The Southern herald., 1902-02-07
CALEB'S QUARTER.
BY EDWARD h. CLARK.

Caleb Billings isa tailor with a shop
N little basement on Dearborn
treet Caleb is a mark an easy
mark, his wife says, and many of Ca
ebs customers, if they knew of the
Eife's remark, would say that she told
The truth. Caleb is the friend Of the
tray cat, the homeless dog and the
lown-trodden and despised generally
whether they be man or beast. The
humber Of men in Chicago who owe
Caeb for cleaning and trouser press
ing is beyond computation. Not one
Oi these men, however, will hesitate
tomorrow to order a general clothes
cleaning and ask Caleb to chalk it up.
He'll do it without a word, and such is
the makeup of this little tailor that
be will act as though the man who is
10 stand him off for six months and
probably will never pay at all is actu-
billy doing him favor,
Mrs, Billings, it may be said in all
Sorrow, j, a bit of a shrew. If Caleb
gives a dinner to a hungry tramp,
which he does every time tramp APP
plies, unless his wife be looking, Mrs.
Billings upon discovery of the fact
will bcrate Caleb for hours at a
Stretch.
you've oright to do these things,
Caleb Billings. Here you are giving
pork chops and potatoes to a thieving
tramp when We need new chintz cur
tanS in the bedroom and new rug
ftr the parlOr We never have a dol
lar at a time in the house Just be-
cause you are so sOft-hearted and
softer headed that everyone with a
tale OF woe can get your last cent.
1t got to quit. You're working all
The time for a lot of lazy loafers who
never pay you. You ought to be
ashamed of yourself"
Caleb took every TRADE meekly.
lie knew that in some ways his wife
was a good deal more than half right,
but he could no more change his ma
turc than at his age, go, he could
change his trade.
One morning just before Caleb
Started to work his wife said: "There.
lsnta cent in the house. Be sure and
OFng some home this evening. We
need it for lots of things, and besides
promised Cousin Mary that I'd 90
10 the theater with her tonight, and
taCh of u, is going to buy her own
Ticket Now, don't give away every
lhng You collect before you get back
to the house,
Caleb promised obediently to be
good and started out. He slipped his
nand IN his pocket and found that he
nad just 30 cents, a quarter and a
nickel The fact that this was all he
nad IN the world, excepting lot of
outstanding accounts, did not worry
'aleb much, for he wasn't built that
way lie boarded a street car-he
Aed three miles from his shop-and
pald the nickel to the conductor
ai'er cropping into a corner seat.
ABOUT llye minutes after entering the
gar Caleb discovered that there was
SOlne sort of discussion going on
near the forward end. Caleb looked
enu saw faultlessly dressed man 60
'ng through his pockets as though
'alnly searchingfor something. Then
'He searching passenger said to the
cOnouctor: 'It's no use; | haven't a
.vnl with me. III pay you when l
~ downtown tomorrow. I'll make
point to take this same car"
The conductor shrugged his .houl-
uels' That doesn't GO" he said.
BY this time all the passengers were
Interested. Every one of them, bar
One' perhaps, looked as though he
were saying within himself: cts the
salre old gag. Here's a man, well
uresSed y, at that, trying to beat his fare.
Inc nerve of some people is monu-
leftmy pocketbook with the bills
y Il at home" said the passenger,
and by chance have no change"
AT this the passengers exchanged
sianees and said to themselves: Giles
PLAYING the game hard"
That don't co. said the conduc-
'Of you'll have to get off" As the
.uan rose to comply Caleb; aroused tc
'eii'a oI the situation, walked for
ware and slipped . quarter into th'