The Opelousas courier., 1894-10-13

sudden and unaccountable curiosity, ]
wendell my way toward n Of those
interesting institutions and effected
an entrance.
I say effected, because 1t vas a mat
ter Of no little difficulty, the entrance
and Railways being crammed to incon-
venience with forty or fifty individu-
ais, mostly women, ~two-thirds of whom
seemed in the last stages of despond'
ency, while the remainder afforde I
contrast by exhibiting a sort of nm.
healthy c~heerfulness.
The court policeman on duty that
day was an old acquaintance of mine,
and upon noticing me, he Immediately
beckoned to ne.
"There'sa peculiar case just decided, .
he said; lone you might like TO know
something about. The fellow is dis
charged, and will be coming out in a
minute. Why, here he comes!" ejacu-
lated the officer, that man in the
shaggy suit"
The IMAM in the shaggy suit" had
only just got into the street when !
overlook him.
He was standing still, looking up
and down the thoroughfare, apparent
IL undecided what to do, all the time
feeling In his trousers pocket as though
he had lost something. I OWNED his
thoughts, and, accosting him quietly.
said:
after the unpleasant proceedings
just concluded, perhaps a little light
.Hf rnch-nn ~n{Dhk In n<nnr$ohi eH=@4
"Jus. what I vas a-thinking, sir" he
replied, smiling; AN I was just a-feel-
in to zee If I'd got the price Of a
schooner Of beer, but / find I'm quite
broke"
Never mind" I observed, and In
less than q couple OF minutes l had
him comfortably seated at a table in a
neighboring beer saloon.
He was a fine specimen of the work
ingman, tall and broad-shouldered,
with . frank, open face-not at all one
who could be judged as belonging to
the criminal classes
/ was anxious to know what crime
he had been charged with, and / mild
" inquired II it had been a matter OF
assault and battery"
mo, SIR he said; but it will be
next ~time-that is, If I lay hold O. the
chap that made q fool of me-"
rs it q long story?" / queried.
Not very long. Would you like to
hear it, sir?"
lassented eagerly.
We'll, theD," he began, after he had
drained his glass. I'VE see, I've been
out q work now for nigh two months,
scarcely knowing which way to turn
for a meal, and glad to pick up a quar-
ser when and where I can.
Well, one mornin' / went out as
usual--that would be just nine days
ago-and found myself with only a
dime in my pocket away up town on
the west side. in the nelghborhood Of
Amsterdam avenue and One Hundred
and Sixty-sixth street.
mo job was to be had that mornin',
30, feeling rather down at heart, and q
little thirsty and hungry, | turned
into q saloon where I knew ! could
get q snack o. free lunch with my
beer.
81 hadn't bcen sittin' there long be-
fore q short, stumpy gent, with no end
o. watch chain in front of him, comes
cauntering in, and seats himself plump
alongside o. me.
Il ought to have felt fattored, no
doubt. and perhaps I did q little bit,
when he said, presently, in . very pleas
ant way: Nice mornin..'
Yes, Isaid, it is for those in work,
but the morning doesn't seem partik-
Ter nice to me
You're out o. work. eh?' he asked.
We'll. I might have guessed as much
by your crest-fallen expression. What
would ron say if ! put . little Job in
yonr way?
should say Heaven bless ye, and
can II, | answered, pricking up my
ears and looking full in the little gents
face.
He looked ut me. too, very hard.
| thought, as If he were trying to read
what was inside q me and couldn't
quite manage II.
! can trust Your he asked.
Perfectly, I said.
Vow look here, lie says, speaking
quite confidential like, and IN i very
apv so:ceIm one Of supt. Byrnes-
dssteet1se~. Tonight I'm going to hare
I 2si'l pl y NIB i fellow who Aas