The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-08-31
THEIR ENGAGEMENT,

]. A. Flynn in ST. Paul's: Didn't you
feel me nudge you, Jaek?"
Rather I'd no idea your elbow was
so bony, els. Perhaps some other way
OF showing your affection would
"You know 1t wasn't that" she said,
Indignantly l had just given twopence
10 Inc lame man az the corner OF The
square and els doesn't like the idea.
'grhen I'm afraid It was an inexeusa-
Indiscriminate charity Is merely a
form OF lazy self-indulgence," or course
ne vas quoting from something, but
I'm hanged II / know what
1T wasn't indiscrminaae. The poor
beggar has lost a leg and can't do any
proDer work. He's very sensible, de-
cent fellow, too. often talk to him"
"He's a very bad man anyhow. nope
YOU won't give him any more"
"Poor wretch! What's his onenseY'
He has a wife"
THAT'S pretty bad, certainly"
oBut / shall have" She tossed her
head and tried TO keep from smiling,
"Not II you interrupt me in that rude
way. No one else would have you, I
was saying you haven't any idea how he
treats her."
"Well2"
"He beats herewith his wooden leg"
She smiled a little about the corners
of the mouth. smiled and then she
smiled little more and laughed out
right,
SELF" she said, with vicious dig OF that
bony elbow. No one was about Just
then.
Aren't you glad that haven't a
wooden leg, Cis?"
II am really cross"
"You are a little humbug,"
you surely don't defend such abomin'
able conduct"
II don't believe it's true"
You don't know 1t isn't"
"You don't know II Is
"You shouldn't give money to beggars,
anyhow"
Some book-polltIcal something or
other"
political Economy" / suggested,
VERY likely 1t was very nice
book that showed II was bad to break
windows, because the people who didn't
spent the money on boots"
"How about the glazierT"
"Oh, he made boots instead OF mending
windows"
But he couldn't"
"oh, well, he ought to, the book said"
but suppose you had all the boots you
wanted already"
"Then you bought something else-en-
gagement rings, perhaps" She looked
at the bulge in her glove and laughed
"You are very extravagant." she said.
"a penny would have been quite enough
for him, Jack. He doesn't look good"
81 saw you give beggar woman two
pence the other day"
"Oh, but she had a baby, Jack"
very likely old Timbertoes has"
But he hadn't 1t with him."
mo; too much sense to bring the poor
little beggar out in the cold on the chance
OF an extra penny"
"But those poor women must bring
their babies"
"or hire them; that's what they gen.
orally do"
II don't believe It."
But you don't know 1t isn't true"
II can always see when II Is a genuine
case. oh, Jack, look at that poor crea-
ture over there" She was a wretched,
red-facef woman with miserable white
faced baby. II really must"
Probably beats her husband
"oh, that poor little baby"
Hired for the day"
"Look, now she's rocking It. II give
her something very likely shell--"
Spend It on drink"
But I'll tell her to get something for
the baby A bun, or milk or something"
Glow do you know she'll do it,"
Because do" She began to tumble
In one Of those ridiculous pockets for
that ridiculous little purse.
81 can't find It" she said breathlessly,
Lend me something, jack there's a
good boy"
"A penny"
mo, slxpence."
"Your book 6ald--"
"oh, Il was silly book. A dreadfully
silly book. Be quick"
/ fished out slxpence and she ran
across to the woman. When she came
back there were tors In her eyes and we
walked along In silence.
ut was such poor little baby" she
said at last; ''and It's little bare feet were
showing through holes In the shawl"
Going back gave the woman the price
OF wlndow-which hadn't broken. l
hope the book was right about the bene-