The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-10-10
NINE-THIRTEEN.

nosed, and be wasn't altogether tough.
Most messenger BOYS are both.
He used to swing his heels and wait fol
calls in District Messenger station No 81,
west, which is up in quiet part of the
town and where most of the calls are tc
private dwellings. Number 9l3 wasn't
overworked, and put in considerable leisure
! thinking about the things that went on in
the neighborhood. He knew which men
who went into the drug shop on the corne'
| drank cocktails in the morning: he knew
| how many times a day the pretty Irish
maid in the first house on the side street
| shook the house mats at the big pOlicema al
| as he passed. He knew lot more things
| too. He knew that the pretty girl in the
house had lover. and that the mother
and she were trying to keep that fact, fol
some reason. from the father.
Nine-thirteen approved of love affairs on
general principles, and he approved of this
one with all his heart. He approved, hearth
| ly, also, of it's being concealed from the IA
| ther, partly because he had no liking for the
pompous, disagreeable looking old fellow,
and partly because it made things hvelieI
and more interesting for himself.
Nine-thirteen knew that the father was
kept out Of the love affair by the way in
which things were conducted. The old
gentleman went off to his Office eachsmorn-
ing, and returned about half past in the
afternoon. Just at luncheon time each
day the young man would turn the cornel
briskly and dash up the steps,
Sometimes his trap would come up after
luncheon, and the two young people and
the mother would go for a drive in the
park Sometimes he came in his riding
clothes, and then she would come down
the steps in close, dark habit and silk
hat. and they would drive off together.
Nne-thirteen was a little disappointed
that they didn't have the horses brought
to the door. He wanted to see Miss Mabel
mount.
Occasionally they neither drove nor rode,
but Just went out for a little walk, and
sometimes they did none of those things,
but sat in the house and talked.
Nine-thirteen knew that she was the
daughter of Horace Wright, the broker,
and that he was Frederic Brown -Romayne,
who had fine law office down in the
Equitable building. These statements
would have meant more to the readers oil
the society columns in the newspapers than
they did to Nine-thirteen. However, he
ternal interest in the young people. and
would have been glad to be of more service
to them than merely carrying notes and
boxes and other things of slight impor
tance
Once in long while the old man didn't
go down town for the day, and Nine-thir
teen never looked in vain on these days foI
a summons from the house. whence he
Nola l.
which was written:
Cannot see you today. Will write.
an w.
'To be sent to Frederic Brown-Romayne.
One of these days had come. Nine-thir
teen had answered the call and dispatched
the telegram A few minutes later Miss
Mabel came down the steps and walked
toward the avenue, with stout, gray
haired lady, who looked like Mrs. Wright,
but who wasn't Mrs. Wright.
About II o'clock the door of District
Messenger station, No 81, opened with
kind of dumb reverence to the impressive
person of Mr.. Horace Wright, broker
Taking a gold pen out of his pocket he
dipped it into the ink we'll, pulled a pad o.
blanks toward him and began to write.
The telegraph operator was sitting at the
instrument with his back toward the
office. Here, Clark, " he called to his as.
sistant, take this message down."
mabel Wright. 81 East -th street.
Something has happened. Must see you
today. Wire me where and when.
"F. r. B."
The words rang out loud and unmistaka-
BILE, moving two persons to indiscreet and
unusual behavior thereby. The stout old
broker stopped in the midst of scratch as
he heard his daughters name. As the
words went on, he grew first purple, then
ashen. He stood motionless while Clark
wrote out the message. Then large pres
ence hovered at Clark's side and a large
hand was laid on the paper. Il will take
that if you please" he said, and the opera.
tor looked up, saw Mr.. Horace Wright,
and slipped the telegram into an envelope.
When the message came in, Nine-thirteen
was speculating how much pair of patent
feathers, like those the operator was wear.
ing, must cost. When he heard the ad-
dress of the message he jumped to his feet
like a cat.
The blame fool!" he whispered, under
his breath. Then he watched old Wright,
as he always called him. Nine-thirteen
hadn't been down to the Bowery theaters
for nothing. He knew the look meant
mischief His head whirled for minute
and his mouth was dry. He didn't know
that he was pale, but he was. Nine-thir-
teens life had been cast along in prosaiC
lines until now. and this was a great trag
edy. He sat down TO think, and in a min
ute things got clear. That blame fooiv'
he said again. under his breath, and yet up
to that very hour the operator had been
his hero. Old Wright means mischief,
that was sure. and Nine-thirteen saw Miss
Mabel's pretty face wet with tears and
heard hot words poured out before her and
something had got to be done. and he
had got TO do it.
We'll, she amt ketchin it this minute"
quoth Nine-thirteen 20 himself; she's away
yet" Then he fell into deep thought f9I
a minute. Suddenly he seized a sheet of
paper and began 10 write. What he wrote
he thrust into an envelope, stealthily di-
rected it and slipped it into his breast
pocket. Then he sat down again, and
seemed half asleep for few minutes.
When the clerk happened to be looking
that way N,ne-fhirteen jumped 10 his feet
with a cry. Il forgot me old lady" he
said, clapping his breast pocket.
What old iadyg" said the clerk
The old dame as Civ me the letter"
answered Nine-tnirteen airily, pulling ont
the envelope. She stopped me when wuz
goin pas de house dis nornin an toll me
TO take dis, an pu, il in me pocket an
fergot, an here it Is" Nine-thirteen's hand
WAS going into his trousers as he spoke.
He pulled OUT coins, mostly nickelS
amounting to fifty cents. The clerk WAS
looking obviously at the envelope. 1t was
addressed 20 Harlem. 'Dey amt no an
swer, and here's de money" Nine-thirteeu