Nevada County picayune., 1891-03-26
made preparations to jump into the

hands, and as she touched ground
she began to sob.
"Oh, why couldn't you let me z"
she said. "Aud now you'll put me
in prison, l suppose, for being too
unhappy to live"
Pm not policeman, said John.
"Oh, thank goodness" said the
girl. You'll let me go, them"
"Not yet, said John. you
see, although Pm not policeman,
I'm a man, and that makes it my
duty to take care of women folk
when they need it. You seem to-"
"You mean to be very kind, said
the girl; "but you are not. | sup
pose you have no idea what it is to
be all alone in big city, without
money and without work.
"Oh," said John, "but / have. |
haven't had any work for three
weeks, and that is my cash in hand"
And he exhibited his half-dollar.
"Oh," she said, with an air of
greater confidence. "Well, yes,
you do know something about it,
only you are not woman"
NO" said John. "Of course
that makes it worse for you. But
tell me what drove you to that cow
ardly act. "
1T was very brave act," said
the girl.
mot bit of ii, said John. Its
brave to live and fight as long as you
can-that's my idea
Il can't. I've nothing to fight
with, said the girl. ''Oh, if you
knew
Tell me-" said John.
MY father died" said the girl.
MY stepmother hated me. She
married again, and her second
turned me out of the mouse. Pa had
left her all his money; l had moth
ing. | came to New York and got
sewing to do. One day the woman
that employed me asked me if I'd
make her wall-pocllet for her pa
papers. The kind | mean is made
out of old steels from extenders.
You knit worsted over them, YOU
know"
John did not know, but he looked
AS wise as possible.
II was to make it as a favor, not
for pay" the girl went on, land at
home, evenings. | liked doing it;
but the steels were too long, l had
to break most of them, and 1t gave
me felon on my thumb. l can't
use it vet to sew with, and | can't
do anything but sew. That woman
knew how | got it, but she never Of
fered to help all. She dismissed me
and took another girl in my place.
Then | couldn't pay my board and
they turned me out. | went to a
hospital. The doctor said that my
finger wasn't bad enough to allow
them to admit me he said it would
be all right in month. Well, l
have not even anywhere to sleep to-
night shall have to starve or beg
i will not beg. Now you see that
you had better 90 away and let me
finish what | began. "
THAT can't be DONE" said John.
Every one who knew John called
him queer. If acting differently
from other people under given cir
cumstances is being queer, he GER
tainly was.
As he looked down upon this little
pale, pretty, and assuredly innocent
girl, and he knew that if he went
away and left her she would as
suredly jump into the water, his
heart softened toward her as wo-
mems do to crying babies. What a
dear little thing she was, he thought.
What a shame that fate should have
used hcr so. 1t seemed his duty to
take care of her.
"Oh, hang it, I'll get job on
Monday" he said land everybody
tells me that it is as easy for two to
live as one. III do it,"
Then he turned to the girl and
said;
circumstances alter cases. It's
a queer kind of courtship, but l like
you. / guess you could like me if
you tried. Win you marry me? III
get work on Monday, Pm sure.
pve got holt dollar. Come to the
minister with me and be married,
and I'll take care of you after this. "
" hat the girl said was:
"Oh, my! Why | never heard of
such n thing. What would peoDle