The Press., 1903-08-06
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I SPIDER M'GANN'S /.
REPUTATION
By RICHARD BARKER
SHELTON
Copy right, 1902, by T. G. Mcclure
Cop, right. 1902, by T. G. Mcclure

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Copy right, 1902 by T. G. Mcclure y
- s.s -. >s=sss.s >ssss ~ ~ ~ ~ 81!
The Rev. Charles Aloysius Hal
would scarcely have been taken for q
minister of the gospel as he sat in tht
corner of downtown hotel thai
morning, intent on the columns Of q
time table. There was no prince AL
bert" no high hat, no clerical collar, NJ
ugh buttoned vest. His clothes, OF not
the latest cut, yet carefully brushed
and pressed, would have stamped him
~ young business man, and after 9
B4ance at his face-a firm, clean shaver
face, with the brows at that moment
knit in a frown-one would have said
that business was not all the gentle
man in question could have wished 1t.
1t was favorite remark of the Rev
Mr.. Hall that If his daily life and
deeds gave no inkling to his profession
the symbols of the cloth never would
For the first time in the long fight tht
Rev. Charles Hall was discouraged
He realized that now indeed the church
at Cedarville, his church, was in thu
last ditch. The roof leaked and tha
cracked the plastering, the carpet wal
In tatters, the paint was losing faith II
tie clapboards and the spire was 81
badly out Of plumb that the towI
board had threatened to take 1t dowr
unless it was given prompt attention.
Some subscription papers, circulated
through the town, had netted returns
pitifully small. The envelope weekly
Offering system had been woefully in
adequate to cover the pastors salary
and the Ladies' Aid society, with
three suppers and fair, had raised
Just $69.37. He smiled grimly as he re
membered that last year his salary
had been 5000 short and this year bade
fair to be another hundred shorter.
There had remained yet one hope.
Cedarville was quite summer resort,
and during the hot months numerous
well to do men from the neighbOring
city stayed there with their families.
0OAhC Va LAACSC OLbChOCO GAC \AuA NAAs
AS last resort Rev. Mr.. Hall had come
to the city to make personal appeal to
these men. But Brother Jones and
Brother Hayes and Brother Benton
had other channels for their currency,
and when Hall, weary and heartsick,
sat down in the corridor Of the hotel.
he had raised but 500 In cash, with
pledges of perhaps $38 more.
He had opened his time table again
when some one touched his shoulder.
tOhs ! say. Spider" said voice i'm
Neprecation, 'fhis isn't just square,
you know. We've been hunting high
and low for you. Why didn't you send
us wordY'
Hall looked up. Two young fellows.
evidently college men, stood before
him.
"Were you addressing meT said
Hail. as ..... :
That's pretty good" said the other
young man. you're funny when you
have try at dignity, old boy"
There's no use mincing matters" !"
said No. 1. "1f you're going to back
down, we want the deposit back; that's
all"
"Gentlemen," said Hall curtly, I'm
give your seeming impertinence the
benefit of the doubt. There is evident
ly some mistake here"
'Oh, ring off; ring offw said the first
speaker wearily. you've led us enough
Of chase already"
"See here" said Hall, rising angrily;
1--WE no intention"-
"Have you the nerve to say you're
not Spider McGannY' said No. 2 while
he favored his companion with a pom
derous wink. -.......E.
"Most certainly I'm not" said Hall.
would you mind letting us see your
left forearm" said No. 1, with the air
Of man who has trumped the trick.
Certainly not" said Hall, with some
asperity, ''if it will be a means Of con-
vincing you" ..... ..#
He barred his left forearm, and the
two bent over it critically.
"By George! There aren't any tattoo
marks here" said the shorter of the
pair. ''We owe you every apology,
sir, for very stupid blunder. VIII
you join us?" He nodded toward q
pair of swinging doors from behind
which the clink of glasses was plainly
"No, thank you," said Hall shortly
and turned again to his time table.
Again he felt the touch on his shoul-
der.
1--WE don't mean to intrude," said q
respectful voice
Hall looked up and found the young
fellows again before him.
"Well?" he said. ..
"You see," began the taller chap,
we're in the deuce of a fix, and we
thought perhaps-bare chance, you
might care to help us out
and incidentally make a neat bit out
Of it. There's several hundred in 1t
for some one"
Hall thought of the church and his
work for the $38.
'I'm certainly open to suggestions"
he said, smiling grimly.
"Can you box?' said his interloc-
utor.
Halls face wore puzzled express
sion at the inquiry. "T have in years
past" he admitted.
"GoOdw said the other. eff we can
come to terms, you are the very man
we need just at present. This gen
tleman is Mr.. Burns. I am Robert
Dix.
"You see," Dix continued, ''at the
gym there is a trainer called Hefty
Burke. He's put out every man in col
lege who has had the courage to give
him go, by virtue Of which Mr..
Burke has begun to think himself the
whole thing, and it therefore becomes
Dur bounden duty to relieve this 80!
perfluous pomposity.
'This was our plan: Some years ago
there came to the gym little fellow
named Spider McGann. Spider was a
coming lightweight, which truth didn't
strike Hefty until Hefty struck the
floor. But the affair blew over, and
now he is growing again. So we hunt