The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-05
r1xr nor NtrH a wIIrED ExrRA.
Passengers Iu,erestea By = Tale or = Regular
Sim Hickey 81 n Father.

eNH
The undertrolley car swung out OF Grand
street into the Bowery with a hideous, nerve
destroying noise of the wheels. 1t was Saturday
night, and the street was nblaEe with hundreds
of electric lights. A throng filled the sidewalks,
unmlndful apparently Of the sickly, half
hearted drlEzle that was falling. At Rivington
street the electric car camo to an abrupt halt.
and q cable car going In the same direction shot
by with changing gong. The crowd at this point
overlooked into the roadway and the air buLLod
with excitement. Long-bearded men Resticu-
lated wildly and jabberodt to one another In Yid-
dish. The excitement was contagious and
found its way easily into the weii.liEhted, cheer
full trolley car. The passengers sprang up and
began to ask each other what the row was.
Some poered through the wide glass OF the win
dows, while others ran to the back platform to
question the conductor.
Something dreadful must have happened"
exclaimed the fat woman who got on at tho
bridge.
Eyes, ! shouldn't wonder II 1t was a stabbing
affair. put in the knowing.looklnG young man
with red hair. The women in the car shrieked.
Gracious | how terrible !" cried the girl with
the hat down over her eyes.
Maybe some one got run down and thoy arc
waiting for the ambulance" suggested the man
with the hoArse voice.
Meanwhile the crowd grow densor and densor.
Men. women and children swarmod from every
direction. and all tried 10 force their way to tho
centre Of the throng. The passengers speou-
lated some more and then subsidized.
Suddenly q lane was opened through the sway
Ing mass as II by magic and q tall, wide police
man, leading . tiny boy by the hand, walked out
and boarded the trolley car. The passengers
roared with laughter. The policeman smiled
remotely. and. lifting his prisoner to n seat. sat
down beside him. Tho boy could not have been
more than five years old. His bare little feet
wero incased in a thick crust Of cast side CRIME,
and his short trousers and scanty jacket were
sadly in need of repair. Claspod closely to his
breast the child carried a single bedraggled ex-
ira of the fiaring headline order. which was hours
and hours old. The expression of his face was
n mixture OF defiance and despair. The tears
which %glistencd in his beautifuldsrk eyes never
got any further. 1t was evident that he was
struggling to conquer his emotion, and conquer
It he did. for never once while the car was in
motion did he alter his position or allow a sob
to escape from his throat.
After tho first burst of m%erriment, caused by
the contrast between the size OF the policeman
and his prisoner. the passengers grew grave.
All eyes were fastened OH the child and the
wilted extra which he Rugged to his breust.
Nav, he amt got no mother replied the
policeman. She died two months ago. But
he's got tho real thing in n father. The old man
is a regular Jim Hickey, and that's no merry
Jest, either. oh. I'd like to get at him just once,
and l wouldn't do a thing to him. He drove the
wife to her grave. and then he turned on the
kid here. Just think OF it, now; he sends this
little mug out on the street to sell papers, and
he won't let him come into the house at night
unless he brings back Is cents"
what q shame!" exclaimed tho fat woman
Indignantly, and all the other passengers agreed
with her.
The boy did not stir while the policeman
was talking. Evidently the conversation did
not interest him in the least The policeman
reached over and, taking the wilted extra from
the child's grasp, unrolded It's pages and began
to read the war news" The other passengers
continued to gaze compassionately at the littlt
prisoner and to mako remarks about his un
happy lot. -,
shouted the conductor.
The big policeman stood up and handed the
extra back to the boy.
" guess wen transfer here. too, Johnny" h,
said, not unkindly.
For an instant the child hesitated. and the
tears that stood In his eyes Threatened to ESCAPE
down his soiled face. Then he claspcd the wilted
extra to his breast again and trotted out into the
rain behind the policeman. AS tho car started
tho bluecoat and the boy were observed to dis
appear into tho wide entrance of the Gerry
society building.