The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-14
HE STRUCK HIS BONANZA
PATHETIC STORY OF a sTOWA.
WAY AND THE GOLDEN GATE.

a.
serves Anothsr-Barney Heard the
Angels Singing as the Gates Were
Opened Again to Let Him In.
Perhaps not an extreme reverence, but
still a someW hat wholesome regard, for the
truth compels me to admit that Barney
was a "hoodlum" To use his own ex-
pressive phraseology, "He was horned tibet
a. way"
"Leastways, 1 lay 1 was" he added,
"seein' what I've come to, an thes's all a
galoot like mes got to go on. Don't know
how chaps git here as haint nuther mann
nor dad to fetch 'em, but thets the ticket
tibet let me in. anyhow. Fust time know'd
myself rs on board big vessel sailin In
thew the Golden Gate come IN all right,
yer see, an it makes no change in my busi-
ness tibet l was a stowaway from nowhere
in pertickler. got yere just the same.
You bet did.
Nv hen l crept out'n my hole an peeped
over the aigs or der boat at de big water
sloslin' an biln' ell round, it was a big
galoot like cop proddin' me from behind.
'Vamoose. We dirty barnacleH he yelled, and
vamoosed so soon didu't hev time to hear
the rest av my name, but l lay Barnaole's
enough for little chap like me, an so l
calls myself Barney for short"
With this succinct autobiography l was
forced to content myself; neither he nor
any one else in the world, dare say, knew
more.
"Pm hoodlum of the hoodums, hust-
Ter from baskerville, an boun' 30 strike a
bona za.n
He told me this with an impudent toss of
his curly pate and a merry twinkle in his
big brown eyes He had sold me his stock
in trade of curios, the inevitable shells and
ore specimens of the Pacific slope and had
been giving me an account Of himself as we
sat on the wind-blown gallery OF the Cliff
house and watched the seals at their lazy
gambols ON the wave-tossod rocks be.ow.
BoUN' TO STRIKE A BONANZA.
Yes, SIR he repeated little dreamily,
the glory Of sky and air perhaps impress
ing him, "Im boun' to strike a bonanza.
Il was just then that Steenie came. Stee-
ME was the pale little lad with the sad sweet
eyes and golden hair who came just then
round the gallery corner with his mother
and father. Barney saw him first
and with an amused twinSle in his eyes
gave my boot toe touch with his ragged
one Somehow, Steenie's pale face and little
sunken chest had told their own story, and
when he turned l was not surprised
between his shoulders beneath the
long yellow curls and wide lace collar. He
was talking 60 his kind-faced, handsome
father and sweet, gentle-eyed mother in
little high-pitched nervous voice, and by
and by he left them and came over near US
to watch the seals, resting his thin arms on
the railing in a way that emphasized his
pitiful detormity.
The irrepressible, ebullient gamin beside
me eyed Steenie narrowly, thel, bending
forward, whispered some what stagely:
"Hev yer seen anything Nv my darlin'
Priscilla with hump on her back like
big umberrillap
In a moment knew Steenle had heard.
He did not move, did not even turn his
head, but there was a witch in his crooked
shoulders that showed the thEob in his little
sunken breast, and his pale face flushed to
the roots OF his yellow hair. When, after a
little, he passed US he turned those big violet
eyes Of his upon Barney In a kindly, plead
ing way that bowed the sturdy gamin's
head, and sent the blood ooursing into his
tanned cheeks. There was no need for me
to speak. The rsbuke was beyond the power
Of words
Barney left me after that, ano saw him
furtively watching Steenie as his father
mounted him on the white burre that was
to carry him up Sutro Heights.
found my pad and color box absorb
ingly interesting for the next hour OF so,
aud both the lads passed out Of my mind,
TO be suddenly recalled, however. Hear
ing the uoise OF voices below / looked over
into the broad, sandy road that led to the
hotel and saw a group of boys, unmistak-
ably tourists, loud voiced and blatant, sur
rounding little fellow who seemed some
how to be getting the worst Of q rather
desperate encounter.
1t was Barney. / put down my traps
and FASTENED below, thinking to lend
hand to my sometime friend. AS Iemerged
upon the lower gallery ] heard the sound
of donkey hoofs aud shrillivpice piped out:
''Stop, you cowards,n AID Steenie, flushed
with Excitement. his long fair hair blown
back by theiwind. galloped into the midst
Of the noisy group, cutting right and left
with his whip, putting the attacking party
utterly to rout.
AN UNEXPECTED DELIvERER.
l never saw anything like Barney'S
anazemenJ when be discovered who his de-
liverer was 1t was some moments before
he could speak, and finally, a little shame
facedly, he said: They he'd the bulge on
me-"
Eyes, 6 to l the coWards," said Steenie
looking over his poor, crooked shoulder
at the boys, who were scampering away.
Then, with comprehension of Barney's
cresttalen appearance, he added:
You stood up oravely, You know, against
such odds, but wouldn't like to have given
that big fellow a one, two three" and the
little lad doubled his fists and went through
the pantomime IN tine most approved pugl-
lstic style. He laughed cutie gleefully, and
l joined in his mlrth, but Barney seemed
still depressed. He hung his head defect
edly, digging into the sand with his toe,
then, CHANGING first at me, then at Stsenie,
he stepped up to the lads side aud said:
Say, Pm sorry about that this mornin'."
Steenie's face flushed again, but he said,
AFTER moment, very kindly: We'll, that
Is all right. II you are sorry. don't mind
Barney looked up gratefully, and Steenie
went on: 1T must be nice 70 be strong
and straight like you, but mother says some
times God folds up angels wings in lump
like mine, and if | am good aud try not t.
mind, some day he will make me straight
left the two boys together and they must
have gone back to the city soon after, as
neither one was in sight when started. 1t
was some weeks later when familiar voice
greeted my ears az my train slowed up at
the Fresno station, and looked out 60 soc
among the fruit vendors on the platform
Barney struggling under the weight Of two
enormous punches of grapes.
Flows your bonanza, Barneyp said |,
reaching out for the grapes.
"OW he said, with "a look OF recognition,
=" l haven't struck it vet, sir, but Steenie
says-you remember him, don't yer, sir p
the little Teller out at the Cliff house-well
he says I'm boun' to strike it if go right"