Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-04-10
A STOLEN PIE.


hours. He was absolutely penniless. A.
he walked up Fifth avenue, clad in fash.
ionable suit Of clothes, with shiny silk
hat on his head, few people could suspect
shat he was suffering for want of food
He pursued his course up Fifth ayenu,
and finally reached Central park.
Weak and faint, but still maintaining
mn indifferent micn, he entered the mark.
He strolled along Its shady lanes, pausine
at some water fountain to quench his
thirst
He sat down at intervals and rested his
weak limbs, but the act Of sitting seemed
TO remind him morn Of his hunger.
1t is Il hard trial for u young, vigorous
and healthy man TO 60 for any great length
Of time without food, and especially so In
a rich, populous city. II he had been
dressed In rags he would have begged, but
II was utterly impossible for him to do
TINT with his present appearance.
After awhile he found himself in n very
secluded part Of the park. He seated him.
self on n bench by the lake. The birds
We're gayly singing overhead, there was u
fragrant scent Of flowers In the air, the
water, were ripping and sparkling md
the swans and ducks were disporting
themselves on the breast of the lake The
sounds OF childish laughter and merry
shouts were waited to his ears He felt
moody and respondent. he wished he weru
u swan or duck, or birl-in fact, anything
but n human being. He cursed fate, he
cursed everything. My he thought
"how / would like n morsel Of ;oodn' He
felt like committing n robbery, u murder
any crime nj all, only something that
would bring him food.
light footstep near him aroused him
from his rescrio. There before him stood
IL fat, chubby, rosy checked little child,
gazing at him with wide, staring eyes In
his plump little hands he held a large
homemade pie.
Driscoll started up. The sight Of that
pie was most tantalizing in its effect upon
him. How he would like To cat it
There was no one In the immediate vi
entity, no one ~ Observe him. The child
was fat and well fed, and he (DrlscolD was
starving.
He arose and approached the child "My
little man, shid he, smiling as graciously
ms 1t was possible for him to do, come
here "
What have you there my dcar'" said
Drscoll "pics'
Eth, thir, liEped the little one
LET me SEQ 1t, baby, he said. but the
little one shook his head and held the pie
behind his back
Come, " said Driscoll, won't baby let
me sec its pics"
The child Rraycly gave negative shake
OF the head.
please let uncle see It, said Driscoll
coaxingly and at the same time making
an effort to take IL.
"No, no; Inc ants 1t. said baby.
let me have 1t, " said Driscoll impa-
ticntly
The little one made movement "a
though to run away
Tired Of impurtuning the baby and fear
full lest its mother or nurse should appear
and spoil his opportunity. he suddenly
bent his face close 10 that of the child. As
Stunning the most dinbolical and forbidding
expression 1t was possible for him to do,
he Kissed out, "diye me that pie; give me
that pie quick, or IN murder and eat you,
quick"
The child gayca terrified scream, let the
pie drop at Driscoll's feet and scampcrod
down side path as rapidly AS his short
little legs could travel Driscoll quickly
picked the pic up, held it In one hand,
which he placed In the breast OF his coat,
and sauntored nunchalantly away. In II
few moments he heard In the rear OF him
the little child There he goes nussey &;
there he goes, nussey. He got my pie. "
"Nonsense, child, said n female voice
"that gentleman did not take it. 1t was
some one clso. -
The child persisted in his statement, but
the nurse refused to believe 1t, and mean
while Driscoll had passed beyond hearing
He wanted to find some quiet spot where,
unmolestcd, he could eat his stolen pie,
but everywhere he went he found one or
more persons. At length he reached a
very secluded out of the way corner and,
sitting himself on the grass, drew forth
his precious pie.
The righteousness OF the thing now
struck him, and he burst into hearty
peal Of laughter. He held the pie at arm 4
length and looked at ii. He was just about
10 place It to his mouth; but, alas and
nlack, there is many slip twixt cup
and lipV A great, large Newfoundland
dog at this juncturc jumped from clump
of bushes, suatched the pie from his hands
and bounded swiftly away.
Poor Driscolll All the mcrriment fed
from his heart at once. His pie was gone.
i am afraid he gave vent TO his feelings in
rather more profane language thnn II
would he well TO record here
Fate Is against me, he sadly muttered
as he arose to his feet and walked away.
my he thought, "have / got to
starye to death surrounded by plentyg 1t
Is pretty hard. Well, will hold upa AS long
as | have strength, only 1t Is n hard death, "
When he turned out of the park, It was
well along In tho afternoon. He wandered
aimlessly along the streets, scarcely know
ing In which direction he was going,
AS he passed II certain house he heard q
childish voice In his rear exclaim, Papa
papa, there is the man that took my piev
Turning, he behold the identical little
child whose pie he had taken clinging Il
the hand Of n gentleman, evidently just re
turning from business.
The gentleman face seemed familiar
and no sooner had he scanned Driscoll',
countenance d ban he cried out "Johr
Driscoll, how are your" and at the SAINT
time held out his hand for the other Il
take. This Driscoll did, and MS remem
hranocs came 10 his brain he rccollectet
an old college chum and u warm friend
Charley Vaughn, he cried, II am de
lighted to see you.
1t was particularly happy meeting fol
Driscull After some conversation Vaughn
invited him in, and ere long Driscoll relat
eti the whole story Of the pie over glas'
of wine. Vaughn was immensely amused.
He insisted upon Driscoll remaining