The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1893-12-29

k "Buy my last paper 'h?' The voice
has the tremtfor.s qtavier of the profess
'siona! mendi snt, and moves me not a
whit. They are all alike with their
stock in trade, their whines, their pleas,
their artful endeavors to work upon
ones sympathsis; and | move on through
the darkening twilight. Of a bitter cold
New Years eve, until the. sound of !.
per. istent stump, stump beside me,
and the sight of Il PAIR Of eyes, hollow,
yet radiant, lighted suddenly into star
ry rehectors BY the coming Of the own
er into the glare of an electric. lamp,
cause me to stop at once.
| 1t is a girl, perceive; girl uron
1 crutches. Her rags are manifest, her
CLOAK farce; tattered bit of scarlet
| wool is wound about her head, and in
each naked red hand is grasred the
cross-piece of a rude crutch.
"Buy my last paper m? All about
but what she says chills me more than
the biting night winds. From her
blue, childish lips comes asgaiti enum-
Grafton of crimes no child should know
crimes from which seasoned sinner
might well observation-disclosures of most
satanic nature-and yet | feel that her
own utterances touch herself no more
for harm than do the foul waters the
waxen petals Of the lilies they upbear
who are you, child?' l ask.
"Cruteby. Won't you buy my last
paper::"
Yes, but that's not enough. IT,
stammering, because | feel that | am
about to do one Of those very foolish,
impulsive things imputed me by my
little worll at large-s:I should lik to
buy yon.'
Me-
eyes. Are you for sale Crutchy::"
Not reg'lerly acrost a counter, M"
rejoins Crutchy IN quick response to
the suspicion of drollery in my mood.
Its you as 'u'd be sold, m, if you was
to buy me. Ia go dirt cheap. though,
and miliiny'."
''lts bargain" | laugh, and down
the brilliant street We tramp together.
He'll be glad If | never come back"
vouchsafed my new possession, ''He
hates me. Men allus hates women,
doesn they?,'
glance down at Crutchy in surprise.
But the surprise vanishes as | note the
child is older than | thought great
girl, in fact, but not in stature.
"Who is 'he,' Crutchy? The clerk
to whom l must render payment for
my new purchase::'
"lIe's gran'dad; but he cant sell me.
'Sides'-and the starry eyes close suf-
ticiently to twinkle 'he d be too drunk
to make change!'
| am already glad that have bar
gained for Crutchy. My intuition new
er fails me, however mad, at times, my
impulses seem. | like my new little
bundle Of ready responses; but how
about Keith?
Keith laughs when, at home at last,
| tell him what I've done: calls me all
sorts Of fond, nonsensical names, and, a
little latter, leaves me with my "odd
idea TO 60 to the clnb.
You'll not stay long, Keith:' |
ask.
Cant promise, dear. really. There
are lot Of fellows of the legion to be
on hand tonight"
"Of the e5ion, Keith-that old Par
isian mob?'
''Ha. ha.-'mob.' You are not Jealous
of the legion, are you, little woman:"
am. But pride will not allow me
0 beIcandid. Let him go to his legion
am not his first thought, for all
those gay Bohemians:
"Cantholi has new idea'-all things.
to Keith are, in some sort, ''ldeas and
he means to parade it. big canvas
weird subject-'Ring Of Death, or
something of the sort
Il like your style so much be ter,
Keith .
"W hat he Willows green, the peb-
bles white, the stream line Of glim-
mering Light
For shame, Keith, Where did you
find that, you-'
son the floor. Debris from your
desk, presume. Allow me to contln-
ue: 'The low hills wrapped i'll purple
mist, the mountail tops the sun has
kissed-''
Keith. Keith. Go to your legion
are you utterly without hearto'
''She asks me that who captured it..
Oh, come, little woman, the rhymes are
not so bad. I've heard worse
Keith sleeps SO late next morning
that | have time to make pilgrimage
to bazaar where ready-made clothing
is ohtainable, return vi h divers pack
ages, and Trick out the iotsan
wasdeh to me by destiny waves from
the ocean of lie, before my husband
MA kes his appearance.
AS he enters the room | call Cru chy
and formally Introduce to her my lord
and master. Shes lift her grea' b.
!eyes, and it would seem,