The sun., 1894-05-13
DlcE ssE LETTER wRrTEs.
Aa As,s vsrrs.,, Res-ufsiiv L,tsrsrS. sd
Ckieaao All Thrcuwh.

bed on which. throu Oh narrow and iron-barred
windows set In the .yellow walls OF the jail.
thirty-day guests Of his were looking down
with unselnsh interest A vivid promise OF
summer was perceptlble everywhere. Cherry
trees. dressed out in white blossoms and green
buds, clustered like bridesmaids round the
ugly old building. With these we're mingled
peach trees. red with a deep blush TO their
very twlR tips. II looked. all this bloom and
foliage at littlo distance. like a fairy curtain
woven after the pattern OF . Persian veil oil
green and pink and snOwllakes, and u almost
gloriicd the grim warehouse iniwhich crime
and misdemeunor were waiting to be sort ed,
tested classified, cataloRued. and then shipped
elsewhere.
In the prison garden half dozen "ten-day
drunks." stepped in somnHmhulance. wheeled
bsrrows to and fro. spaded garden beds. rAked
gravel walks. and otherwise paid tributary
service to spring. sSome o. these favored on es
smok ed clay iipes with profound. long -drnwn
delight To be sure. 1t was nothing better
than nero jail tobacco. but It seemed uusur-
passable to nll but tho most fastidious.
In the straRGlinc Office OF the County Clerk
across the way nobody seemed TO be doing
anything In particular The younger search
ers were discussing the opening OF tho base
ball season. The two older ones. while they
drowsiy compared ancient doeds and rec
ords. puffed softly and with comfort at at
ti1uated and historic pipes A dapper. young
lawyers clerk. in fashionable attire. very
evidently from New York. sat disdain-
fully aloot from these local attorneys
and vivlned memorials OF deeds and ab-
stracts with a keen sense OF wonder what
the day might be about to bring forth. later on.
In the way Of dinner, the village hostelry-its
only and singular place OF refreshment being
notorious for the defiance Of all the rules OF di-
Restion praotised by its proprietor. A German
tailor. prsmnturely drunk. and ENJOYED by n
legion OF friends. equally drunk and equally
German was being mRzily inducted. for tho
small sum OF 10 cents. into American citizenship
by the County Clerk himself W ho looked dream
lily out OF the window and wondered perforce.
between sentences. II the cmoluments OF his
ONCE had indeed come down to an lnilnitesimal
traffic In naturalization papers. The Surro-
gate and County Judge leaned lanRuidly in the
doorway OF his own room and shifted tho
roses whilo waiting for the District Attorney
to come over from the Court House and carry
out his agreement to GO TO New York and
m AXE a whole day Oft, beginning with Bar
NUNS Circus and winding up with the logical
sequel OF q dollar table d'hoto at Morettis
For the District Attorney was particularly well
informed OF tables d'hote, and was regarded
by all his brother officeholders as great au-
thority on the inefrable m ysteries OF tie italian
cuisine. AS "A dinner compa MON he was to be
compared only with tho County Treasurer
who. having means other than his mere Official
income. could always be depended upon to
open wine on every occasion. ana was cor
respondingly popular.
The kindly Sheriff. who not merely looked
like brewer. hut was. In tfact. q faithful devo-
tee OF their cult. being taken quite often for q
master workman OF the guild. never shared the
finer enjoyments OF his morei fastdlous G OIL
leagues. but came out strongest ut such hum
bler functions as, clam bakes and CHURCH
picnics. And SO, although he could clearly
discern across the way the train OF gleeful
county officers city-bound aud hout on
no envy was to bo do.ectod
in his amia BILE dark eyes but rather
compassion for those about to waste
both time and money on purely imag mary
and subjective delights. 1t was. indeed.
an unenvious glance that the sheriff bestowed
upon the Surrogate and County Judg, helping
his brother Of tho District Attorney 4offlcs into
his own wagon, cracking some inaudibis Jest
as he did so.
There's two good fellows going Off together
to have a good time" he said. Why not
either Times is dull down here feven in the
office. There ain't will been
proved in over n month"
now hDOuS tH0 httOEnoy In.
auired his visitor
Well" nuosh the Sheriff. eyeing with re-
proof "trusty" strawberry weeder unduly
inclined to loaf. the District Attorney. y see.
don't Ce; paid by the Job like tho Surrogate.
He kinder works on the lump-sum system a
drawing reg'lar salary. whether things goes
straight or crooked. It's all the samo to him.
But II he did work by tho lob It wouldn't make
much difference. anyhow. It's q curious fact.
hard times nowadays don't mako hard cases
as they used to. Over back here" land with
this he subtly indicated the jail and the unoc.
cupied gentlemen lying In its narrow win
dowsl business is downright dull; nothing
but gang OF drunks and buns. here to-day
the cost Of their Keep"
1t was proba oly TO express his contempt for
guests that tho sheriff eIpectorated into the
new strawberry bed with enough violence to
of remorse came over his face as he contem:
plated the Door: puny little thing Drostrated
No" he went on. buns and drunks and
drunks and bums Is all that's a.coming this
view there's more money In 'em. onsidering
snSf eXssy lSii Ices and turP OF the KEYS and
how IFS settling down to % pretty % poor % line % Of
business with no credit in It this cooping up
o. I, lot Of G panhandiers anl seG drainsrs thu!
'em as you'd he likely to iinI In one soiitary
single pisened hull pup. Lie with nothing but
ms molasses."
At this point the good Sheriff could no longer
remain blind with consistency to the fact that
two OF his three TRUSTEES" weary OF wedding.
had taken seats on one wheelbarrow and, with
shoulders hunehed and exprsssions Of unde-
and luxurious content on their Vis-
ages; were hard at work chewing tobacco and
splitting At common extemporary target.
sayl" he bawled with the spirit and notion
ot some sardonic boatswain's mate. Amt
you isioMs got somethlng better to do than
. sofy or folding bed for you. Here YOU
Nose. get move on YOu now. else you II get an
sd6 sSt1a i09 & alter sIppsr a;S9ueeRoein' the cor
braced up and resumed. with the third The
excellent imitation OF labor from which they
had ex sused themselves.
That's the kind OF sweepin's I'm loaded
with" the Sherin went on. Most OF 'em
Ain't got energy enough not even TO feed them
selves; 'Crooksl There aln't so much as half
: real crook IN twelve dozen such mugs as
on to- There amt one in the hull LilIng's
got sand enough TO snatch q watch, not II il
hung on TO bush in n lone lane and barked at
him