Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-31

sort, with brown sugar and condensed milk,
but the milk and sugar supply was not left
at the discretion of the boarders, but
was rationed out at headquarters
one spoonful of sugar and one of con-
densed milk to each cup and no
more. The table was waited upon by two
| stalwart negro women, who raced back and
forth from the base of supplies with splen-
did dash and clatter and energy. Their
labors we're supplemented after fashion
by the young girl Puss. She carried coffee
and tea back and forth among the boarders,
| but she made pleasure excursions rather
| than business ones in this way, to speak
strictly. She made jokes with various peo-
pie. She chaffed the young men pleasantly
and wittily, as she supposed, and as the
rest also supposed, apparently, Judging by
the applause and laughter which she got by
her efforts. Manifestlv she was favorite
with most of the young fellows and sweet
heart of the rest of them. Where she con-
ferred notice she conferred happiness; and
at the same time she conferred unhappiness
one could see it fall and dim the faces of
the other young fellows like shadow. She
never mustered" these friends of hers, but
called them "Billy," "Tom " "John," and
they called her "Puss'' or "Hattie."
Mr.. Marsh sat at the head of the table, his
wife sat at the foot Marsh was a man of
60, and was an American; but if he had been
born month earlier he would have been
Spaniard. He was plenty good enough
Spaniard as it was; his face was very dark,
his hair was very black, and his eyes were
not only exceedingly black but were very
intense there was something about them that
indicated that they could burn with passion
upon occasion. He was stoop-shouldered
and lean-faced, and the general aspect of
him was disagreeaple; he was evidently not
very companionable person. If looks
went for anything, he was the very opposite
of his wife, who was all motherliness and
charity, good will and good nature. All
the young men and the women called her
Aunt Rachel, which was another sign.
Tracy's wandering and interested eye pres
emily fell upon one boarder who had been
overlooked in the distribution of the stew.
He was very pale and looked as if he had
but lately come out of sick bed,
and also as if he had ought to get
back into it again as soon as possible. His
face was very melancholy. The waves of
laughter and conversation broke upon it
without affecting it any more than if it had
been rock in the sea and the words and
laughter veritable waters. He held his
head down and looked ashamed. Some of
the women cast glances of pity toward him
from time to time in a furtive and half
afraid way, and some of the youngest of
the men plainly had compassion on the
young fellow-a compassion exhibited in
their faces, but not in anv more active or
compromising way. But the great majority
of the people present showed entire indif-
ference to the youth and his sorrows.
Marsh sat with head down, but one could
catch the malicious CLEAN of his eyes
through his shaggy brows He was watch
ing that young fellow with evident relish.
He had not neglected him through careless
ness, and apparently the table understood
that fact. The spectacle was making Mrs
Marsh very uncomfortable. She had
the look of one who hopes against hope that
the impossible may happen. But as the i'm
possible did not happen, she finally ventured
to speak up and remind her husband that
Nat Brady hadn't been helped to the Irish
stew.
Marsh lifted his head and gasped OUT with
mock courtliness, "Oh, he hasn't, hasn't he?
What pity that is. 1 don't know how 1
came to overlook him. Ali he must par
don ME. You must, indeed, Mr.-er-Bax-
ter-Barker, you must pardon me. I-er-
nv attention was directed to some other
matter, / don't know what. The thing that
grieves me mainly is that it happens every
meal now. But you must try to overlook
these little things, Mr.. Bunker, these little
neglects on my part They're always liable
to happen with me in any case, and they
are especially ikelv to happen where per-
son has-er-well, where person is, say,
about three weeks in arrears for his board.
You get my meaning? You get my idea?
Here is your Irish stew, and-er-it gives
me the greatest pleasure to send it to you,
and hope that you will enjoy the charity
as much as l enjoy comforting it.
A blush rose in Brady's white cheeks and
flowed slowly backward to his ears and up
ward toward his forehead, but he said moth
ing, and began to eat his food under the
embarrassment of general silence and the
sense that all eyes were fastened upon him.
Barrow whispered to Tracy:
''The old mans been waiting for that.
He wouldn't have missed that chance for
anything"
Its brutal business" said Tracy.
Then he said to himself, purposing to set
the thought down in his diary later:
"Well, here in this very house is repub.
lie where all are free and equal, if men are
free and equal anywhere on the earth, there
fore 1 have arrived at the place started to
find, and 1 am a man among men, and on
the strictest equality possible to men, no
doubt, Yet here on the threshold 1 find an
inequality There are people at this table
who are looked up to for some reason or
other, and here is poor devil OF boy who
is looked down upon, treated with .inditfer-
ence, and shamcd with humiliations, when
he has committed no crime but that COM
mon one of being poor. Equality ought to
make men noble minded. In fact, 1 had
supposed it did do that
After supper Barrow proposed walk,
and they started. Barrow had purpose.
He wanted Tracy to get rid of that cowboy
hat He did not see his way to finding
mechanical or manual employment for
person rigged in that fashion. Barrow
presently said:
Gas understand it you're not a cow
boy
''No, I'm not.''
well. now, if you will not think me too
curious, how did you come to mount that
hat? Where did you get it,"
Tracy didn't know quite how to reply to
this, but presently said:
"Well, without going into particulars, I
exchanged clothes with stranger under
press of weather, and 1 would like to find
him and re-exchange."
"Well, why don't you find him? Where
is he?''
81 don't know. I suppose the best way
to find him would be to continue 70 wear
his clothes, which are conspicuous enough
to attract his attention if 1 should meet him
on the street"
ooh, very we'll, said Barrow. 'The rest
of the outfit is well enough, and while it's
not too conspicuous, it isn't quite like the
clothes that anybody else wears. Suppress
the nat. When you meet your man he'll
the rest of his suit. That's
mighty embarrassing hat, you know. in a
center of civilization like this. 1 don't be-
lieve an angel could get employment in