Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1902-11-20
Gusseppl And The "Gans'. :.



Gusseppi stood patiently In iron
OF the bright new cart. Before hin
the incoming crowd Of commuter.
surged from the outlet door OF th,
Union Station and some, attractee
by his display OF fruit. stopped 3.
purchase.
Gusseppi was glad. His first da,
was not one-third ended and al
ready he had taken in q profit suf
ficient 10 pay the rental of the car
and it's stock from the padrone, who
at night would count the fruit and
take back what was unsold, charg.
ing him only for that which actually
bad been consumed. AZ this rate
he could save enough soon TO pur.
chase a stand with a little hut where
in wet or cold weather he and the
little one could sit sheltered. That
was Gusseppi' + ambition. He had
not been long in the country and
higher than that his ambition did
no; sour.
After a while the business fell off.
The suburban trains were all i'm
and the morning expresses had .ome
and gone. For q time there was
rest for those about tho statio...
The newsboys who had been CRYING
the morning papers had transferred
their attention To games, with the
exception of Skaggs Murphy, who
had transferred his attention TO
Gusseppi.
Skaggs was the leader of the de-
pot gang; q brave adventurous
spirit, who did not hesitate TO head
his forces even when leading for
lorn hope. That was the secret Of
Scagg's leadership. He did not as
other leaders did. direct operations
from a safe distance.
Whether IL was q raid on a fruit
cart or the achievement of a victory
over some opposing gang. Scaggs
was ever at the front and the Hey!
SKINNY found him ready.
Just now Scaggs, like all good
generals, was going over the scene
of impending conflict in person.
Ever since he had taken his stand
on the depot steps that morning he
had noted the advent of the new
fruit peddler with the calm Joy Of
one who looks upon q victory as al
ready won. Now that he had the
leisure he was sizing up Gusseppi
and forming his plan of attack. He
decided that it would be easy TO run
along the street with some passing
car until opposite the stand. Then
with rush each would grab as
much fruit as possible.
Gusseppi in turn regarded the
other. Already he had been taught
to regard the boys as his natural enc
mics, but Scaggs in his meditation
looked so wistful that good hearted
Gusseppi decided that here was a
little fellow who surely was without
guile. The speculative look in
Scagg's blue eyes he mistook for
longing. He picked up q banana,
not from the pile Of blackened two
for-a-cent ones, but one costing a
whole penny.
Here" he said simply, proffer-
ing the fruit, q banan,."
Scaggs was fairly staggered.
What's the matter with it?" he
demanded suspiciously.
"Gooda & eat. TAXA" said Gus
seppi, and reassured, Scaggs ac-
cepted both the fruit and the kindly
smile that accompanied it.
Slowly and deliberately he con-
sumed the banana. 1t was good;
not speck married the whiteness
OF the pulp; to him this was a new
thing. Most Of the Italians OF his
acquaintance had stones slowed in
the wagon box that they might
make some feeble retaliation and
more than once had he felt heavy
stick across the shoulders. Here
was one who actually smiled as he
passed over the fruit. Clearly this
was a matter of which the gang
should be informed. He raised his
voice.
Hey Skinny" he shouted, and
from all over the station his faithful
followers hocked.
There were ten of them when they
lined up before theirchief-tensh sharp
faced. eager-eyed youngsters who
made their living, such as il was, in
and around the station. Only ten.
but no gang three times their num-
ber dared make open warfare against
them The station gang was a pow
er.
Pushing and iostling, they crowd
ed about the stand, amazed TO see
their leader in pleasant converse
tion with their enemy. This must
be new style of raid, they decided,
and all uvora roadv foF 4ha mad dauh