St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1894-01-13

forward and backward, chase loafers
and unleashed dogs, and practice throw
ing big life-preserver at stump half
way across the marsh. On the third
day-stiIl hottie was told to polish his
boots and clean up generally, and to
hurry up about it, too; then he was as
signed to lonely night beat IN
| corner of the park, far away from every
thing except a couple of spooklike pop
| lars and the memory of his own check
cred career.
Sickim travelled back and forth like a
pendulum over that gloomy beat until
few thin pencils of gray light began to
steal up from the eastern horizon. He
had had no sleep for forty eight hours
and he was as hungry as a wolf. lie
would have gladly given his new helmet
for a doughnut aud Il drop of whisHcy.
Often during the night he felt like TAX
ing French leave and jumping on pass
ing freight train bound for anywhere.
lie could easily cut off his buttons and
Jam his helmet into some unacceptable
shape. But somcthing-perhaps just
the least trace of inherent manliness-
made MIN change his mlnd.
He took chew Of tobacco, and was
about to lean up against a tree when he
heard something with q noisy voice
coming down the road toward him. He
drew his club, determined, if he got a
chance, to vent his feelings on some
body's head. A mans form shambed
into sight, followed by something that
cried and rescmbled a small shadow
The man was beastIy drunk, and cursed
and waved his fist at the shadow, and
remarked that he would like to break the
shadows neck.
"Perhaps Ill take hand, too" said
Sickim as he stepped out from under the
tree.
The man pulled himself up and
stopped his believing, but the small
shadow behind him gave a little cry of
glee, and, assuming the form of bit
of d girl of nine, raced by him, and
threw herself sobbing into Sickim's big
hands.
'Lcave that young one be!' growled
the man.
'shut up your snivelling jaw" said
Sickim, cor I'll -
EYER not biz enough"
Sckim's pride boiled. lie pushed the
crying child aside and sprang at the man
and gripped him like a wise. "Don't
you talk that way to jim Sickim if you
want to live any more,' and he shook
him till his teeth ratified. The man
knew that his game was up, and pleaded
for mercy.
"Now, Sissy" said Sckim, "who's
this man, and who are your
She whimpered between her sobs that
he was her father, John Muggins, and
she was Kitty Muggins.
"Ain't yer got no mother: sissy"
''No, sir" she whincd, tan he beat
me cause didn't stay to home
Sickim held out at arms length the
snarling, growing object under discus
sion and frowncd at him. Then he said
to him:
"Aint yer got no respec' for yer own
young one, y drunken fool. Eff it wasn't
for the little one I'd learn yer somcthn'
you wouldn't forgit!' And he punctua-
ted his remarks with a shake or two.
"Now, Sissy-er-kitty,' said Sick
i'm, 'you stop right here till come back.
yer daddy an NELL take
walk. Now, don't you cry any more"
With that he frightened his grip on Mr.
arm, and the two moved away
in the darkness. When they suddenly
reached the border of the Park stream,
mumbcd that he would like to
know the rest Of the programme.
OYER face is kind Of dirty like" said
Sickin, ''and yer boots wouldn't look 50
bad cf they was cleaned bit. SO Pm
goin' to give yer free battle before we
90 up to the station.'
Then Sickim caught him by the coat
collar, and doused him in the water until
he began to get sober and weep pathet-
ical!y. Which took about twelve min
utes, for the water was quite chilly.
x
About twenty minutes later there was
4 great hu:roosh up at the police station
Sickim had just marched in with a cute
little bluc-eycd girl in one hand and
something that looked like Il bundle of
wet rags in the other, and now stood in
the middle of the room with smile on
his face that was fully five inches long.
Then the sergeant inspected the bun
die and said: "O!d Muggins again!
Well, I'll be; this is the sixth offence,
NIuggins, me boy. lgucss you had bet
Ter go down on the Island for q couple
Of months and give this child chance to
grow. Lock him up, Sickim."
"That being the case" said Sickim,
if the court has no objections, Ill take i
he young one round to my house.-I
got a sister thatll take go9l~care of
ler"
Two weeks later s,c4gins died down
1t the Island. After that, Sickim moved
away from hiS~old neighborhood, for
or >Gfhcr he took dislike to it.
lie bag -Decn transferred from Back Bay
o u suburban town and made sergeant.
If you ever meet him and mention this
story, perhaps he may tell you what a
inc cook and piano player Kitty Muggins
S. Boston Cultivator.
Two Miles Minute by Rail