Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-07-20
PETEY'S CALL.

by that term-thinking of the long trampS
be had been on and the probability of an
other one when the manager next locke
his way. 1t was raining outside, and the
streets were in that mushy state suggestive
of chocolate pudding, with no hint about
them Of the heavy downfall of beautiful
snow which had preceded the rain.
Petey didn't relish the idea of going out
again-he was not regular" and had nei
ther uniform nor rubber coat. He had beer
taken in as special during the holiday weel;
and wasn't quite sure yet whether he woulG
he retained or not. AS matter of fact, H.
his present drowsy condition he didn't car
much what happened to him as long as HI
wasn't disturbed.
just when his meditations were assum
ing chaotic mixture in which the actual
and the fancied were strangely combined
the cry of "NeXtl' was called, and the boy
ish form Strengthened up, the brown eyes
were vigorously rubbed by two very dirty
knucllles, which operation did not tend to
beautify his countenance by any means, and
a very detected figure presented itself at
the desk in answer to the call.
Here, you, what's your number?"
"Eighty-siX," drawled Petey, still almost
too sleepy to answer.
MS Gull Is lTOUl OlG NOTbn DldnK SUreeb
Do you know where it isf"
Eyes, sir" said Petey, whose rare knowl
edge of the city had helped him materially
in securing the place.
"Well, here's your car fare; don't forget
the tariff; get out"
Clapping his hat on his towsled head.
which resembled nothing so much as
floor mop, the boy waited for no second in
vii ~ nf ha
flash, only to drop into gentle sauntel
when he was out of sight of the office
Taking his card out of his hat he solilo
quized as he walked along: Swell neigh
borhood! l suppose they want me to go tt
de caterers or de florists. Dem nabobs allus
has some such job like dat for us poor fel
lers. A messenger boys life amt no snap
/ kin tell you, he remarked sagely to him
self as he stopped to watch fight between
yellow dog and stub tailed cat that had
just run out of the alley adjoining print
ing Office. When tabby had vanquished,
her enemy Petey proceeded on his way,
and after several encounters with sundry
street gamins and parley with an apple
woman about the price of her wares he
surreptitiously mounted the steps Of a
northward bound street car, cautiously
avoiding the eyes of the driver, and settled
himself for a good time with a thrilling
tale of the plains, which he drew from his
pocket, and the two apples which he had
bulldozed from the woman for the price of
one.
Somehow the adventure of MARK, the
Cowboy" failed to interest him today, the
Jingle of the bells, the steady drip, drip of
the rain and the ever increasing number of
passengers necessitating his jumping on
and off at almost every square did not tend
to the undisturbed enjoyment of his men
tai FEAST He therefore fell back upon his
own thoughts for company, and viewed in
detail his life since he had entered the serv-
ice of the "A. d. r." He smiled grimly as
he thought of the baby which he had held
for two mortal hours while it's mother
shopped from one department to another.
1t wasn't good baby, and he had been
obliged to walk up and down with it-trot
and sing to it. He had slapped it once-at
this thought the smile broadened into
fiendish grin.
Some one passing by had suggested that
it was hungry, another thought that a pin
was sticking into it and a third was certain
that it had the collie. Petey knew that it
was nothing but temper but what could he
do but walk, trot and sing, and when that
mother returned was it not unkind of her to
snatch the infant from his arms, and ex-
claim in a voice for all to hear, what did
the naughty little boy do to mothers
angelo" while the miserable 'angel," with
a look of unholy satisfaction, cuddled down
in the woman's arms and never shed an
other tear?
He thought it all over again, the day
that he went for the undertaken; the maid
en- lady he escorted to the theater, as she
was quite too young TO go to place Of
amusement without a chaperon; the bun
dies that he had carried; the candy that he
had bought and the notes he had delivered,
and he came to the conclusion that school
life wasn't so bad after all.
The car by this time was nearing the
neighborhood where he wished TO alight, so
he swung off with that easy grace that the
children of the streets are quick to acquire
and sauntered leisurely along The pave
ment. 1t was a very elegant section that
he found himself in. A great square in the
centeRand large, substantial looking stone
houses facing it on each side, A few chill
dren with their nurses were playing in the
park, and at several doors well appointed
carriages were in waiting. No. GIT was a
corner house Rs handsome as those about
IT, ana with wing built out on a side
street. winch was evidently a conservatory,
IeVey TOOK all this in at a glance, and as he
ran up the broad steps and peeped in
through the silken vestibule curtains he
murmured, Here's richness"
trim little maid with snowy cap and
apron opened the door and told him to
wait in the hall while She informed her
mistress Of his arrival Left alone petev
took in the details Of the beautiful bouse.
The wide hall was fitted up as a sitting
ROOM aoheerful fire blazed i'm The omen Ar,
place and fur rugs lay about on the poIisbed
moor, moor ran rains were set in every conceivable
niche, and the fragrance Of flowers ns,vaded "a
the air. Through the heavy cn,, s.uea
hung between the hall and the roo',, - -
yond Pesey caught a glimpse ~ a Iassa -
picture hanging over the mantelnisca ~
represented avery pretty YOUNG isdv - -
bridal eostnme, and when q momsnt It, -
swisn ~ sliA mAas Pstey loak around hs
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