Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1895-02-28
NB SIDE PARTNER.


RoFk and hunted up the address on
BIeecker street which Ancona had Civ
en- him in his last letter he found that
hat gentleman had pulled up stakes
aRG gone away on the very day that
etro had sailed from Italy. he had
lett no address behind him and the
only clew that fustered foreigner could
could gain as to what point Of the
compass bis quondam friend had head
cd for was from the newsdealer in the
next block, from whom Ancona had
I66g bought his italian papers and his
tobacco and olives, and for whom he
had manifested q more sincere liking
than anybody else in the world.
The newsdealer said he believed An
coma had gone west. That was decid-
9dly an indefinite piece Of information.
Even an American who is pretty well
acquainted with the topography Of bis
own country would have considered
It an address which was capable Of
good many variations, and to the mud
died brain Of poor Pietro 1t conveyed
about as much intelligence as would be
the report that the man at whose bid
ding he had come on this wild goose
chase had gone on trip through the
celestial regions.
Two weeks in a downtown lodging
house exhausted Pietro's financial bal
last and on the fifteenth day after he
bot foot ON New York soil he found
himself In the little box Of o room back
of the neWsdealer's cluttered up store,
with Just 1 cent on the table before
him, and In his hand the gold ring his
mother had given him the day she died.
II was all she had to leave him, poor
thing and he had always religiously
cherished 1t as a talisman whose fibers
the sacred individuality of the dead
woman whom he had always revered
as the embodiment Of all that ls best
In this world and the incarnation Of
he holiness Of the world beyond.
His position was not novel one.
The newsdealer had seen many youth
IN Just sucha plight before, but some
bow the simple, hopeless misery Of
the young italian appealed to a long
silent chord In his heart, and without
hopping to argue the pros and cons Of
The plan which instantaneously out
lined itself before him, he presented
Is salient features to Pietroh who
SraSped them eagerly.
"When I say / don't know where
Ancona went" the newsdealer explain
ID, II mean that I wouldn't take an
bath that could put my hand on him
Ehy moment l want him. But I've
Been thinking the matter over and
i've come to this conclusion: He said
he was going west, and when people
Mart In that direction there is one
grand central part where they all run
Tor a month or two at least, and that's
Chicago. You must go to Chicago,
PietrO."
Pietro shook his head doubtfully.
II can't" he said, cycling his one pen
~ and the ring obviously. mo mon
~, no work. How much will 1t cost?'
IT didn't make this proposition to
Iantilize you with false hopes" the old
nan responded sharply. when l said
Eou must 90 to Chicago the statement
implied that was prepared to furnish
kou with the wherewithal for getting
here. l like you and pity you and
want to help you. I'll pay your fare
md give you money enough to keep
you for couple of weeks or so. You
ean also take along letter Of introduc-
lion to friend of mine, who is pretty
ind we'll acquainted in the Italian colo
hies and he will make you feel as
Ghough you are not entirely forsaken
Ind sort Of brace you up and help you
hunt Ancona, whom 1 am as uositlve
kou will find as l am that you and
ire here in BECKER street news store
tonight. All l ask In return Is that
you will let the best things that are in
you come to the front, and give me an
account of yourself every week that
will let ME know that my confidence
IN you has not been misplaced. What
do you say?"
Pietro didn't say anything, but he
cried little, thing he had not done
before since leaving Italy, and his
tears were a more satisfactory prom
lse to try to keep his head above wa
Ter than any verbal protestations of
good faith would have been.
Pietro started for Chicago the next
day.
The letter Of introduction to the
newsdealer's friend was worth about
rs much as such letters usually are.
The representative Of Pietro's race
with whom the man had come in con-
Iact were decidedly of an inferior type,
and evidently he classified the young
fellow who had been thus unceremon-
lously thrust upon his hands as one
Df the same species. He honored the
etter with second perusal and then
handed 1t back to the bearer.
II already have more proteges of
Dne nationality and another than l
know what to do WITH" he remarked
eurtly in his sleek Italian, "and posi-
lively can be Of no assistance to you.
trust you will find your friend" And
Pietro who was sadly lacking In the
btuff that makes men heroes, had not
the courage to plead his cause. bue
Wandered dejectedly into the street
md commenced his search unalded.
American customs bewildered him
ind the Indebtedness of the italian set
lement into which he drifted sickened
him. His money dribbled through his
lngers like water through n sieve, and
bis second Sunday in Chicago was
spent in police station, whittier he
bad been taken on a charge Of va
Erancy.
There he learned his first news Of
Aneona. The sergeant in charge had
II II