Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1906-05-31

cry. Say!" she exclaimed, u glance VI
enlightenment fitting over her face.
"aint you the Teller they call
Muggsy?"
yep. Why"
because II you are. you hadn't
ought to be hungry. | see you give
i've dollars oncet to Sally Clark,
what's my friend an belongs to the
union. when she'd been out OF Job
an her mother was sick. an she need
ed some money awful bad. An she
says she's goin' to pay It back when
she gifts petter Job; an think
you're gentleman. even II you amt
got good clothes nor no money. an ]
won't let you 30 hungry. 30 won't"
She turned to the kitchen door and
called out.
'Ham-'n-eggs-over- German mlnce-
an -one-on-t he-coffee!"
Her customer turned In alarm.
Say" he whispered, wat yer
givin' US? Dey'll t'row me out"
She smiled sweet smile. and an
swered with assurance.
mo, they won't. It's on the house.
I'll fix Il In Che check. See?" And he
saw.
what do they. call you Muggsy
for?" she asked, when she brought In
the order.
"Cause it's me Christian name, ]
s'pose."
MY names Mary Ann" she said,
MARY Ann Evans"
And that Is how the bread cast upon
the waters came back to Muggsy after
many days. II was stolen bread; and
so, perhaps, was the return. And that
il also how he came to gain the friend
ship Of Mary Ann. Muggsy came often
to the dingy little restaurant after this
and usually paid for his meals-when
his business was good. And every
time he saw new beauty In the kind
hearted little waitress. He even grew
confidential.
What do you do fer Twin, Mugg-
sy?" she asked him one day.
"Oh, diff'rent things. You see.
don't work steady. but does the best
| can. an sometimes | even does u
days work fer wages. like a Urinary
workin' man."
why don't you git a steady job?"
she asked.
He looked perplexed. IVY, little
girl, wat would I do with a steady
job. anyhow? l amt built that way.
An I makes Twin without a job"
Mary Ann was puzzled. Muggsy was
an enigma to her, but she knew he
had a generous disposition.
do you drink-much?"
mo. not much. amt often got
the price. an my credits played out
In such wise they were wont to hold
sweet discourse; though Muggsy was
secretly ashamed Of 1t, and would not
speak to Mary Ann II any Of his male
acquaintances were visible. The lit
tie red-haired beauty was very COM
municative, and Muggsy soon knew
that she was the only daughter of a
"wash-lady" who lived In a room on
the third floor Of tenement three
blocks south, and that she had one
little brother, Jimmy, who sold pa
pers.
Suddenly there was lull in the
progressive friendship. Muggsy was
absent for a month. and Mary AIMS
greenish-yellow eyes peered in vain
through the swinging screen doors and
down the dirty street for his familiar
shuttle and good-natured grin. She did
not know that he had gone to the
workhouse because an officer with q
grudge against him had found him re-
moving brass journals from box-car
one night. When he got out, change
had come over him. Never before had
he thought Of concealing his misfor-
tunes from his friends. any more than
he had thought Of telling the truth to
the police. But now he was really
ashamed to let Mary Ann know where
he had been. and he did not exactly
want to lie to her.
Finally he went shamefacedly to the
restaurant. 1t was full OF strange
faces. He hadn't the heart to ask
questions. A day or two later he
hunted up the place where she had
told him she lived. He found Mary
Ann, after climbing through stair
way full Of children. She was sitting
alone In the room that served her for
a home. and her eyes were red. The
place was almost bare of furniture and
In disorder. Muggsy therefore felt at
home, though Mary AIMS tears en-
barrassed him. But her little eyes
frightened, and she grasped his big,
coarse hand and told him how lawful
glad" she was to see him, and how
lonesome she had been since he hadn't
come to the restaurant any more, and
then she broke down and cried.
"Don't-now, don't do that way, lit
tie GIRL" stammered Muggsy. whats
gone wrong. Mary Ann?"
Then she told him OF her mother
"havin' died of heart failure or sum-
pin like that" only two weeks before.
and Of the union having struck for
shorter hours at the same time. and
Of her being out Of work with no pros
nacf NJ n aatflement of the strike and