The Washington times., 1905-10-22

nave DcSu CAdptC4 -CA SoOA>S
not very different from this
Especially for the vagrant feet OF
youth are the roads of Manhattan
beset with pitfall and with GIN"
But the Civic guardians Of the young
have made themselves acquainted
with the snares of the wicked, and
most Of the dangerous paths are pa
trolied by their agents. who seek
to turn straying ones away from the
peril that menaces them And this
will tell you how they guided my
Elsie safely through all peril to the
goal that she was seeking.
Elsie's father had been cutter for
Fox &. Otter, cloaks and furs, on low
er Broadway. He was an old man
with a slow and limping gait. SO
.pothunter OF newly licensed chauf-
feuf ran him down one day when
livelier game was scarce. They took
the old man home, where he lay on
his bed for a year and then died,
leaving $3.50 in cash and a letter
from Mr.. Otter Offering to do any
thing he could to help his faithful
old employe. The old cutter regard
ed this letter as a valuable legacy
to his daughter, and he put 1t into
her hands with pride as the shears
of the dread cleaner and repairer
shipped of his thread of life.
That was the landlords cue; and
forth he came and did his part in
the great eviction scene There was
no snowstorm ready for Elsie to
steal out into, drawing her little red
wooden shawl about her shoulders,
|, but she went out, regardless of the
unities. And as for the red shawl
back to Blaney with it. Elsie's fall
tan coat was cheap, but it had the
style and fit of the best at Fox &
Otter's. And her lucky stars had
given her good looks, and eyes as
blue and innocent as the new shade
of note paper, and she had 81 left
of the $3.50 And the letter from
Mr.. Otter. Keep vour eye on the let
ter from Mr. Otter That is the
clue. | desire that everything be
made plain as we go. Detective
stories are so plentiful now that
they do not sell.
And SO we find Elsie, thus equip
ped, starting out in the world to
seek her fortune. One trouble about
the letter from Mr.. Otter was that
1t did not bear the new address of
the firm, which had moved about
month before. But Elsie thought
she could find it. She had heard
that policemen, when politely ad-
dressed, or thumbscrewed by an in
vestigation committee, will give up
information and addresses. So she
boarded a downtown car at 177th
street and rode south to Forty-sec-
ond, which she thought must surely
be the end of the island There
she stood against the wall undecided,
for the citys roar and dash was new
to her. Up where she had lived was
rural New York, so far ont that the
milkmen awaken you in the morn
ing by the squeaking OF pumps in
stead OF the rattling of cans.
A kind-faced, sunburned young
man in t-brinlmed hat went past
Elsie into the Grand Central depot.
That was Hank Ross, of the Sum
flower ranch, in Idaho, on his way
home from a visit TO the East.
Hanks heart was heavy, for the
Sunfiower ranch was a lonesome
place, lacking the presence of a wo-
man. He hoped to find one during
his visit who would congenially
share his prosperity and home, but
the girls of Gotham had not pleased
his fancy. But, as he passed in, he
noted, with jumping of his pulses,
the sweet, ingenious face of Elsie
: and her pose of doubt and loneliness.
With true and honest Western i'm
pulse he said to himself that here
was his mate. He could love her,
he knew; and he would surround
Aci Will 0o AnuSh SoHhiOiI ~-Au
cherish her so carefully that she
would be happy, and make two sun
flowers grow on the ranch where
there grew but one before.
Hank turned and went back tC
her. Backed by his never before
questioned honesty of purpose. he
approached the girl and removed
B his soft-brimmed hat. Elsie had but
time to sum up his handsome frank
face with one shy look OF modest ad-
! miration, when burly cop hurried
i himself upon the ranchman, seized
him by the collar and backed him
I against the wall. Two blocks away