The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-11-24
TWO WAITS

Vu .ho little del1caLeSSSen Snop DOWN
rnd w The shadow Of the big brewery,
g nasI ~ more than ever, the cynosure
psC ~any watchful eyes.
o. ,i %Sa' moor old man." remarked Mrs.
luz whose volume of voice was
Sg's, only by the portliness Of her
ssua,r' "The lessons 1t teaches us is
IeIsvIE Respect for the gray
Iens that's what l say. And I'll say
na lain III learn my Mickey, If my
u. a. gits weary in the doing of it,
li Dror , TO be disrespectful. When Pat
Is'" that | should dare even to think
l I. isss-NIickey'll get the truck-and a
q y bnsiness there goes with it, too"
V spiobt YOU are, Mrs. Nagle," loudly
,.,laTed Mrs. O'Connor, of the third
ssor " hack on the fire-escape corner.
n.y.. sin and a shame, indeed and it
FIR Annie and her man to wear the
n, and the heart out of her old dad
w the poor motherless kid. Even if
"A Iohn is shaky and slow, there is,
!. von say. Mrs. Nagle, some respects
r. from child to father Indeed, and
I'm I'M tell Annie so meself, when me
chants comes"
l @ard what is it, Maggie O'Connor,
.,nII so kindly tell Annie when the
Rance comes?" 1t was loud voice
.s.t carried this question to the
e+,rtled women, and sheer went with
and hint Of quick anger near at
k.nd I'm here, and I'll listen with
pleasure"
A smiling a trifle. as she saw the other
komans face grow red and heard her
SIrb.pitched voice dwindle into an
lnologetic murlnur the newcomer
,iacpd her hands on her lips, and stood
4 waiting silence. She was about 40
Fears of Handsome in a coarse,
lIack style, but in voice and face as
iard as the doorstep upon which she
jtOOd.
The silence was only prelude, in.
|hoiuced for that effect which comes
hom contrast. 1t lasted for moment
Brly
Yes" and the dark brows scowled
lercely, you women blow around be-
Ind my back, and when I'm here to
Ece YOU. you back down like scared
kbbits. You can crawl back to your
|OIes now, and if l hear any more of
liz talk you'll both be sorry for it
Iterward That's all. Better look
|ter your own kid, Mrs. OConnor,
fhOs thief and sneak, like his own
bother, Mrs. Maggie O'Connor"-and
ttth this winged shaft she turned
StOut in true Hell's Kitchen contempt,
lent into her little shop, banged the
Dor to show her freedom from the
naler restrictions of social life, and
BIT the yauquished gossips to vanish
they might
A moment later, when the coast was
lear, there came to the door of Annie
lcQueen, delicatessen purveyor to the
'eighborhoOd, two pathetic figures
unlike in years, and yet in all other
lays so like, that one knew by in
Bilct that they would be drawn to-
Ftler The one was an old, old man;
not only in years, but from long
Irerty and weary labor; the other a
b. of ten. so tiny for his years, so
Eched and weakened and underfed
lat he seemed more ancient than the
her,
There was fear upon the faces of
PHI and that stamped the likeness
.Dre distinctly. Bitter experience
nj taught them that there was cause
II fear
The door opened, and Annie stood
oA them. Her words were not the
tlt half-meant expressions that are
FOsnized as safety-valves for disap-
fadng anger; they were cudgels, and
foHght the blood with every blow.
'Out OF my way, you beggars,' she
rolted. You good -for-nothings, who
t always ready for your meals, but
ROl for nothing else" She reached
pm heavy hand, and gave the boy
NSdaging blow. He WINGED only a
custom can make one
~ TO anything-moved away lit
4 10 one side, forced back the tears,
looked for courage into his grand
Piers face.
he old man looked into his daugh-
eyes for breaking of the cloud
sometimes Glanced that way.
NOW, Annie, he began feebly, but
turned upon him in very fury of
You old sot," she screamed, get
Oh my sight this minute. Yes,
ian H. and ] mean it for the two of
Move on. l say" and she banged
door too, turned the key in the
n and left them together.
ogether. Well, there was a world
comfort in the thought. The little
tpie and the decrepit old man were
siiE the happiest twain in the
49, When left alone together. They
Aed together, and they talked to-
er usually in the little park
us the tenements, or on the cocks
Y great Hudson, down beyond the
elevators. But there was al
thls haw in their serenest hap
ss' they could not forget the
q9w OF that heavy hand at home,
1e echo of that cruel voice that
ia greet them at the door.
tne door slammed too, old John
sentiy to the tired child: well,
wen 90 over to the park for a
guess We don't need our sup
as much as we thought we did.
van nave a good time a-lookin' at
dfs and a-countin' of 'em like we
ue other night; and then when
annie feels a bit smoother we'll
SOFT like, and perhaps when
Jug comes she'll be over her mad
he struck a light for his old
Elpe and sighed softly: Its too
shes so ross.tempered, amt it,
"? You and me gets the heft
ana it's tough at times. Eth,
q usage had made of Johnny a
EsOpher, after Nature had made
lin poet. So he smiled into the
~ face of the old man, and as
lped along he thought Of the
va and changing glories of the
park, where the scarlet tulips
u such straight rows, ready for
hA AL L.. u.