The Cairo bulletin., 1906-11-24

those times, and ! am told that he Is
there the rest of the nights, too. Mike
is caretaker of the mystic halls anc
portals of lodge No AZ. Ii is only
fair to say that his duties detain him
from opening his evenings siege unit
after 10 o'clock.
Sitting on the doorsteps of the
only girls house, the only girl and
would see Mike carefully close the
inner doors after turning down the
lights in the lodgerooms Then he
would come running across the street
and stand bowling. hat in hand at the
foot Of the steps next door.
Good evening, he would calculate
cheerfully His greeting would be re
turned by the not plump landlady
who then hastily vanished into her
house, and emerged soon. bearing q
large water pitcher This Mike seized
eagerly, ran back TO the IOdgerooms
and presently returned with it full OF
mineral water and cIinking ice from
the lodge tank This was the inyari-
able opening of the evenings siege
Then Mike would seat himself on one
of the steps of the house next door
as close to the landlady as decorum
would permit From that time on con
versation would flow in an uninter-
rGpted wonderful converse
ton of trips on the lake, happenings
at amusement parks, the days news,
the price of board and of rent Es-
pecially naive snatches compelled our
and the insistent burden Of
it was forever crashing into our lower.
toned talk
Sometimes Mike would lead the
to the corner drugstore
where we suspected that ice cream
sodas created rather than filled gaps
in the conversation. On one mem
orable occasion Mike had holiday
and took the landlady and the lald-
ady's niece, who was visiting her.
by steamer to Lincoln park, But these
were the only breaks in the regular
Weeks flew along As
often as sat on the only girls front
steps the tinkling water pitcher was
borne from across the street TO the
hOuse next door, and always when |
had said good night and turned my
ACE res0luteIy down the street there
sat Mike upon the steps next door.
There came an evening when a
sat upon the steps Of the
house next door He was big ami
His face was weather
worn and scanned, and his voice was
)rusque and incisive. In due time
Nike came running across the street
There was a faint Introduction by the
rot plump landady and Mike and the
stranger shook hands suspiCiously
Mike received the pitcher and. a
Usual, returned with it filled The
eyes followed him For
nee conversation did not flourish and
or once Mike did not outstay me.
when he was gone the brusquc, in
.isivc voice asked some questions
n tones which shattered the silence
nd oyerborc our halfhearted at
empts at dialogue There we're low
answers and then sobs /
by special privilege ! came again !
he next night The stranger again /
occupied the steps next door Tho !
andlady from time to time shot FIR
i've glances toward the door Of the 1
On time Mike appeared. /
losing the inner doors behind him.
looking across the street he must /
ave caught a warning signal. for he |
losed the outer doors also. locked /
hem. removed his hat in an incffect- Z
We bow and then sauntcrcd down The 1
treet
All WAS Silence. if not peace. next 4
Oor The stranger seemed 10 lack .
he powers OF entertainment OF the I
fitted Mike. ] suggested a stroll to- 4
-ard the park. and found. as { had .
oped. that the only girl had made in /
uiries to some purpose. Tho .
tranger. it appeared had wooed 4
nd won the not plump landlady when .
he was not a landlady and had gone .
est TO win his way There he sic
eeded. as he thought lie had re-
lrned to claim his reward and had
,und a lsndlady who appreciated
ferings OF ice water from across the
.reet
The end is not yet Tho stranger
tiil hangs around. trying 10 regain his /
aim Mike has returned 90 The field (.
nd brings his linking offerings as
nforc Our ssmnathics generally
% out to thc hero of romance who 1
1cs avav to fight obstacles and
rhicvcs success. Eut there b. some
ring very human about Mike Z dare I
~ he thinks it would Do convenient !
, board so near TO the scene 0f his
atchful care Still. the bringing !
ice water to the not plump landlady /
a delicate attention. and can't
elp sdmiring Mike. He is again I
aging later. much iater. than J dare
Chicago Daily News.