The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-11-12
NAMES ROMANCE.

eCrOSS bu0 way an ol0ctrlc lamp &lOW6Q
and sputtered. In front of him croucbed
Jimsey. Everybody who reads The Post
knows that Jimsey is Mike Haley's pink
nosed bulldog, but few of the many know
that Mickie and Jinsey are the very best
of friends.
der amt no use a-talkin,' said
Mickie as he ignited his last cigarette and
tossed the empty box into the gutter, ''but
yer are a butte, an I'm bettin a hundred
scads dat yer kin eat up anything in de
alley
Jimsey whined whine of qualification
and tapped his pipe stem of a tail on the
naked pavement, while Miokie put his
hand in the pocket of his coat and fingered
the last quarter he had in the world
Presently old man Madigan came out of
the front door of his 1.-TWO story brick"
and seeing Mickie and Jimsey muttered
something that sounded like On loaf
ers, both of emp Then Madigan filed
and lighted his imported pipe and walked
out of the alley. When he turned the cor
ner, Mickie threw away his cigarette and
walked over to Madigan's two story brick.
Jimsey was right at his heels. Mickie
banged on the panel of the front door of
Madigan's house. and a moment later
Name opened the door and said
"Hello, Mickie! Won't yer come in?
But when she saw Jimsey the glad smile
faded from her face and a frown succeeded
1t.
"Der deal is off, Miokie, " she murmur-
ed cts bad enough ter take chances on
der old man comm back an a-fndin yer
inside, but if he found Haley's pup inside
he'd knock me head off just for instance.
Yer kin come in, Mickie, but Haley's pup
has got ter stay on der outside. SeeP''
ode pup amt a-comin in," answered
Mickie, "but Ize got ter, cause Ize got
somethin ter say ter yer, Name"
And then the wrinkles faded out of her
low white forehead, and without word
she ushered Mickie into the vestibule and
closed the door behind him. Mickie walked
into the front room, but declined to seat
himself in the chair that Name pushed to-
ward him. He simply stood in the middle
of the room with his hands buried in the
side pockets of his black cheviot coat and
gaZed at Name.
Every man. woman and child in Para
disc alley will tell you that mere glimpse
Of Name Madigan is almost tonic for
sore eyes. Why, her hair is as black as the
blacklist ink, and in the impid depths Of
her big blue eyes there are the lights and
shades that make old men forget their age
and young men think of heaven. That
night her petite but perfect form was in
casod in a new gown that must have cost
old man Madigan a week. wages. 1t was
all black, with bit Of yellow lace at the
throat and broad band of purple velvet
about the slender waist. 1t chung to her
as though il loved her, and in Mickie' .
humble opiuion it outclassed all of the
gowns he had ever seen. The lights were
burning dim, but through the lace cur
tanned windows glttered a vagraEt shaft
of light from the electric lamp outside
and for reasons best known to herself tho
! young girl stood in that patch of glitter
! ing radiance. Save for the pink tints in
| her cheeks there was naught of color
about her. Mickie stood in the shadow,
and looked at her in a way that made tho
pink in her cheeks deepen into a full
f1edged blush.
'Mame,3 he uttered, yer der hand
| soonest thing on top of earth. On it all,
de gang can't guy me fer bein stuck on
yer.
Stop yer guyin, MCKEE" com manded
Name, but there was ring of pleasure in
| her voice and h1ickio knew that his en-
| phatic compliment had been appreciated.
| And when he moved to her side every
nerve in his body tingled and a lump came
into his throat. He put out his hand and
before she could protest his arm was
around her waist and she felt his hot
breath on her cheek.
Name, - he murmured, 81 shook de
gang ternight an I come over here ter tell
yer dat I like yer better den any chip in de
| alley. I amt kiddin, Name, an 1 wants
| yer ter say dat l kin get de papers fixed
up. Don't pull away, Name, cause
wants ter settle down an have yer marry
me. Hully geel Can't yer see I'm soft on
yer?''
Name "saw." If her life depended on
it, she couldn't tell you what she said to
him, but whatever it was Mickie was
- L.
| light and told Mickie that she had loved
him ever since the day the police had
thumped his head with a club and charged
| him with disorderly conduct. They talked
of their past, present and future for al
most half an hour, ard Name had given
AIickie an even dozen kisses.
Just as he was on the point of taking
| the thirteenth the hall door opened and
! Tim Clancy entered the room. Tim is old
man Madigan's third cousin and was born
and raised in Dublin. Tins father owns
put, J." and they do say he intends to
! leave all his money to his son. Tim land
! ed in Washington on Friday, and Sunday
night he asked old Madigan for Name.
Madigan said yes and as a natural Sc
quence Name found herself engaged to q
man she hardly knew.
When young Clancy saw that Name had
| company, he backed out of the parlor.
| AS the QOOF ciOSSU on MIN Glckl0 IOf{yOt
all about that thirteenth kiss, and turning
| to his fianceo he said:
Name, who's der duck in de hallP"
"Dat's de guy I'm goin ter marry" re-
sponded Name. "Dat's Clancy
She might have said more, but Mickie
| didn't give her time. He drew back his
arm, and measuring the distance landed a
neat half arm punch Oh her left eye. And
as she sank down on the carpet Miokie
leaned over her and yelled:
"Dat's one fer guyin duck as meant
ter do der straight ting. But, hully gee
Wait till yer see what I'll do ter dat bloke
| from Dublin"
And then he buttoned up his coat and
went out into the passageway.
1t is now a matter of court record that
| Mickie chased Tim Clancy the entire
! length of the alley, and it is also a matter
of record that Jimsey aided and abetted
Mickie in the task Of ''runpin der Feniar