Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-19

the bundle to the floor. 1t was the circum-
stance that the messengers hat lightly and
jauntily reposed so far back on his head
that none but the angels could see its Sill
yer numbering which accounted for the ear
ly entry in the note book referring to him
as has been indicated-"A. D. 7. Messenger,
Number Blank"
At a cross street in the Forties a man
boarded the car carrying basket neatly
covered with a clean towel, and when ne
had returned friendly wink from the A. u.
r. blank he removed corner of the towel
disclosed stock of broiled crabs, and asked
the few passengers, pleasantly and lmper-
sonally, Sea food? Grabs? Sea food?
At that moment the professors bundle
again obeyed the law of gravity and in It's
solid bump on the floor the much tried
wrapping gave way enough to disclose that
among other things the bundle contained
two broiled Holsters. This disclosure caused
a general smile, to which the professor re-
sponded with beaming glances not know
ing, however, the precise cause of the pc
culiar interest taken IN the bundle until the
peddler, fixing a personal glance on the pro-
feSSor, repeated his offer of sea food. Ihere-
upon the professor laughed with such hon
est cheeriness that most of the smiles also
became laughs. Then he rearranSed his
bundle and replied, mo, 1 thank you. You
see that am supplied.
A young man who seemed to have been
busying himself during the hour or so since
the thea tiers closed in a fashion which
should have added to instead of taken from
his gayety now entered the car, and was
about to seat himself deliberately when
lurch sent him to the floor, where he was
quite content to remain, but was helped to
his seat by the peddler, who then addressed
him: Sea food? Grabs? Sea food?'
How much?' the young man asked after
a solemn pause.
twenty-five cents each" responded the
peddler taking one of the crabs from the
basket and deity wrapping 1t in a piece
of paper. The young man gave the peddler
a dollar bill, took his purchase, which he
deposited in his silk hat, and then for the
first time smiled. The snugness Of the
package of sea food in the hat seemed to
impress him pleasantly. BY this time Prof.
Pearley had stopped writing notes and was
storing up more for he watched the sea
food man closely. The peddler kissed the
dollar BILL and again winked at the mes
senger as he slipped the bill into the neck
of his open and colarless shirt. Then he
produced three twenty-five cent pieces,
showed them to the young man and seemed
to slip them into his outstretched palm.
To the establishment and indignation OF
the professor, only one of the pieces or
silver actually passed from hand to hand.
the pedder retaining two OF them, which
presently he restored to his pocket. The
young man fell asleep after graVeiy re-
questing the conductor to call him in time
for the races, for he expected to be queen
of the May. Prof. Pearley's face GRIM
soned with many emotions. He had seen
robbery committed by man who mo-
ment before had excited his pity; he saw
that more than one Olner passenger Hdu
seen the robbery, but. to his amaZement,
looked upon 1t as an amusing trick. The
robber himself now brought his eyes to
bear upon the professor for the second
time and dared to wink as he asked, Sea
food, bosS?"
Horror, amazement, rage, these were the
emotions which kept the good man silent,
although he struggled to speak. The ped
dler saw and understood, for with look
of bewilderment that any one should dis
approve of his cleverness he quickly slipped
from the car without waiting for 1t to stop.
This action brought the professor to his
feet and with shout of stop thief! he,
too jumped to the pavement He was less
skilled in sudden exits than was the peddler
and fell his unattached belongings
scattered, and his pain turned to
wrath as some passengers on the
rear platform shouted back irrelevant
pleasantries at him. Close following the
professor came the messenger. light and
sure of foot, and he helped the professor
to his feet, gathered his belongings and
kept UP such chatter that II was a min
ute or more before the professor could ex-
claim where is the thief? We must in
form the police"'
Whats doing. bo?' inquired the mes
senger as one who would calm an agitated
mind. Would you have de sea food man
pinched?"
"Pinched?''
COPIED"
"Copped?"
"Oh, chez. what's de woid?' exclaimed
the messenger In nervous search for such