The record-union., 1894-02-17


her waist, as he seemed to be merely
resting 1eisurely from his effort up the
eight pair of stairs, he said pleasantly
and refiectively.
'Dot"-he called her Dot, because it al
ways seemed to him that she had the
faculty of punctuating their affairs with
kindly duties and resolves-"Dot, do
you know that whenever l climb these
internal stairs it always seem to me
that the lower down fellow gets in city
life the nearer his abode reaches TO
heaVen?"
Capital idea," returned Dot enthusi-
astically, 'I'll jot it right down and put
it in your Ideas envelope Immediately
after supper. That is
Here she paused and looked at Richard
Hardy, literator, ruefully.
'Oh, that's all right, Dot" he replied.
quickly divining her meaning, and Civ
ing vigorous reassuring thumpings to
various protrusions of pockets and coat
skirts
Good" said the little woman. bright
ening up noticeably. -"But, oh, Dick Har-
dy, where did you ever get that coat?"
'Oh, ah! Yes, this coat. This map of
Connaught, you mean? Stood in line for
it, Dot.''
you don't mean it, Diclli"
sure. The other one went-went up
the slulce, Dot, to get some returned man
uscripts out of the postOffice. You
know, Dot, the winter storms whistle
pretty reckIessly around the front of the
Government building? Well, l was stand
ing there with the manuscripts and with
out the coat. Rather chilly exchange,
Dot? Seeing the 'op clos line forming be-
low, in front OF the old Herald building,
l just pulled my jacket collar as high as
could, dropped my face as lar as 1t would
go, put my glasses on upside down so no
one would know me, and fell in line
with the rest OF the Godtorsakens."
Poor, poor Dick" whispered Dot con-
solingly over the baluster rail.
mo poor Dick about it, Dot. 1t was
great luck. Well, there was an awful lot
OF chattering, shivering, shuddering and
moaning III that crowd, and some club
bing by the police, Just TO keep our blood
circulating, they said; but at last L got
swept in there somehow. a pompouS
old fellow seemed to single me out for a
fraud. He gIared at me for while, and
then he whispered to an officer who
yanked me inside the railing. L thought
Tor moment, Dot. OF the Iombs and the
Island; but, alter old POmp had glared at
me ior few moments longer, he ques
toned me a little, then walked around
and around in a circle, chatting aud sput-
tering as though the room were too small
for him. OF sudden he blurted out he'd
be 'upper-cut, lOwer-ribbed and stomach
pitted if it wasn't blankety- BANKED
Tough when he jerked the Irish frieze
coat from his own pOnderous frame,
chucked me into the coat, and then gave
me a rush out the side door as though he
might possibly relent il l was not hustled
out liVelyW
Two heads and four arms had an affec-
tionate engagement over the baluster for
a moment, when Dot drew Dick gently
into the little hallway behind their own
door. 1t was "three-room and bath"
apartment. The happy voices of chill
dren not yet conscious of hopeless want,
issued from the tiny dining-room and
kitchen, and other voices, QuerulOus,
fault-tinding, unsatistied voices of an
cient women, came forblddlngly from
the "best room" beyond.
Never mind, Dick" said Dot sooth-
ingIy. st is just the mothers. Old
ladies always get little wearing towards
supper time"
But Dick, with clouded face, could not
but listen ter moment.
'I'd have you know, Mistress Stevens,
its not to my liking at all. Never was.
Dick could have hundred girls with
money. He'd been great literary man
long ago if he had. But l wasn't to be
consulted-I, that scrimped and saved
and pincheu and sacrificed to put him
not, Mistress Stevens!'
THAT'S my MOTHER" said Dick with a
sigh.
Eyes, Dick"
Literary. Pooh"' replied the voice In
defiant key. Whats literary? Stuff,
nonsense, rubbage. Them colIegers amt
tiUten t rake hay, Mistress Hardy, ii
ye want my mind. Dorothy stevens
could a had dozens, dozens! Yes, scores
~ irlf
in 'em; men that was up and COMM;
men as has snap and go an style and
cash; and she'd a had 'em, too. if I'd had
my way, Mistress Hardy. Literary!
Fudgel III literary's livin' up here higher
M mountings, cooped up like chickens
in a lighthouse IN badgered and sassed
by other cooped-uppers, Janiters an put
tin-oners generally, PHI take farm.
stead o. literary, every time, l will!
Umph! Literary! Botherl Fudgep'
And that's my mother, Dick"
''Yes, Dot dear. it surely is"
''Come on, Dick, don't worry. Now
for supper"
Tie brave little wife preceded him
into the boX-like kitchen, while Dick,
after jinglIng the keys furiously, opening
and closing the hall door briskIy, and,
with little extra slam, with bravely-
sung snatch of song which sounded
| like
Hard times and hard men may round ye be
tearin',
What good at ali are ye always despairin'-
as nerrlly as though he had brought
home big check for little manuscript,
lust TO still the heated differences OF
Inotherly opinion in the ''besL room,''
followed Dot, and, with a hasty glance at
the coal bucket and the fire in the range,
began unloading his pockets on the lids
| of the stationary tubs.
..Here are u half-doZen jolly potatoes,
samples from Washington street, Dot.
| Gaze on this cut of round steak and grow
fat This package" diving into another
no,.lSet. comprises five ounces of phllan-
ihronisp tea. Twenty pounds oi
| cnai- two cans of condensed milk, or five
ounces of tea the ticket read, and took
! taa for mothers sakes. Wait until L get
| INTO the Galway District of this frieze
coat Dot. Press those two loaves OF
charity bread to your motherly breast.
gjrl beauties, arn't they? Met one OF
| the nress gang so hilarious over having
! sold a scoop on Captain KIDS treasure
! tnat he oot CHEEKY, then charitable, and
| bonoht bread tickets with his envelope,
and with tears OF Joy trickling off the tip
J of his nohle nose he stood there on Park
! Row distributing them without dlscrlml-
nation to passers by. L maue fourteen
circuits around this isolated case OF news
paper charity before the supply gave OUT
! and we're all right tor bread Tor a tort
| night, Dot.'
"You're just splendid. Dick"
"Connemara regions of this coat are
vet to be explored, Dot. Alb, yes, ex-
l,olf of h1ffHr