The morning call., 1893-10-02


Twenty dolars!" he repeats. ser was IL
20cents you said ?" -.
Attic other side OF the store the man
who entered before De Is looking at some
coats. His accent and manner are 80 lar
superiQrSto his p0yerty-strlcken- appear
apce that ore might wonder, now ne chinS
to such straits. The mystery is solved
when he turns to the llghe-it WAS WHISKY
and beer that brought him to- the tattered
clothes and the secondhand store; they
are written on every feature Of his ;stlll
handsome face. But l pity him less after
be has taken off his .cDat that although
thr cad bare, couia only have been patched
and darned by a womaD's loving. fingers.
Some tender wife or daughter cflngs to
him through all his poverty and degrada-.
/ tiOn.
"That'sa fine coat. It's worth double
what we ask for it," says the dealer VINO
is trying to sell, falling back in an attitude
Of admiration. And tine other man VINO
holds my watch remarks, This is: a. pGors
trashy thing, not worth more than a:uoflar.
just say what you will axe for It. EVIL
IDENTITY tbs one thing to sell and another
to buy. ... :
"Will you give SIS for the watchs"
mo: nor S."
|: Twelve. perhaps?"
Still the little lnanis obdurate, and after
bringing my demand down to 81 1 fatty
refuse to go any lower In vain does he
persuade and argue. asklngs last, "Where
do you llve?" :'-+'
THAT cannot be Of any interest to you."
answer. haughtily. ."
"WeIl-er, this is really. your; own
watch. / suppose?" and he glances at me
keenly. EvldeBily, il he could detect any.
sign OF confusion. lie would frighten me
into letting him have tbs watch at his
own terms. 49,.
Are you asking ine whether stole it p"
demand in such righteous Indignation,
that he fairly willis, and replies hambly
mo, mo; not at all. TWAS only little
curiosity. nothing eise," and as / go
toward the door, he follows. and saws,
'cflnglngiy. ats a pity we can't do any
cuisines, .o-night. What do you want tor
that c0at?' !. go. j.: - :.s:
i: on ask too: much for your coats" in
terposes the middle-aged man, who is CO.
Ing out OF the store. having escaped from
tne Tolls OF the dealer without buying any
thlng.*::l can find a. better use fDr my
money, he adds: :and;immediately plunges
across the street into the SALOON opposite.
In the third store, w hich: is about two
blocks further on. / make friend She
F.ls<a young girl about 9,:who seems to be
serving an apprenticeship to the business
ana VINO. mas learned: her work well enough
20. .unqerrate the value :of my watch: but
when Irefuse to pawn .or sell 1T for less
than a:quaEter Its value she. gives it back
withsa pleasant smile:and the advice:
:. We're too poor n the stores around
here TO. lay out ore than: So 30 for watch
IKE tn at. Thei the risk of never selling
N.'and we: cant:take chances. Got some
OF: the large pawnshops on: the richer
streets-they viii give a better price,"
f.. go accordingly to one of the large
pawnshops and pause, overcome with sur
prise, on the thres bold. :: a well-to-d do
engineer whom T know:is actually con-.
.clullng: bargain with tbs proprietress
#0f*the store. Yes, there is no doubt about
IT. She pushes seye rar doll lars across the
counter, and. e-porkets them. and comes
Ito ward the door,. 1t:is no use trying to
zescape,:for he has*seen. me, so 1 put a good
face on tile matter:::a and say jauntily, ',Lt
seems we are both*feeling the nard times"
+ ne prom ptness with which these
dealers can:teli a .=lie without bushlng
equals the Chinese .for .preyaricafien," is
MS ra her Irrelevant reply. II suppose it
is a:story you are looking for?" he adds.
'lt. you like, L wilI.wal home with yon
land give you my experiences"; and as /
consent he bagins: "Just, t,passing that
/ shop yesterday saw an instrument in tie
WINDOW, trlhe worn, it is true but on6
that might answer my purpose. What is
/ the price OF that instrument?' l inquired
OF a .greasy-faced woman who had ap-
proaciied and asked what l wanted. She
eyed IN Tor. a. minute, and then, with a
marked accent which disclosed her nation
allty. answered, think you can have it
for S., ):
So ~ ~ o -'i
Wait minute replied the woman,
l. Will call the man of the store .:.
In a moment she returned from the back
part OF the shop with a neatly dressed
| young man who said Seven dollars is as
low as | can let YOU have that for, upon
I my word of honor, let a poor mechanic
have Sc for that and he never came
| back =
":'Tlltake it home, and if il swers my
purpose I'll give S5 for it, and If it does
not snit I'll returnit before IL o'clock to-
morrow. and allow you 80 cents for the
time | have had it,
Weif, tell you times is hard and
must have money to make a payment in
| New York. You can have it for So, and 1
lose dollar on the goods
SHARP at II the next morning /
was there. having discovered that the in
| strument was not suitable. From the
| threshold Il observed the greasy-faced
woman of the previous day making track
| for the back door. Behind 1.-The cOun tel
stond a part young woman. who, when
asked for the man Of the previous day.
without the slightest hesitancy. .answ ef ed,
Hes net. here any more; he's been dis.
charged "a: =
81 explained the bargain, saying the in
strnment was unavailable. "
T." If the young man was here suppose
it would. be all right: said the young
woman. "Dnt he was discharged last night
Evidently this was ain attempt to-
make me keep the article l asked for
the woman who had slipped out ..Oh
she's gone, tQo,' was the answer. In a
very Quiet manner told her who l was.
and added: If you den,t have your sister
out here in two minutes there'll be IN ore
tronble In this house than you bargained
for
:" Excuse me- said the. forward young
woman, I did not know. who you were
and then. she: called out, Rachel and
the greasy-faced young woman, who had
evidently been a listener, came out Of the
/ back room, and before a word was spoken
said In explanation, The gentleman is
not here just now; when he comes he will
return your money. That girl meant that
he had gone out for a couple of hours
You come back at O'Clock ana it will be
all right
''At that hour Iretnrned. but neither The
man nor the greasy-faced woman was
present, but in the shop was an elderly
woman who wore as many smiles as. a
soubrette and who handed me the money
in exchange for the instrument, remark
ing, L am so glad you came back so could
return your money. l was afraid YOU