Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-09-19
ind rocking n cradle, Fact Ia, I ,arc6

anywhere. How il come we never got
married, we were neither of us of age,
So we concluded To wait until We were.
which would he about three years.
Well. three years is good long bit,
when you're young and full of devil
mcnt. So to fill up that time got to
smiling pretty much on one or two
other girls. which set her to flirting
with the boys. till was beat at my
own game. Then we had high old
racket. for | saw she didn't object to
| another fellow who wanted her us bad
as | did. AMI ii rilcd me considerable
Just the same: we all broke up. and
that ended it for always. for me.
WAS engaged two or three times after
that before my money run out. but II
got nonutonuts. and ! couldn't like
| anybody very long after that. reckon
that ii | had had good sense ON the
start. everything would have been all
right to-day. and she would have been
boss in my house: and"
"Thought you wouldn't like 10 stay
-" began Johnnie ~ the story teller
paused "a moment. but he was inter
ruptcd.
I'D have given q quarter TO got
| away. but she seemed to feel me look
ing at her. for she turned around, and
| seeing me- looked mighty scared.
~ don't mean any harm. ma'am.'
says |. but won't you please give me
something To catt' which of course was
all | could say. and under the peculiar
circumstances II wasn't any more than
natural that I'd think of the dozen
times ia danced with that very girl
and took her buggy riding, and kissed
hcr-ycs. and Rugged her. too!
Certainly says she. Just come
here TO the step Then she went in
the house and brought out II tray with
a napkin on II. which was u little po-
likeness I hadn't known for some time.
though for tramp ] generally get
treated pretty fair. Maybe she thought
II was me. or some siyty.third cousin
of mine. for she brought cake and pie.
ana bread with butter and Jelly spread
on, some sliced ham and pickles. and
some more stun. Lord. think of it,
when l might have been eating with
her three timeg a day for the last six
years.
"Wpll, ! sat there eating what she
gave me. feeling like REGULAR dumb
fool for the first time In my life. and
looking at her just rs much rs ever
could without her knowing It. She used
to be right plump. and had the cutcst
frizzcs and blacklist eyes ever you seen
and beat all to he sa<y and comical in
her sayings. That was eight or ten
years ago. She Is somewhat thinner
now, and her hair isn't frizzcd, and she
seemed then To bc very quiet and
steady. but she looked good and happy
| and contcn,cd. for which | was very
glad. AMI know she wouldn't have
looked so much so If she had married
mc-1 guess I'm naturally wild.
IL was rs long eating that dinner as
I could manage II, but all things has to
end. SO every crumb got away ut last.
and ! had to 60.
Would you object 10 telling mo
your namcT says, looking straight ut
her.
"'AIrs. william Bates she says, very
quiet.
"Thats what ! supposed II was. Just
then u little shaver about five years
old. with big black eyes. came walk
Ing out on tho porch and rubbing his
eyes like he had been to sleep. At
sight of mo he tucks his head In her
arm. and looks NJ mo kind of shy, ana
laughs one Of her old tricks right over
again.
"'lt seems 20 mo ! have seen you be.
fore she says. still In that quiet way
that made mo certain she knowcd me.
"I'm sorry you said that-Katc.'
was going to say, but before got her
name out, was getting out of that
yard quick, for there was lump In my
throat, ana a storm In my chest. ana |
felt worse than ! had since she ana
said 'tra.la.lcc. love" It's the first
tim" ever | didn't step up and shake
hands with IN old friend whether they
wanted mo to or not.
"Srclng there was only that one
street, kept u lookout for Bill Bates.
"Surc enough. There was q store.
with the sign, WIN. Bates. boots and
shoes and sitting on n box In front OF
the store was Bill Bates himself. lie
was laughing ana tnlking-happy rs n
clam. didn't care about looking him
in the face. but he stopped his talking
as went past. felt like hitting him
II lick under the chin. ana | amt u
fighting man. either. sim, 1t was all
my own fault. Kate had us good n
right To ilrt as l had. bat then had
never counted Oh her caring more Tor
anybody than FOR me-"
'Johhnlc. Johnnie, conc to dinner,
dear called his mother.
"IIcrc-g0 ont of this gate" ordered
Johnnie, ss the tramp started to re-
climb the fence. At the same time he
tucked the basket ana cup amongst
some weeds In til" fence corner, and
then began cncrgctIcally jumping up
ana down,
"Ah-I Scc--a young schcmcr, chT'
laughed the tramp rs he opened the
alley gate,
Il wish was "a Ike YOU" sighed
Johnnie. rs h" Booked the gate. I'D
Ike to do Just rs pleased"
"Hcrtrr stay at home, sonny. 40
Danger IN, you'll max" both ends meet.
Good bye. and I'm much obliged for
your dinner. Mayh" wen meet again
sumc day" ana the tramp went Lii
way, whlstllnG ms he went.
Stopping a Great Ship.
The time required to arrest the mo-