Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-05-23
B F P P O
 By FRANK EE. SWEET
(oopyright, 1904, by Daily Story Pub. Col


 did so. Then he leaned forward, cutting down savagely with his whip. But his hissing tip only curled harmlessly through the air. as the driver knew it would. Beppo's mocl11ng, defiant eyes had been watching him, as they had been watching imminent collisions on all other sides, and when the tip circled to- ward him he lodged adroitly, just enough to let it hiss by. However, his backward, mocking glance and jeering call were accompanied by slight turn of his wrist which swerved the push cart far enough to allow the big wheels to pass.
 Beppo was we'll known on Elizabeth street, to the policemen and hackmen and street vendors, as well as to the dray and van drivers, and though they all scolded him and tried to chastise him for his impudence and recklessness, not one of them but had secret respect for his hardihood and sturdy independence.
 Now, at 15, he owned a push cart, while many of his older competitors only rented-and his push cart, in the morn ing was always we'll stocked with good fruit. And besides this, in one way and another, he had picked up a crude knowledge of reading and writing.
 But, save the toddlefs, he had no friends. He did not want any. And as for sympathy, looked or expressed, well, that was worse tban the most vicious en- mity, He would have none of it. The world'had cuffed and kicked him through his early years, and perhaps <he now meant to retaiiate. In spite of his IS years, he was no larger than properly developed boy of ten or 12
 So now, as he lodged and twisted and wormed his push cart through the te1e- scopiug traffic jeering and yelling de- fance at the drivers, and even perhaps showing open violence, there was no l friendly glance toward him save those of the two or three urchins who, even iN this confusion of wheels and horseGs feet, had found and were following him.
 Two policemen stood near. Che Gf them shook hss head
 "That boy ought to be run in, not only for his own sake, but for the streets, !" he said. "Hes S a menace to everybody, and 8 bad example in recklessness for the other boys. I don't see how he got
 
 ing his cart smashed and himself, too 2 His companion smiled You've only been on this beat a month, Delehey," he returned, land I've been here seven l years. That boy was here when carne, and he's been taking chances like thar all the time, and never smash yet i'm thinking it's not so reckless as 1t looks to uv
 l sfAll the same he's 8 tough case,' per- sisted the first speaker, land it would be a good thing for even street like this if | he was off,
 He's tough all right readily, ttand 1 a bad example in reckIessness to the oth- CT boys; but I've got a good deal of, re- spect for Beppo Things have gone l tough with him, ant that's had good l deal to do with making him what he is. And I've noticed that his recklessness is always in the way of trade. I've seen l him dodge and twist his cart through as bad a jam as the street ever had, just l to sell few oranges to an old customer | he saw on the other sidewalk. He'll do anything for trade, and in spite of be- ing so little.s Wouldn't wonder if he sold twice as much as any other push cart man on the straet."
 | There was a sound of alterca tion among the push cart men lower down the curb, and the policeman started in that l direction the last speaker dropping a 1 few cents upon Beppo's cart as he l passed and picking up banana. l The next day tbey were at almost the l same place, watching a thickening con- 1 fusion of vehicles Shat threatened jam. Beppo's cart was close by, alongside the curb, and he was carrying on a brisk l trade.
 l Suddenly he turned from prospective customer, glancing sharply out into the l street Then, with wild bound and scramble that carried him almost under pair of prancingAhorses, and across the | very tongue of a slow-moving carriage, he was in the midst of the turmoil of ve- hicles.
 Both policemen sprang forward, but | for moment could not see what he was after. Then truck passed, and they saw child, scarcely more than baby, standing motionless and bewildered. On all sides were interlocking vehicles, and horses legs were laundering upon him and horses eyes glaring at him. The child turned in one direction and another, then screamed and sank upon the ground, hiding it's face.
 Then another truck came in between, but not before they saw Beppo grasp the child from the very wheels of van and swing it up to the arms of the driver, and then, because his keen watchfulness was momentarily drawn from himself, he was forced back under the wheels from which he had saved the child.
 The policemen were in the street now, forcing horses back upon their launches, shouting to drivers, and enforcing com mands with their clubs. When they reached Beppo they thought he was dead. But after being carried to the sidewalk, while they were waiting for an ambu- lance he opened his eyes and struggled half to his feet.
 What you looking at me so for?' he demanded, roughly. "t'm all right. Get out the way and let me go to my