CHILDREN.
, Il amt a regular" she whined, the
woInan-she were a Bohemiau-tliel
and left me that for takin' care Of her.
cud play it that we'll you couldn't tell
betwixt and between US. AMI / give up
washin, for this is easier and more Teddy
hike. l was allus that fond Of music"
$50 an l, and if you don't mind l will
come here sometimes and hear you play,
instead Of stopping on the street-no.
nc. as sic seized up the instrument,
mot tou!-nt," and slipped out, leaving
my humble contribution OF the table.
heard the woman singing to her sick
child before had reached the foot of
the stairs. ~ the corner met crippled
Johnny. He mad brown paper pack
age Of food.
''6asserges !. bread" he said, smack
ing his hips.
But what is there for the sick baby?'
asked.
"Golly, Yer ought to see her eat sas-
sage: She jist snatches 'em."
Johnny" l asked seriously, has
your mother block of houses and lot
of money in the bank"
''What yer eivin u.s." asked the boy,
staring az me.
81 meal iS-:s-your mother poor?
''Ain't SHE, tho, jist orful somptimes, "
and he limpeG away with the food, re-
garding me with wonder as he walked
backward.
/ have concluded that there must be
some mistake about the princely wealth
of this impoverished family. and that it
must be the woman with the organette
and not the woman with the accordion
who own houses and lands, and l shall
make a sneak some day and follow her.
Then if she is the nabob in disguise
will let you know.-Mrs. NJ. L. Rayne
In Detroit Free Press.
WEALTH md Is something ION eth assst wh ae'