The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-12

His looks betrayed envy and mall
! ice, and it was easy to make out that
| he was dead broke and down on ev-
erybody else who had a nickel.
thought from the bulge under his coat
that he was carrying a pop. and as
ne was giving the house of an iron
prince a great deal of notice I made
up my mind to keep an eye on him
for few minutes.
Ten minutes later a carriage drove
up to the gate and a jfmdandy of a
girl came out to go for a ride. She
was truly SWagger and, overcome by
my admiration for the picture pre-
scented as she came tripping down
to the walk, I took off my hat and
bumped up my back, and gave her
such a bow that a princess might have
been honored by it. She gave start
ana smile and was opening her
purse to me when L bowed and said:
An admirer of youth, grace and
beauty, not mendicant. Princess
the carriage awaits
L was putting on the lofty Won sac
had my old clothes on, and / hadn't
encountered any washing in two or
three days. but a girl of twenty and an
helress TO three millions can. tell a di-
lapidated gentleman from vagabond-
dilapidated, dead broke and hungry. but
the old instincts of champagne and
broadcloth still strong, you know.
Then as a loan she aIn,ost an
treated.
Il shook my head.
But surely you might accent this
coin as souvenir
1 need no coin to remember the
1alr looks, says l, with another hump
OF my back and a scrape of my foot;
and / was going to get off some more
or the same sort when the socialist
came showing up with a pistol in his
hand and took fair aim at her and pull
ed the trigger. He was down on her
dad Tor having wealth, you know, and
as the dad wasn't handy he planned to
q r1N
The hammer came down with a
click, but the cartridge didn't explode,
and before the fellow could wink twice
he was down on his back in the street
and had his gun. Just landed my left
on his chin, and he went down like a
chimney in gale.
''Of course, the girl tainted and kerr
Topped. That was the proper thing to
do under the circumstances, and she
didn't miss her cue. The footman came
running, and 1 picked the unconscious
form up in my strong arms and carried
her into the mansion.
Here, tramp, but what the devil
does this mean?' SHOUTS the butler as he
opens the door.
'Catiff, away with thee and sum-
mon the mother says I, as turns in
to the library and drops the girl on
lounge.
The mother arrived. the daughter
came out of her faint, and things were
lively for the next quarter of an hour.
-
she realized it and was grateful. The
mother was more conservative, but will
ing to admit that hadn't done bad for
a novice. The pair looked at me and
sized me up for what 1 ana dilapi-
dated gentleman of extensive pere,srin-
atoms and more or less leisure. Trey
didn't want to offer me a cold bite, a
dollar in cash or the Less old clo'aes
and 1 saw trouble in their faces. Then
drew myself up and said:
"'I shall be satisfied with your ap-
probation alone. 1t is not positively
necessary that matrimony follow
"'You will waive your claim to my
daughters hand?' asked the mother,
with a good deal of anxiety in her
tones.
:. II have done SO. madam nna go
marry her affianced in Boston?'
"'She can. While might have in
sisted on my rights far be il from the
wish of the Chevalier Caskara to break
the bond connecting two loving
hearts
"'What a nice. nice mani murmurs
the mother. as tears came to her eyes.
And knew he was chevalier or
something of the kind all the time,
adds the daughter. Sir. the occasion
deserves-de
"a memento, dear princess, and 1
have it in your glove. Think of it al
ways as resting next my heart. And
now, fare thee well. and may peace
and happiness and love be truly thine
through all the years of thy life
with that 1 bowed myself out
smile fitted over his face, "and my ro-
nance had begun and ended in an
hour. 1 might have made a couple of
bones or an old suit of clothes out of
it If I had hung on, or papa might
have been moved to offer me position