The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-12-16
water though. | might smash myself

tall man. ''But it ain t IN human nature
to walk off the steps. Something inside
of you keeps saying, Look out, old man,
or you'll fall in and be drownded. Any
way, a man ain t himself when his stom-
achs gnawing at him. Say" he went
on, ''it does me good to find another feller
in the same fix. Gee, SO it was only poor
ole Joe Keyser-that's me, mister-that
was keeping you out Of the bay. And all
the blame while you was a-keepipg me
out
II didn't know there was anybody in
San Francisco as miserable or dead beat as
l." said the man in spectacles. ''But the
bay is big enough for two, friend joe
Many the honest heart and kind that S
gone the road we're to follow, and none
ever complained that | heard of. Be a
man, Joe Grip hands and let us drop
together. y
Joe shrank from the edge little quick
ly for man on the point of suicide. "See
here" he said. ''T dom know that |
feel so keen about it as | did just now.
The bays always here, 1 guess
II suppose you're like me- said the
man in spectaces. "Not a red cent in the
world" :"
"Three days ago I blew in my last nick
ell said Joe; the very last nickel I'm
ever likely to touch. You see, l never
had no chances when was kid. 1 was
raised in the silly, old fashioned way
taught to be honest and tell the truth and
not to cinch the widow and orphan. Say,
old feller, for men in our fix it's the bay
OR San Quentin, and guess we've made
the right choice. -
''And L. said his companion-'I
could kill man for loaf of bread. |
could fight dog for the dirty crust of one.
I thought tonight of taking paving stone
and holding up the beanery over there.
Yet L m so weak and trembling that girl
could knock me over. Goodbye, Joe, y
he added swiftly. "You re a fool to stay.
I'm off. -
Joe seized the slight figure in his pow
erful grasp. "No, nor he cried. "When
we 90 we shall 60 together
The man struggled for moment and
then fell to crying on Joe's shoulder like a
child
s'Brace up, ole man" said Joe, chatting
the icy hands. "We will come out all
right. It's Christmas night, and some
where or other I'll bet there's a spread
even for the likes of us.
His companion slowly began to come
round. He shook himself free from Joe
and stood up.
"Have you any bounce left in your
asked Joe. "Would you go to turkey
dinner if I got you an invite?''
"What do you mean?''
II will tale unfold,' said Joe. II
was walking down Market behind some
folks, and somehow, l hardly know how,
l got listening to what they were talking
of. Says one Sad about Mrs. Gleeson
amt it? Never heard from her son Irv-
ing in Alaskan not for two years Its
her only son, says the other. Harry
got killed in New Mexico Where's the
old lady living now?' says one. ooh,
she's at 2719 Banning says the other.
No. 2719 was the number of my girl S
home east, and it stuck to me. Now, see
here, partner, have you the gall to come
with me and fetch the ole woman some
news from Alaskan? l saw on the bulle-
tin that the Portland was expected every
minute from St. Michael's. What say"
ssLeave me alone" said the other
Cant you see I'm done and only want
to die"
"Never say dier' cried Joe. "Brace
up. ole man, for we re going to tramp from
Klondike to 2719 Banning street, and as
for this pocketful of rocks, which guessed
would help me drown, [ just leave EN- as
PLEASANT surprise for the harbor commits
sioners." And with that Joe unloaded
his pockets of road metal and passed his
arm through that of his unresisting COM
panion.
"What' your name, partner? asked Joe.
The other hesitated. "There 5 no rea-
son why should be ashamed to tell you,
he said at last ''It's Sampson Lyle. "
"All right Sampson, said Joe. "Just
keep your mind on that dinner, for, by
gum, we're going to have it,
Weak and famished as they were, 1t
was slow work to struggle all the way to
Banning street, and Sampson Lyle gave
out repeatedly. Again and again he rested
on some dark doorstep, while Joe stood over
him and heartened him to fresh exertions.
At last they began to draw near the block
for which they were searching, long row
of cheap one story frame houses facing a
stone yard full of unlettered tombstones.
Joe stepped up to 2719 and knocked loud
ly at the door.
1t was opened by an old woman with
lamp in her hand who barred the door
asgressively with her bent and slender fig
ure She studied the pair with prim dis
favor. "What do you want? she asked
sharply.
For one instant Joe was taken aback.
He said not word. The woman lowered
the lamp and made motion as though tc
slam the door in their faces.
"Hold onr' cried Joe CANT you
Mrs. Gleeson? Ain you Irving NAV?
The old woman turned white as sheet,
and the lamp began to shake in her with
cred hands
1.-The Portland's just in went OF
Joe. ''Irving said we were to scoot fol
you first thing"
The old woman seized Joe by the arm
"Take the lamp; take it before it drops
Oh, my boy, my boy?'' she gasped, star
ing into the darkness.
''That's Sampson Lyle said Joe.
ooh, come in, come in, both of you!
cried the old woman, recovering hersel
a little, her sallow face flushing and paling
"Oh, what Christmas night for me, my
poor, wet boys?''
Still holding Joes arm as though sh'
could not bear to let him go, Mrs. Glee
son led him and poor, shabby Sampson
into the warm, well lit parlor. 1t was
bare little room, sparsely furnished ant
betraying in half hundred ways the pincl
of decent poverty. But to our brace o
heroes it was palace indeed, new come
as they were from the wintery street ant
fog no icier than their own frozen hearts