Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-08-26


tressed now and almost fearful
Through the crowd of frightened serv-
ants, augmented by few daring pedes-
trlans, burly policeman, gigantic in
waterproof overalls, was advancing with
official blustre.
What has happened?' he demanded,
is anybody hurt?''
The man answered.:
My horses were startled by the storm.
| jumped out and was endavoring to
extricate my niece when this wretched
boy got in the way"
Uncle protested the girl you closed
the door on me. and the boy"
Shut dp!" he growled, ertly. 60
inside the house!"
But his niece SHARED with him at least
one Characteristic. She possessed the
family temper.
II will not 20 away and let you say
things which are untrue. Listen to me,
Mr.. Policeman. Lord Vanstone did close
the door because he thought the carriage
would turn over on top of him. For
some reason the accident did not happen
Immediately, ana the boy ran round TO
the other side and helped me out just in
time"
"Confoura the brat. ! think he was
the real cause Of the whole affair. Why
was he hiding in my doorway"
Lord NanctCne was more enraged than
ever by the girls obstinate defense of her
rescuer and her insistence ON his own
seeming cowardic.
Il was not hiding | only took shelter
from the storm. I tried to help you be-
cause the footman was struggling with
the horses. 1 do not claim any credit for
simply opening door and helping the
young lady 10 alight, but lost both my
dinner and my papers IN doing so.
Everyone experienced a shock of sur
prise at hearing the boys elegant diction.
The policeman was puzzled. He Instant
ly understood the facts, but dared not
browbeat an earl.
'You do not bring any charge against
him, my lord?" he said.
But his lordship deigned no reply. He
told the eoachmau to arrange for the re-
movai of the carriage, grasped his niece
by the arm and led her, still protesting,
into the house.
The policeman saw the bundle of pa
pars scattered over the roadway, and,
near them, the partly eaten bun. After
a wrench at his garments he produced a
penny.
Here" he said to the boy BUY an
other bun and be off. It's a good Job for
you the young 10y spoke up the way she
did"
"Sbe merely told the truth. That man
was 4 liar"
Refusing the proffered penny, the boy
turned on his heel The policeman looked
after him.
That's a queer kid he thought
"Talked like a regular young gent. /
wonder why he is selling papers. Poor
lad! He lost a bob's worth at least, and
small thanks he got for it,
Passing out of the square by the first
eastward street Philip Arson, with his
head erect and hands clinched in his
pockets, strobe onward at Il rapid pace.
The lightning was less frequent now, and
the thunder was dying away in sullen
rumblings He was wet and hungry.
Yet, although he had three halfpence, the
remaining balance of the only sales eff
fected that evening, he passed many
shops where he could have bought food.
In Piccadilly, where the cessation Of
the storm created a rush of traffic, he
was nearly run over, by reason of his
own carelcssness. and received a slash
from a whip, accompanied by loud
oath from an angry cabman. He shiy
cred, but never even looked around.
Crossing Trafalgar Square, he plunged
through the vortex of vehicles without
troubling to avoid them in the slightest
degree. Once the hot breath of a pair
of van horses touched his cheek while a
speeches. driver pulled them back onto
their launches. Again, the off-wheel of
an omnibus actually grazed his heel as he
sped behind the statue of Charles the
First.
At last he reached the comparative
seclusion of the Embankment, and stood
for moment to gaze tiXedly at the
swirling, glinting river
Not here" he muttered, aloud. 81
must be nearer to mother-dear old
mother! She is there, waiting for me-"
He trudged steadily away, through
Queen Victoria street, Cornhill, Leaden-
hall street. and so on to Johnson's News,
in the Mile End road. Pausing at ma
rine store dealers shop, kept by an army
pensioner, an Irishman, with whom he
had a slight acquaintance, he entered.
An elderly man was laboriously reading
a paper of the preceding days date.
'Good-evening, Mr.. O'Brien," he said.
Can you oblige me with piece of rope?
l want a strong piece, about three or
four yards i'll length. l can only spare
three halfpence
"Faix, / dunno. They use nails on the
crates mostly nowadays. If have bit
it's at yer sarvice l wouldn't be afther
chargin' the likes o you"
Philips story was known in that hum
Die locality, and the old soldier sympa-
thized with the boy. "He has rale spunk
an no mistake" was his verdict when
others said Philip was proud and over
bearing. O'Brien moved automatically
about the squalid shop. At last he found
some portion of clothesline.
"Will that or he inquired.
Philip tested it with vigorous pulling
against his knee.
"Excellcnt1y" he said. let me pay
YOU for it..
Arrab On a yvav yyid yo And ha +ha