The sun., 1896-01-11
AN Ix1HnxArroxAn EPISODE.
Il uesuited In Me-. orim~s Paying Twice
md Then Doing the Work HIMSELF

From the Chicdoo Ddiiy Tribune.
IL ali grew out OF a nisund erstanding OF plain
English but the affair assumed very grave pro-
portions before IL was finally settled. Mr..
Grimes. who lives over on West Monroe street,
was called TO his door q few mornings since by
an Jrishman with q very red nose who expressed
n willingness to clear the snow from his
sidewalk tor the sum of so cents.
MIR. Grimes looked at the ten-inch fall that
had come down during the night. and. conclud-
ing tho proposition n very reasonable one, ac-
cepted IL, returning to his warm sitting-room
well satisfied with the bargain.
The Irishmnn went around to IN old chum of
his on Wood street to borrow a shovel. lie had
scarcely got out OF sight when n ring at the
door bell again summoned Mr.. Grimes.
A shivering. thinly clad Italian stood before
him with long handled wooden shovel.
broad sweep OF his hand the snow gsthered in
Of hS house. Is Sas
would have preferred to get the work done for
n quarter. but as he had promised the other
by Ills agreement. This fact hc communicated
to the italian In excellent English. not a word
4 vague suspicion finally entered the head OF
ednca,io" at; t, in Ansio-saxon had been samewhat
overlook ed. so he proceeded to explain in panto-
" Kim, Hut But Mr. M Grimes's knowledss OF the sisn q,
language is as defective as the Italians Eng
lish, and the Inter rubbed his cold hands gee-
fully az the gentleman pointed outward. iml-
tated the throwing OF snow with the shovel,
and then cast both arms at full length in right
"sef Faeins sorry go for the shiverng wretch Mr.
Grimes gave him nickel and bade him amply
ment OF the Italian. who accepted the gift MS IN
added incentive TO duty. Just as soon as Mr.
and sent the snow flying in heaps und clouds
into the street.
who. returning with n shovel, had seen the
italian from a distance and had nearly ex-
haustsd his wind In bearing down upon him.
aTenty!n' %n en' eenta. ne REPLIED the Italian good
netpredly. without ceasing from his labor. -,
be afther runnin' nrii, wild dc country. See. DaEo
'"Yes. yes; me nova it." assen,ed the worker.
then he piled his shovel more vigorously than
Tho Irishman. indignant at what he thought
the impudence Of the Italian and outraged at
the menace to his Job. raised his shovel aloft
the offender that he tumbled all OF heap into
the snow.
was written upon every line Of his face as he
arose to his feet. rushed at the Irishman. and
clinched with him.
Then ens,ied u most diverting scene a wrest-
ling contest which. II not rs scientific as one Of
those that graced the Coliseum in the days OF
Nero, was not one whit less energetic. AS the
| twain struggled and tussled each obiurgate ed.
the In corrupt Gaelic. the other in low class
Neapolitnn dialect. While neither understood
the language OF the other there was sort OF In
tuitive perception that the words were not com :
plimentary, for each piled wicked word on
| wicked word until he had exhausted his vocab-
ulary and went at 1t over again, repeating and
repeating. until score of small boys who had
! been attracted by the scrimmage, had picked up
| every syllable.
| While they tuEgcd and pulled and attempted
! to make mincemeat OF each others noses and
| ears they slipped down and rose again. fell
| backward and advanced forward. until they
| had trampled down every bit OF upon
| the sidewalks in front OF Mr.. Gr!mes's house.
| The struggle was protractcd until the poor
| wretches painted and gasped worse thnn two
| men in advanced stages OF asthma. So weary
were they they might have agreed TO- call it q
| draw hut for the active interest of the small
boys. who encouraged them to effort with every
| ingenious device at command, shouting " Claw
| him, Micky," "Swipe him. Dago." &C., and
when voices failed did not scrupie to pelt them
| with icy-hard snowbalis.
The noise finally brought out Mr.. Grimes, whose
| presence promptly closed active hostilties, bu,
| at once excited a mountain torrent Of words
| from the weary men. Made desperate by the
| din and seeing II WAS impossible TO explain mat.
| ters. and. besides. being unwilling to have the
| disgraceful scene protracted further. he gave
| the lrshman 80 cents and bade him be gone
| Then he handed the Italian quarter and. di.
rectine him to finish up the job us quickly rs
| possible. re. entered the house. glad enough tC
| escape further bother. Accepting the money Rs
| adismissal. the Italian joyfully went on his way
| and half an hour later Mr.. Grimes WIS nearly
breaking his bnck in gouging up the snow thai
the two men had so energetically tramped down