Evening star., 1896-01-18

Skinny an T16 an the boys aafns called 1t the
sovnsr. ssyl dld you ever see the goP-
The executive nodded, and the tatters,
rising ana sinking back again with yehem-
ence, in accord with surprise. threatened to
states purple.
'sOh, say, now! did yer. though? An did
he look this here way, an set his chin so,
an keep his eyes kind O. shet, 8 II he WIZ
afeard someun 'ud see if he cried an tell
the Banner ez thef' wuz tears in his eyes?
skinny said he did. skInhs, didn't lie' he
didn't.
HAn' did yer ever heear him make a
Tne spare body bent forward. as il the
sharp eyes would watch the faintest hint Of
falsehood in the face before him. 'Yorter
'lorgrated. yer know. An you bet he's
gran, then, on them 'norgrat'n days. He
lest up an dares the Banner. An his
speeches goes this way"
torn shoe pressed against the states purple
of the great easy chair, one resting upon the
velvet rug. One small hand lightly clasped
the arm of the cherry chair. while the other
the vagabond's deft tongue told off frss-
ment OF one of the executives masterpieces
Of eloquence.
"Out Of the mouths OF babes and suck
Hngs." indeed, poured the great particle OF
the great argument that had swept the old
volunteer state, at the moment of its finaH-
eLat agony, from center TO clfcum1efence:
The so-caliei "state bonds" are against
the letter and spirit Of the Constitution of
the United States. which declares. No state
shall grant letters Of marque and reprisai,
bonds! State bonds! tell you, friends and
fellow citizens. that is the name Of the
enemy that is hammering upon that mighty
platform upon which all social. political and
financial affairs of the country are founded
the palladium of our liberties-the Consti-
tuition of the United States.'"
The ragged shoe slipped from its velvet
pedestal. the now dry tatters dropped back
into the luxurlant softness of the easy.
chair. The glow of excitement faded from
the little old face that seemed suddenly to
surprise that was indeed almost wonder.
saw the boys lips twitch nervously.
'Say!' he ventured again. 'yorter know
ed Skinny. He wuz the incest boy yevver
the gov'ner many a time. Heard him say
that very speech I'm tellin' you bout. In
this very house, too, upstairs, wher' the leg
uslatur sets. 1 peeped in while ago; no
body ther' but the Sextent. Skinny heeard
the gov'ner speak ther' though-1n' when
the ban played an the folks all clapped
their hands, Skinny flung his hat up. plumb
inter the big chandler an the low takers,
an a p'lioeman fetched him out by the coi-
| lar, an when he got out the cop seq ter
him, sez he, Now whatcher got ter sayy
Skinny was a low taxeT his own se'f, So
when the cop axed him fur his say, he flung
| his hat up todes the bareheaded liberty
| woman out ther' at the front door, an sez
he. 'Hooray fur the sov'ner an the low-tax
party! Did. He slep' in the lookup tina.
| night fur it; but he got his holler. He wuz
| a good TN.
Say, Gully! I wisht yer could see Skinny's
picture anyhow It's e over ter rs hunchbask s
Half Yer know Helrs Half acre? Awful
place Skinny give the picture to Harry
| count O. his not bein' able ter git bout
| much. He set sight O. store by it, Skinny
did. an he didn't let it leave him till the
last mint; he just willed it, yer know, to
| hunchback Harry. When he wuz a-dyin'
| he turned ter me, an sez he, Skip, hang
| the gOv'ner SOS l can see him. An when
done 1t. he sez, sorter smilin, sez he.
| Skip! Sez I, Skinny! Sez he, The crippled
aEgul has wiped all the tears out O. the
gov'ner's eyes Then he fell back on his
straw piller and shet his eyes, so; an after
while he opened Nv um, an seq he-so soft
yer jest could a-heeard 1t, sez he, Write
| me one who loves his fellow men, An
that wuz the last word he ever said on this
EARTH He had nice fun'ril. yer bet. Us
newsboys made it,; an the prism chaplin
said the sument. We bought the flowers,
US boys did; they cos ten dollars. Their
right in the middle, made out O. little teeny
buds, wuz hts name-Skinny' The flow e1
Il man said it wouldn't do, when we told him
! ter put 1t ther', but we lowed 'twuz oul
money an our fun'ril and If we couldn',
4 have 1t our way we wouldn't have 1t at all
An he said it might hurt his folkses' feel.
ms, but we tot him Skinny didn't have nc
folks, an no name, either; 'cept Jest Skin.
NY So he made up the wreath like We
said, an it's out ther' on his grave this
blessed mint, II the snow amt kivered /,
up: Say, Gully! Don't yer be a-cryin' fun
Skinny. He's all right-the chaplin seq so
The gov'ner'd cry fur him, though, 1 bel
yer. II he knowed about the funril yistiddy
Mebbe ole Pop Hickory wouldn't, but be-
the gov'ner would
The face Of the executive was turned To-
ward the fre-a tiny blue blaze shot up
ward for an instant, and was reflected in 9
diamond setting that glittered on his bosom
moment upon his cheek, then rolled dowr
ard lay upon his hand a bright, giistenfna
tear. There was a sound of heavy foot
steps coming down the gray stone corridor
| creak. groan, and bang.
Whats that?" asked the newsboy. start
ing up.
That" said the executive "is the porter
closing up for the night
/ The 'tatters stood a. near upright as tat
ters may, and gathered themselves together
Not paper sold; he had gossiped away tn,
afternoon with right royal rscklessness. H,
| remembered 1T too late.
"Sayi yer wouldn't want Heralde" 7
was not easy to talk business where late,,
he had talked confidence The executivel
hand sought his pocket.
Yes" said he, "a Herald will do. Whe
is your name, boy?'
"Skippy! Cause 1 don't skip, yer know.
| There was twinkle in the vagabondt
| eye as tHe HdiIneQ fOOt was thrust forward
The next moment he glanced at the coin thu
| executive had handel him.
Say! can't change dollar; llaiu't seel
that much money since the bridge wu
burnt"
The executive smiled. ''Nsyer mind tb
change and be sure you bring me tonnor
rows Herald"
.. The tatters did stand upright at that
, while look of genuine wonder, not un
mixed with admiration came into the nttl
old-young face.
Say! who be you, anyhow" he asked
And the lids did drop" as the Banne
said, "to hide the tears" as the great MAJ
) answered, slowly:
) II am the governor of Tennessee, Skip
! There was low, soft whistle, a hurrie
/ shambling toward the door, a half-wil.spar
! ed something about skinny and ''Old Po
Hickory" and the ponderous door closed be
t hind him. When the fire had burned $
, low he could no longer see the print of th
, newsboy's foot upon the velvet cushion O
the armchair the governor arose and bepa,
to put away his papers.
+ 'Inasmuch she was soreiy wroneed',-
, his eye fell upon line Of the woman-1nur
? derers long petition. Was this a ease 70
/ ciemency," as the petition declared? rh
crisp paper ratified strangely as he iInroile
1 GryN 1T