The Afro-American advance., 1900-03-17

taking the strong paper bag, contain
ing the collection from the hand OF
the boarder.
And it's much obliged the mistressli
be to you, sir, aud Bridget started
upstairs TO show the prize to her
mistress, who was i'll in bed. while the
boarder went TO his room on the top
floor.
Now ii happened that Bridget, in
the course of her varied cooking ex-
periences. had new. before come in
direct contact with crabs. She sup
posed. very naturally. that the little
beasts were dead. the same as the
other animals had been which she had
prepared for the tables of her various
mistresses;Z and, consequently she
had not the slightest idea of the hid
eous crawling life contained in the
bag, which she held so carelessly in
her arms as she entered the room of
her mistress. The crabs, however,
were only abiding their time.
Num-" she said, here's II prisent
the ginerous Top Floor Front gave me,
with the direction that be after cook
ing thin for the mistress" and she
held the bag close to her bosom by
way of calling attention to their con-
tents.
What are they, Bridget?" inquired
the mistress.
Grabs, replied Bridget, with a
broad grin, "Oh, it's foin warm
heart the Top-Floor-Front has. mum"
why. Bridget" said the mistress,
auNiously watching her careless hand
ling of the bag, don't you know that
crabs are alive and can pinch?'
Sure, mum, and you'll be after
making jolly, even If you are sick, "
and Bridget's smile broadened.
Why, I've baked bushels of the dar-
lint little beasties," and by way of
showing her familiarity with the ami
mails she opened the bag and thrust
her nose into il to have u good look
at them.
Now il happened that an exceeding
y large, long-armed and strong cIawed
revengeful old crab had pushed him
self to the top of the pile with
in the bag. His black beady eyes
caught sight of Bridget's plump nose.
He did not know what IL was. but 1t
certainly looked as though il was made
10 pinch.
The nose came closer and closer.
Suddenly, the long arm shot upward
and the strong pinchers closed with
a snap around the red end.
Holy mitherl!!" and with yell
that made the window panes rattle in
the house across the street, Bridget
leaped up into the air. hurting the bag
of erustaceans violently from her.
but not until another OF the "darlint
little beasties" had fastened hold on
the little finger of her right hand and
two more had gripped the neat white
collar she always wore around her
neck.
The bag fell on the bed, in front of
the sick woman, burst open and about
dozen of the hideous crawlers start.
ed for shelter underneath the friendly
bed clothes, while couple made a
scurry for the sick woman's long red
hair, which was unfastened and Law
on the pillow around her head, doubt
less mistaking it for seaweed
Never, in all history. sacred or pro-
fame, did woman get out of bed as
quickly as did the screaming mis-.
tress, and when she Jumped she
knocked the crabs sprawling in every
direction all over the room.
4.
dancing master in the back hall room
came downstairs, two steps at time,
and gallantly rushed to the ladies' res.
cue,
The instant they opened the door
Bridget, with a yell that would have
made the hair of a Comanche Indian
stand on end, bounded out. knocking
the little dancing master fiat on his
back. and made dive for her bed
room in the basement. Fortunately
the shock of the collision broke the
hold of the crabs and they fell TO the
floor.
The mistress stood screaming on
the top of the centertable. a fringe of
crabs hanging to her nightgown and
a couple dangling from her long red
hair. The moment she caught sight
Of the kind hearted boarder she fell
fainting into his arms.
The two men secured the crabs and
placed them in large tin pail Then
the kind-hearted boarder started out
to hunt up Bridget.
He found her in her bedroom. with
her head under the bed clothes, mum
bling prayers and counting her
beads as fast as she could make her
fingers fy. When she saw the kind.
hearted boarder she leaped To her feet
and shouted;
~ foin man you are. you dirty
blackguard, TO be after frightening
the siven wits ont Of a poor goirl with
your nasty spIdery crabs, with the
decyil's own grip in their toes. Get
OUT" and she hurled an old shoe AZ
his head
The kiud-hearted b0arder Qot.-Ey-
eratt Mcneil. in Philadelphia Press.
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Desirable HIIk Foods.