New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-20
THE TWO SALOMES.
".
SLEEPERS AND BJJFFEISn

daughter. Her head aohed blindingly The
luncheon she had eaten from their basket had been
tasteless TO her.
She looked up and met the young mans eyes.
She smiled with pleasure and gratitude
YES" she answered, b" ! shall be glad il you will
bring me cup of coffee
Moore fingered.
And the young lady ?' he said. Salome also
glanced at him, and she also smiled.
Il should like a glass of milk" she replied.
Moore darted from the car and they saw him run
into the restaurant.
What pretty boy" exclaimed Mrs. Gerry
with some animation.
"Yes but who cares for pretty man." said
the girl.
We'll, 1 care for beauty wherever can find
IT, was the response, and do want some coffee.
Get out your purse, Salome, won't you?"
Salomc had the shabby little purse extracted
from the shabby satchel before Moore appeared
from the restaurant door
He WAS followed by boy bearing tray on
which were two or three dishes besides the coffee
and the milk.
Mrs Gerry's face clouded over with disap-
prevail, and by the time Moore had reached her
she was looking decided reproof at him.
But the young man laughed with gay dis
regard of anything she might say to him. And
when ne laugneu one was very hhely W i"uSH
with him.
He took the tray from the boy and gently
placed it in Mrs Gerry's lap.
at is fried chicken" he said, land l made
them swear it had been fried within the week.
II they have periured themselves is that any
fault of mineo Madam, don't scold me- please.
You sec my mother never scoldcd Ire. and at this
age couldn't bear it, any way. And thought
If YOU would let me eat bit Of bread and
drumstick with YOU, you would forgive me and
would not think it necessary to feel under any
Obligation
Mrs. Gerry was more cheered at hearing his
careless, hearty young voice than she had been
cheered by anything in many weeks.
She had started from home with the fixed
resolve not TO speak TO any one whom she met
Had she not read how dangerous 1t was TO cx-
chsnge even common courtesies with strangers
on q Journey? Did she not fully know that the
ravening lions who 60 up and down the earth in
steamcars and steamboats, always wore the most
attractive outside ppearance?
Yes she knew all this: she knew 1t when she
looked up in Moores face and found 1t so in
sp,ring in its beauty and it's unlimited good
will. And she Immediately trusted him as if
she had known him all his life.
But she would hand him some money, from
which he scrupulously selected the price of the
coffee and milk he had brought.
He lounged against the seat in front of them
and ate his roll and chicken. and they ate also,
with gayety and relish which to Mrs Gerry,
when she thought of the time afterward seemed
almost miraculous.
During this impromptu repast the two young
men. who knew Moore came strolling in each
with a toothpick in his mouth Moore impatient
" nterposed his shoulder between him and them.
They stared solemny as they went by. Then
they paused and stationed themselves where they
could gaze directly into Moore's face. 1t was in
vain that he tried not to see them. He could feel
their eyes boring into the back Of his head.
He heard the conductor cry outside. He
snatched up the tray and ran toward the eating
house with it,
One of those young men was on each side Of
him.
"Oh. my!" cried one.
ct wish I had your cheek" cried the other
"Give me the tray and you 60 back TO her"
said the first.
"All right" explained Moore with unexpected
soouiescence take it. III pay the taxes
And he thrust the tray at the young man. who
mechanically took it, while Moore ran back to the
car
sold" cried the person who didn't have the
tray % the one who did have it. The conductor
shouted again.
The tray was hustled on TO the counter; some
money was flung after it, and the checked listers
caught OH 70 the last car as it gldcd by the plat
form.
The two young men had lost their toothpicks,
and they felt like giving Moore few singing
slaps on the side Of bis handsome face.
Instead Of doing that. however. they agreed 10
stand round within sight of that lucky fellow
every minute of the time until they reached New
York II would do him good
Moore rot very weary of that espionage He
could not look up without meeting those eyes
fixed upon him. He wanted 10 rush out and
knock those fellows down and jump on them. He
had intended TO linger near Mrs. Gerry and speak
70 her when he bad chance. But In half an
hour he gave up that Intention. He walker sui
lenly into the paror and oullenly took ont his
magazine again But after time he became
really interested. and he forgot about those two
women with whom he had lunched. The lamps
IN the cars were long ago lighted Outside, as
the train sped on the fiery dots that showed
wherelwere houses and street lamps became moro
and more numerous Each spark elowed TO Mrs.
Gerry and her daughter when the car door was
opened like some fantastic and evil spirit. For
by this time even Salome was 50 weary that she
had lost all the cheerful hope with which she had
started that morning Was it only that morning .?
Was il not rather weeks ago since she had seen
her father standing there in front OF the little IN
The man with the trunk checks jinglnq from his
hand and with his arm thrust through the handle
Of q lantern had long since gone through the
train shouting, Baggage express! Transfer to
Brooklyn and oil parts Of the city"
From the time when he hal appeared the
Gerrys had expected momentarily to arrive in
New-York. They had listened eagerly when any
train official had entered. And still, outside, in
the intensity Of the darkness the lights increased
and the tall houses became taller and had now
grown into long blocks.
Mrs Gerry had shown her check to that man
who went rafting his bits Of brass Somebody he