Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09
CITY DISCOVERER
MAKES A FIND

good weather prophet. lie knows the feel
of the wind and the signs of the skies. and.
in addition. he has a rheumatic elbow. that
on the average is about five and half
degrees more accurate than the ordinary
barometer in foretelling atmospheric dis
turbances. But one afternoon last week
his wisdom was of no avail The heavens
were blue and cloudless. the wind was dry
| and from the west. and when the City Dis
coverer started out for one OF his long
and favorite rambes the weather makers
Indicator seemed TO point to set fair" Yet
just as the City Discoverer began To think
nara OF nome and dinner and had turned
MS face cityward. IL began TO sprinkle. and
| soon settled into steady spring rain
But the City Discoverer was optimistic
He had brought his cane instead of an
| umbrella. his clothing was far from water
proof, and his short fat legs didn't carry
him over the ground any too fast Conse-
quently, when he saw round opening
ahead of him that looked as il IL might
afford shelter. he decided to step inside and
wait for j let-up in the downpour
This must he the outlet of "A sewer" said
the City Discoverer aloud. but il certainly
can't be in operation. The walls and the
roof and even the cement floor are dry and
II ISM at all unpleasant in here" And just
then the City Discoverer stopped and snin-
ed. My hunger must be affecting my
senses he remarked to himself In jocuar
4 L
whit of something that smeled like ham
and eggs. But there isn't house within a
mile, and whoever heard of ham and eggs
In sewer?' Then the City Dscoverer
spent some time in alternately shifting and
doubling and doubling and shifting and had
just about decided that his nose had played
him false when he heard a step behind him
and a good-natured voice inquired: Amy
| thing kin do TO you, boss?"
The City Discoverer turned around and
saw coiored man with an expansive smile,
and basket on his arm. Thank you,
no, he replied pleasantly. Il just stepped
| in to get out of the rain
You amt a cop. is your inquired the
colored man, with sudden vanishing of his
expansive grin. cause If you is. you kin
| move right along. l don't want any cops
| Fostering round
IF you mean to inquire whether / am
policeman or not" responded the City Dis
coverer, with dignity, Il beg to state that
l am not. l was taking walk when it be-
gan to rain, and l stopped here to keep
| dry
That's all right, boss; that's all right"
replied the colored citizen, showing his teeth
| again, and you kin 'scuse me for askin'.
| But you amt imaginin how them cops
poster round and bother. OF course, | amt
| mindn', but my friend what lives here is
real particular, and them blue clothes flus-
tiers him up SO he can't sleep good"
| Did l understand you to say that your
| friend lives in here?" inquired the City Dis
coverer, in blank astonishment, pointing
| behind him into the darkness of the sewer
| Yes, boss replied the genial culored
| citizen, 'he sure do. His nerves is that set
| on edge that he amt peaceful and
tented nowhere else" The colored person
| shook his head doefully, CHANGING out of
| the corner of his eye meanwhile a the City
| DISCOVERIES open mouth and the astonsh-
| ment in the mild blue eyes behind the gold
trimmed spectacles.
"YaSsir," the coiored citizen continued.
| wagging his head slowly. And IT Amt
| bad a place This here sewer amt
fn1
| except once in a time Anyhow, my friend
| he likes it, and he amt been on top of the
ground for seven years.
For seven years?' echoed the City Dis
| coverer
'Yas, boss" answered the coored man
| sadly, its going on eight years now that
| he amt set his foot on the top OF tho
ground. He come in here one day when
| there was some people a-lookin' for him and
| he amt never gone out"
"Then | was right in believing" asked
| the City DIscoverer. that l caught the
aroma of frying ham?"
well, boss, | don't know as you'd call IL
ham," replied the colored citizen It's
| just scraps L manages to collect for my
friend. It's scan'lous how little that man
do get to eat. He amt worked none for
seven years, and it don't seem as if he's
a-goin' to ever labor no more. An he's got
a wife and six children and times is hard"
DO they live here with him. asked the
City Discoverer
.'Yas. boss" replied the colored narrator.
they sure do. Course l amt complainin'
none, but when man with family of his
own has got to support another man and
another mans wife and another mans
children II sure do come hard. But he was
a good friend to me, and l m a@uoin' the
best l kin. This here basket has got some
scraps in it that I'm takin' to him. / amt
had anythn' to eat myself for as much as
two days but amt kickin'. | kin set my
foot on the ground where the sun Shines
and | don't feel so bad. There a gen.
4 cte N week a L
was bringin my friend some grub, and he
give me ten dollars for to feed my friend.
| He was sure enough CHRISTIAN, ana
| amt done forgot him.
DO YOU mean to say" asked the City
| Discoverer, as he drew out his fat, worn
| wallet, that you have been supporting this
| friend of yours and his large FAMILY Tor
| seven years while they have lived in tbs
| sewer?'
| ..Yas, boss" answered the colored citizen
| humby but l amt mindin except when
| them cops come around and my friend
| moves Last time one of EN- come around
| he moved and he was Twin under George
town for much as month. And that's
:. long way for me to take grub to him.
But | amt desertin him if l has to work
my fingers down to de bone. No, Stree
Il have seldom" remarked the City Dis
coverer in a voice that shook tri1ie. mt
with such example of unselhsh devotion
Take this and spend it for yourself and your
friend"
..Tbank you, boss, thank you,'' said the
genial colored citizen, SHoNliS a ooubie - v
of teeth You sure is good to me, and l
amt one to forget, and my poor friend amt
one, nuther."
and" continued the City Discoverer,
earnestly .'if | can help your friend Ia
like to do So | can't understand why ne
has lived in a sewer for seven years. feH
me his name and I'll see what | can do.
The colored citizen showed the money
deep in his pocket and stepped close to
CITY Discoverer IN tell you. boss, Ca
Know Won wont give it away. Ny frien J
name is Dorsey Foultz." And the gen l
citizen picked up his basket and fed +" {
into the rain, apparently overcome by IL
force of his emotions.
II suDpose | ought to tell the police, 70
marked the City Discoverer as he wall !
boneward but | gave my word. 1t is -
markabe what strange things one Ie2..' -
when rambling alone out of the bea.eJ