The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-03-01
A STOLEN PIE.

hours. He was absolutely penniless- As
he walked up Fifth avenue, clad in a fash
ionable suit of clothes, with a shiny silk
hat on his head, few people could suspect
that he was suffering for want of food
He pursued his course up Fifth avenue
and finally reached Central park.
Weak and faint, but still maintaining
an Indifferent mien, he entered the park
He strolled along its shady lanes, pausing
at some water fountain to Quench his
thirst.
He sat down az intervals and rested his
weak limbs, but the act of sitting seemed
TO remind him more of his hunger.
1t is hard trial for young, vigorous
and healthy man TO GO for any great length
of time without food, and especially so in
a rich, populous city If he had been
dressed in rags, he would have begged, but
il was utterly impossible for hi1n to do
that with his present appearance.
After awhile he found himself in very
secluded part of the park He seated him
self on bench by the lake The birds
were gayly singing overhead, there was a
fragrant scent of flowers in the air, the
waters were ripping and sparkling, and
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 were
a swan or duck, or bird-in fact, anything
but a human being. He cursed fate; he
cursed everything. Ny God, - he thought,
chow would like a morsel of foodl'' He
felt like committing robbery, a murder,
any crime at all, only something that
would bring him food.
A light footstep near him aroused him
from his Feverie- There before him stood
a fat, chubby, rosy checked little child,
gazing at him with wide, staring eyes. In
his plump little hands he held a Large
homemade pie.
DriscolI started up. The sight of that
pie was most tantalizing in its effect upon
him. How he would like to eat til
There was no one in the immediate vi
cinity, no one to observe him. The child
was fat and well fed, and he CDriscol) was
starving.
He arose and approached the child "My
little man. said he, smiling as graciously
as it was possible for him to do, "come
here
what have you there, my dear?" said
Driscoll, ''pie?''
eth, thir,'' lisped the little one.
"Let me see it, baby he said, but the
little one shook his head and held the pie
behind his back
Come said Driscoll, ''won't baby let
The child gravely gave negative shake
of the head
please let uncle see it, said Driscon
coaxingly and at the same time making
an effort to take it.
''No, no; me ants it, said baby.
'Let me have it, said Driscon impa-
tiently.
The little one made movement as
though to run away.
Tired of importuning the baby and fear
full lest its mother or nurse should appear
and spoil his opportunity, he suddenly
bent his face close to that of the child. As
Stunning the most diabolical and forbidding
expression it was possible for him to do,
he Kissed out, ''Give me that pie; give me
that pie quick, or III murder and eat YOU
quickl''
The child gave terrified scream, let the
pie drop at Driscon's feet and scampered
down a side path as rapidly as his short
little legs could travel Driscou quickly
picked the pie up, held it in one hand,
which he placed in the breast of his coat,
and sauntered nonchalantly away. In a
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 a female voice,
"that gentleman did not take it. 1t was
some one else.''
The child persisted in his statement, but
the nurse refused to believe it, and mean
while Driscon had passed beyond hearing
He wanted to find some quiet spot where,
unmoles5ed, he could eat his stolen pie
but everywhere he went he found one or
more persons. At length ne reached a
very secluded out of the way corner, and,
his precious pie.
The righteousness Of the thing now
struck him, and he burst into a hearty
peal of laughter. He held the pie at arm s
length and looked at it. He was Just about
to place it to his mouth; but, alas and
alack, there is many a slip 'twixt cup
and 1ipl" A great, large Newfoundland
dog at this juncture jumped from cluInr5
of bushes, snatched the pie from his hands
and bounded swiftly away.
Poor Driscoul All the merriment fed
from his heart at once His pie was gone.
am afraid he gave vent to his feelings in
rather more prOfane language than it
would be well to record here
Fate is against me, =" he sadly muttered
as he arose to his feet and walked away.
MY God he thought, "have I got TO
starve to death surrounded by plenty? 1t
Is pretty hard. Well I will hold up as long
as 1 have strength, only it is hard death -
When he turned out of the lark, it was
well along in the afternoon He wandered
aimlessly along the streets, scarcely know
ing in which direction he was going
As ne passed a certain house he heard a
childish voice in his rear exclaiLn, papa
papa, there is the man that took my piel''
Turning, he beheld the identical little
child whose pie he had taken c1inging to
the hand of a gentleman, evidently just re-
turning from business.
The gentleman's face seemed familiar
and no sooner had he scanned Driscou' s
countenance than he cried out, John
Driscou, how are your and at the same
time held out his hand for the other to
take This Driscou did, and as renem-
brances came to his brain he recollected
an old college chum and a warm friend
Charley Vaughn he cried, Il am de-
lighted to see you"
1t was a particularly happy meeting for
Driscon- After some conversation Vaughn
invited him in, and ere long Driscoll relat-