The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-06-23

49,
the bloomin' rollcr-pin.''
Its lic!" painted 'Melia Ann, keep
ing wary eye upon two or three men
who were nearest, and who had been
making Intellectual attempts to snatch
the man from her protection, but the
rolling pin kept Il clear radius.
"They' We had the dollars, an, when
they wouldn't pay, Popa had to put
up the bills. And then they hammered
him No. YOU DON'T and
the rolling-pin fell heavily upon the
shoulders of Il man who was tuGging
violently at her fathers legs.
NOW you just leave i'm to us, said
the man, savagely rubbing his shoulder.
I'VE don't want to 'urt you, but 'e's
only playing the old soldier, and we're
gcing to ave Our moneys worth ont
of i'm Els bloomin' thief, an YOU
know it. Now make ycrself scarce"
\ murmur ran through the crowd,
which gathered closer. You'll have
to kill me first the girl cried, defiant
", but her breath was coming in hur-
ried gasps, and her hour speckled arms
were trembling.
The situation was difficult. The
crowd considered that it held a just
grievance, and from the remarks that
passed round its inner circle | was in
clined to agree with the wrathful
speakers; the senseless man lying st
his daughters feet was evidently a
Shylock of the most sordid order. But
the girl wrs admirable in the bravery
of her passionate defence.
A lunge of the shoulder sent one
man rolling backwards as he was at
tempting to wrench the rolling pin
from 'Mela AIMS hands; she re-
warded me with 4 quick glance of graf
itude. At the sign of my hostility the
crowd veered round, as is the manner
of crowds, and in a second 'Melia Ann
and | were standing side by side under
a shower Of blows. "Yank." "Bloom-
in torf,' "'It i'm in the bread-basketw
"Scratch 'er eyes out!' and all the
florid vocabulary ofthe East End came
from the outside fringe of the crowd
and from upper windows. The rolling
pin caught the facetious coster be-
tween the eyes; he went down like a
stone, but was dragged to his feet in
an instant; woman prodded at me
viciously with crutch-a twist of the
hand gave me weapon, and, so armed
| was able to aid 'Melia Ann in keep
ing a clear space round her father
We had breathing spacc-the
crowd hesitated: there was wavering
in its outer ranks; it broke and fled in
all directions, hurrying to cover like
so many startled rabbits. The helmet
of an approaching policeman had re-
called Arcadia street from the delights
Of ''beano'' to the rigid paths Of re-
spectability.
With the aid of the constable, 'Melia
Ann and carried her father-who, |
was inclined to think, was playing the
cold soldier"-into the dark back par
lor of the small groccr's shop ''rarnd
the carner:" fearful charwoman was
despatched for doctor, and the repre-
sentative Of the law produced a large
notebook. But 'Melia Am stoutlv
refused to make any charge or offer
any information. She thanked me
simply, sincerel y-"Popa's all have"
she said, "an' it made me mad, right
mad when they began to hammer him.
They y'-she jerked her head sideways
in the direction of Arcadia street
''don't understand business; they come
around pretty quick to loan the dollars,
but they kick when they got to pay
devils!'
She declined all offers of help almost
brusqnely, and, as there was nothing
to be done, | left my card to the an
noyed policeman, who, while lam ,ntinr
the loss of Il good police-court case,
confirmed my impression as to the
character OF the tather-a petty usurer
of the poor. At the door 'Melia held
out her hand: "I'll always remember
your Kindness she said. tears stand
ing in her eyes. at was real grit to
come and hammer for me-
And this was my first meeting with
'Melia Ann Miggs, the daughter of c.
Miegs, rs the board above the shop
proclaimed her father to be.
III.
alone at the Savoy. At the table i'm
in front of my own were two
men and a woman. The elder of the
two men was palpably an American,
as was also the woman: the other man
spoke broken English, and amused me
considerably 10y his Intellectual efforts
to restrain the ostentation Of the elder,
who, | gathered. was the little girls
father. Her face was vaguely familiar
to me. She looked ut me several times
hestatingl Y and shyly, and, as | was
passing their table to leave the restan-
rant, rose abruptly to her feet.
Don't you remember me?" she said |
awkwardly. | was obliged |
to confess that my memory had of late