The Van Buren press., 1898-05-07
The Ubiquitous hanikin.
~ FRANK sesaDess.


UOu would net have 1igniaed hina
With the description u a little
nan. Little Is so word to convey az
IDEA q tie laek u sc. He vas ride
ulousHy, fooIshig sm4ll-dimihafiges
ffali and utterly Insignificant ~ ap-
p4agaHees lie could aot have stood
more Than fsar feet six and be was
sight IN proportion. But his face
wore > Ieok 81 preternatafai gragltys
NeH might have imagined that aPoa ms
shoulders bad - any shoulders 70
sgsak Of rested the cares II an en-
IRE. 8e boxed ike q bog rnasqefa1=
jig with fbe bead and face q man re-
0aeea in size 80 as 70 sait his juvenile
ls6dy. and The solemaitg Of bis fea-
fa4es Has Intensified - BIS clothing.
NAich was of TIE most faaereal tgPes
lie W4s dressed e . saif u black, HIth
t~t~<x LAT. back tie, aaa ever back euF
y ffoass znzz ~ e4zffeel q bis4kthoFn
sick. almost - ~ s. himself
IL a8oat peopas yaa can trace re
ssIabIa0es t. sozze aniasai. 1r bird. Or
5zsll5, f yyas are gifted via A. sglna-
sseH 1t all aid mis- man reminded me
yerg fyrelDg IF : JaekasN. He lad
retfe4fing eain sad prominent nsse.
which. in preale. leosed serY nsaeh Ike
bill Then be baa peesliar vaY Of
eeeklng up one u his little, ferrefy eyes
and looking at soa out 81 the corner
Of il, just as Jaekdaw does.
When heard him speak found that
bis voice vas IS weak and Insignificant
rs bis general appearance. Il was a
mean kind Of voice. don't know how
Otherwise to describe IL.
suppose II had met the little man
On the street might have turned round
for a second 10 look after him, and then
gone on ab0ut my business, without
troubling my head any more about him.
But / was 30 placed that had nothing
10 do for some minutes but watch the
Iuanikin. and the consequence was that
] did trouble my head about him. He
seemed 10 fascinate me. could not
take my eyes of him. And after had
looked at him for some time feeling Of
irritability seemed 10 come over me.
felt curious longing 10 pick him up
between my finger and thumb and drop
him overheard into the dock.
For IL was on board an ocean liner
that met ihis miniature piece human
iiy. ! WAS waiting for the vessel 10
sail, on her voyage TO New York. Ny
diminutiyc friend was on the deck. ap-
parcntly taking leave of lady pas
acnger, While he was, perhaps, 40
years Of age. ! judged her to be about
rs; and she was q woman Of normal
size and pleasant Appearances differ
ent from her companion.
He looked 80 little, SO utterly i'm
practicable. that there seemed TO be no
reason, no necessity, nor any excuse for
his existence at ali. And he had. with
oil his portentuous solemnity, certain
deprecaiinR expressions his lips we're
continually twitching with a nervous
kind Of movement, ms though he were
framing an apology for being alive ut
all.
AZ last came the signal for all
strangers 10 20 ashore.
We'll, good-by. my dear. 4" said the liz
tle man, standing on tiptoe to kiss the
lady. and speaking in that irritatingly
piping voice Of his. Give my love
to-" but the finish Of the sentence was
lost to me az he WIS hustled off the
boat.
J watched him 90 down the Rangway
and then stand at the dockside.
At last The vessel swung loose from
her mooriugs: aud az she moved slowly
out into the Merscy the last saw Of nv
little friend with his black suit. black
hat, black tie. black cuff buttons aud
general undcrtnker's mir was his way
ing "A farewell salute 10 the lady pas
senRer with q black bordered handker
chief.
When turned back 10 look NJ the lady
saw there were tears IN her eyes: and
then II occurred 70 me that the frail.
understood fellow was better of than /.
for there was no eye 10 moistcu al my
from Liverpool. there would
be none to tighten on my return to New
York.
found that the lRdy's name was Mrs. |
Johnson-a common enough name;
but. had been inclined. / had no oppor-
tuniiy Of learning anything from her
concerning her microscopical friend.
for she kept 20 her stateroom through
out the entire voyage.
! never saw her after the first day !
until she came ON deck on our arrival
Mt New York.
As we came into dock / saw her make !
for the side of the boat. and commence
waving handkerchief 20 some one
amongst the crowd ON shore.
Looking IN the direction in which shc
sns gazing ! saw her signal answered.
and answered with O black-bordered /
THEM
Now. In the name Of al that is In.
fernal' how ihc deuce did be get here?
Iherr, standing on the dock, close