Connecticut western news., 1891-01-07
AN UNLUCKY TOSS.
STORY OF A NEW YEARS GIFT
 THAT WAS NEVER ENJOYED.

The Old Adage, ''There's Many Slip
 Betwixt the Cup and the Lip," lllus-
 trated in the Case of Beggar and His Coin.
 He was a tramp. A miserable, ragged, rum sodden apology for man, without one redeeming feature. He had not worked for ten years. His was 8 hang dog appearance. and now and then he furtively glanced around as if expecting a policeman to arrest him for living. He stood in the postof1ce corridor and gazed out of a window through the darkness at Newspaper row opposite, and pondered. It was the last day of the year. He hadn't a friend, but then he did not want one. All he knew was that he was hungry, and his chronic thirst consumed him still.
 He thought of the morrow. The new year caused him no remorse for his vast ed life He never was of high estate, so that his fall had not been mighty. He wondered if he should go through the day, as he had at Christmas, without a dinner. The postotfce clock pointed to II. He leaned on the broad window sill and dozed.
 Through the corridor from the Broad way side came brisk footsteps timed to a cheery whistle. Our tramp reused him. 1 self from his lethargic gloom and looked around. It was young man, bright and breezy. Joy shone in his eyes. He may have just received a letter from 1 Miranda; maybe he had collected bad debt. More probably he had just made lucky strike on the races. At all events he was happy. His audience did not appreciate this, however. He only saw in the well dressed chap possible victim. So mechanically he stepped for ward, held out dirty paw and num- bled the we'll worn refrain in which the words "hrnger-sick wife-five chil- dren" could be distinguished.
 1 Imagine his astonishment when the young man paused, after a cursory glance, pulled out coin, handed it to the beg 1 gar, and was off still whistlins. The re- cipient hurried to the light to inspect his treasure; he fairly gasped-it was dol lar. He did not pursue the philanthropist to put the traditional query, Did you l mean to give me this, sir?'' Not he! Out of the postof6ce he ambled toward the Bowery, that Mecca of all such as he, al 1 faster gait than he had known for many month.
 1 A short distance beyond the bridge a thought occurred to him. What should he do with hls money? The sudden gleam of paradise had scattered his wits. Un. decided, wavering, he sat down on the walk under street lamp with his feet in the gutter and unused. He thought oa l turkey. but the word was a mockery-he had not tasted any for years. He now sletched rapidly an ideal bill of fare bean soup, pork and beans. and-ye gods 1 plum pudding to top off! He figured the cost. Why. he would have enough left to take him to theatre, and even to sit down stairs, for once, like lord. But now disturbing thought crept in He had forgotten something-rum. Hif programme was accordingly amended by the substitution of rum for theatre.
 But another question now arose to per plex him. Should he eat first or drink first? He drew out the precious money. Now the old sporting instinct asserted itself. He would let chance decide, as any gentleman should. The coin was te pay the bills, and it should guide his choice. If head came uppermost, the rum first; if tail, the meal.
 Up he tossed it, high and straight down it came in the same path, but miss ing the outstretched palm it struck the sidewalk on it's milled edge. Impish gittering, exultant, it rolled off the side walk into the gutter, jumped two o1 three little furrows of dirt, dodged ar old cigar stump and disappeared into the sewer at the corner.
 "Come, move on out O that" said { policeman as he whacked his club clos< to the man on the curb.-New York Sun