The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-31

| Even the cink OF the glasses ceased. An
| eyes, were now fixed on the platform.
Gathering courage az he played Tony
raised his head and drew his bow more
| confidently The long notes OF the old
melody rang out firmer, clearer, sweeter,
| and, piercing the foul, smoky atmosphere.
sang their way into hearts that had long
| forgotten tender feeling.
Only a few mnutes the spell lasted.
| Then Tony stopped His hands fell at his
Z side. and, with awkward little bow.
he rested his fiddle OH the piano. Imme-
diately there arose a clapping Of hands
| and rattling OF glasses.
| Come, gents" said the burly man
with the hoarse voice, passing a hat
through the crowd; "plause is all right,
but were out fer the stuff. What will ye
| give the kid fer Chrlstmas?"
A rain OF coppers resulted that weighed
| the hat down heavily.
| Now den, sonny, sumpin' quicker dis
| time" said the big man, as he poured the
| pennies into Tonys bulging pocket.
| Tony, half dazed by his good fortune,
was about 10 take up his fiddle again
| when an uproar suddenly broke out at the
| other end Of the room, and everybody
| sprang up.
A quarrel had arisen. Some one had
| struck his neighbour and a fight was in
| lively progress. The uproar rapidly in
| creased; the braw1 became general
Everything was in a turmoil. Three
| policemen came on the scene. and they,
with the proprietor, were kept busy for a
| brisk five minutes. Then the trouble was
subdued. Two arrests were made, and
| the other combatants quieted down.
The hfst and chief offender was now
| found beneath a table his head cut and
| bleeding The burly proprietor dragged
| the drunken creature out. and was about
/ 10 throw him into the street, when one
Of the policemen caught him by the arm.
Here. give him 10 me-" he said.
Don't treat him too rough. He's she
| kids father"
The proprietor yielded up his prisoner
| at once.
"11 put him where he viii sober up"
went on the policeman. "You look after
| the kid till come back. I'll have to put
the Society on 10 them two boys. They
! need a home"
But "the kid" had disappeared. At the
.rst outbreak OF disorder Tony had
grasped his fiddle tightly. and. with heart
beating wildly had lmped down from the
platform and made for a side door Trap
at his heels. once outside he limped
along for fully two blocks before daring
to stop. Then he paused, painting and
exhausted.
Thank goodness. I'm out Of that
placer he exclaimed: and yet" he
added. "they were good 20 me. Why,
Trap, just listen 10 that" and Tony struck
his bulging pocket with his hddle. We're
rich. We can buy anything we want
now"
Almost doubling his senses. the boy
thrust his hand down among the coppers
and drew up ten or fifteen.
Now for the shops, Trap. it can't be
more than hatf-paSt nine"
There was one big store on Union
Square that had always attracted Tony by
its dazzling windows fun OF toys At FIRST
he resolved 10 90 there but the thought
Of meeting a crowd of fashionable shop
pers made him feel shabby and uncom-
Portable. How every one would stare at
him. He glanced down at his ragged
coat-and then at Trap. Well. Trap, too
looked somewhat ragged; and tho his
rough coat may have concealed an I'M
mortal soul. still Tony could not but adj
nit TO himself that his best friend did,
like King Lear's hand, smell a little Of
mortality"
"Pm afraid it's too grand for us up
there Trap" he said. after a moments
consideration; Come, weA 30 down 70
Mrs. Garrity's shop on Second avenue.
Wen feel more at home there And 80
there they went
\ haif-hour later Tony was STRUGGLING
up the stairs of McGarrisan's Tenement
loaded down with bundles on entering
his home he found everything Just as he
had left it, and Jimmy still fast asleep.
Down, charge. Trap" he said, in
suppressed whisper Now then, don't
You dare move"
Tony then relieved himself Of his bum
dies and noiselessly set about unfasten-
ing them.
At about eight O'Clock the next morn
ing the door OF the tenement opened, and
Tony's friend the policeman, entered, ac-
companied by two men, one bearing the
air OF some official, the other an old,
white-haired gentleman, handsomely dress
ed.
This is the place" said the policeman;
you can see from the look Of II that
the kids are in a bad way"
A low growl greeted the visitors. They
glanced quickly toward the stove. Trap
lay there, his head erect, ears up, and a
suspicious look In his eyes.
Outsuetched upon the door beside him,
his head resting on the dog lay Tony.
His upturned face was thin and worn,
his eyes sunken and dark. He was sleep
ing heavily, as though utterly tagged out.
In one hand he grasped a gaudily painted
Noah's Ark, from which the rudely carved
wooden animals had tumbled in confusion.
IS the old gentleman stepped forward
and leaned over the boy, a scrap OF
paper attached 10 the toy, caught his
eye. On IL a single line was scrawled.
"To Jimmy from Santa Claus"
New York city.