The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-10-26
GUSSEPPIAND THE "GANG"
BY EPPs w. SARGENT.

all over the station his faithful fol-
lowers fiocked.
There were ten OF them when they
lined up before their chief-ten sharp
faced, eager-eyed youngsters who made
their living, such as 1t was, in and
around the station Only ten. but no
gang three times their number dared
make open warfare against them. The
station gang was a power.
Pushing and jostling, they. crowded
about the stand, amazed to see their
leader in pleasant conversation with
their enemy. This must be a new style
of raid, they decided, and all were
ready for the mad dash up the street
that should follow the signal to prey
upon the wagon.
"This is Gusseppi," introduced the
leader, He's dago. but he's white.
Shake hands" Ten grimy paws were
extended and tremendously shaken in
turn by the smiling Italian, who was
as much mystified as any of the crowd.
Amt we goin' to rush imp" whis-
pered Skinch Donothan, the youngest
member Of the gang. Skaggs turned on
him severely.
"Skinch," he cautioned, III your
mother wants a job patching your
pants you try to rush. That's all
Gusseppi is one of the gang"
'Hava~de banan," invited Gusseppi,
generously, this time indicating the
two-for-a- penny pile, and solemnly
the gang accepted this as an initiation
fee.
After that Gusseppi had easy sail
ing. While other vendors were bar
gaining, with watchful eye upon TIE
gang, Gusseppi transacted his busi-
ness unmolested. Not only did the
gang leave him in peace, but after a
few experiments the other boys in the
neighborhood discovered that IL would
be wise to leave that particular push
cart alone. Moreover, Gusseppi had the
best position in line, and his business
prospered greatly.
Then, in the wisdom of the police de-
partment. a new man was put on beat
at the station. Some one said some
thing about abating nuisances and
Cassidy started in for the record. He
had already heard how the gang had
made life miserable for Riley. who had
once struck Skaggs, and how Mullen
had asked to be transferred when the
gang started to wreak vengeance on
him for arresting young Donothan, and
ii was an unwritten law at the station
house that, short of a fragrant violation
of the ordinances. the gang should not
be interfered with. Cassidy, therefore,
turned his attention to the pushcarts,
and, with rare bad judgment, he pick
The terrified Italian could make no
cutlery as the hand of the law descend
ed upon his ragged coat. He could only
think dumbly of the little boy who that
night would vainly await for the home
coming of his father. He could only
think of the miserable. squalid room
where all day long "the little one''
tried so hard not to be lonesome Riley
Cassidy gave tim rough shake.
Come along" he said sternly, but just
then Skaggs' quick eye noted the move.
Hey. SKINNY" he called. and a mo-
ment later eleven small boys were ex-
citedly trying to cross the street
through Cassidy's portly person. No
football flying wedge over worked more
effectively, and a moment later CASH
dy had Skaggs hanging to his legs and
ten other small boys variously clinging
to his person. He clustered about ar
rest, but the gang knew very well that
they We're practically safe and Skaggs
grinned complacently at him. Say.
Cassidy he explained. "G'seppi is one
Of the gang. Savvy?" and thereafter
the police department through its ST.
bordinates officially recognized Gus
seppi-of the gang.