The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-03-13
How PietrO
Paid His Debt.
BY SABA b. CUSHMAN.
Copyright. 1907. by Mary McKeon.


ments. business was slack and Pie
tres heart sank as low rs the hoard of
silver in his tattered purse. If IL would
only rain. then the gentlemen hurrying
by might need his services, but the
blinking stars half hidden by the
smoke of the great city, found not a
cloud behind which 10 retire, and Pie
tro concluded that he might as well
close up for the night. The process of
closing up consisted of packing his
brushes, backing and various nipple
ments into a small box and singing
the same by a strap from his shoulder.
one watching Pictro's closing up
could determine the proceeds of the
days business. If he moved with alac
rity HE juggling silver in his purse
promised we'll for the necessities of
life; il he moved reluctantly, pausing
now ana then 10 see if perehauce there
might yet he Il patron for him, the
purse was lamentably light and Pie
tro's supper must be likewise Tonight
he knew that the persistent craving In
his stomach must 60 entirely unappcas.
ed, for there was no more than enough
silver to satisfy the voraciousness of
IScnberg, the money shark, of Water
street. int whose clutches the lad had
fallen and who found means of exact
Ing his dues even though there was
no money left for food.
'Aw. no use Kicking" remarked Pie
tro phiIosophieally as he slowed away
his last brush: I've seed worser luck
dan dis here, Anyhow mother amt
cold nor hungry"
His philosophy deserted him as the
poignant memory Of the great soft eyes
Of his mother, wistful with longing for
the sunshine of her own land, returned
TO him His own eyes filed with M
wontrl tears. shutting out fer Il mo-
ment The sight of the stream of gay
humanity that thronged past on Its
way 10 tile opera He did not see the
tall young fellow with the debonair
air and shabby coat who paused for an
instant beside him nor did he notice
the evident struggle that went on in
the Young mans mind as, with
glance ut the dirty face of the urchin
and another 1T the brilliantly lighted
entrance Of the opera house, he hur-
ried on. He must he quick or there
would he left not even standing room,
which was ali that he could afford to
pay for At the ticket window fat
old gentleman was wrangling over his
tickets
The enforced delay gave the young
man time to think. and the face of the
street child. pathetic through all its
dirt, would not he banished When the
old gentleman had relieved his mind
and turned away, the ticket seller
looked at Grayson cXpectantly; but,
with Il muttered malediction ut his
chicken heart. rs he chose to term it.
Grayson turned away, Pietro was
trudging YEARLY down the street to-
ward that part of the city from which
the rich flee and where the poor and
the wicked find refuge Revolving iu
his mind the weary question Of
finances, he did not heed the approach
Ing footsteps until a hand grasped him
unceremoniouslv aud n voice asked
grufiy
What were you crying for, kidf'
Jaw. what yer giyin' us, dude? |
warn't cryn'."
"All right, but what's wrong? Bank
rupt?s with n quizzical glance at the
others stock in trade
"Nopc," replied Pietro. Got my out
fit left. That's about all, though, Bust
ness Is pretty dead now. Re better aft
or election.
Grayson laughed.
That's right | find it SO myself.
What do yoa say 10 a good hot steak
in here"
They were passing a little restau-
rant, and the aroma Of hot coffee and
frying meat iloated out to them, re-
minding GIayson that his evening
meal had been dispensed with TO make
up the amount necessary for his admit
lance TO the land of hearts desire and
causing the nostrils Of his companion
10 twiteh like Il rabbits.
"Surc, but dis is Il bum joint Come
TO Maginty's. It's swell there
They went to Maginty's, and over Il
cup of strong coffee and their steak
and potatoes Pietro became conflden-
tial and told Grayson the story Of his
struggles, first to provide necessities
for his dying mother and then to es-
cape the clutches Of the money lender,
from whom he had borrowed money
that his mother might have n burial fit
for human being
When Grayson, familiar with the
ways of the willy money lenders, dis
covered that the amount had been re-
turned with triple interest, he took the
matter into his own hands, and the
money lender, looking mt those same
strong clinched hands, admitted that
he had asked Pietro TO call again only
that he might give him receipt for
the full amount of his debt.
Loath to part with his amusing com
panion, Grayson invited him to share
his dingy lodgings for the night, and
Graysons comrades significantly tap
ped their foreheads at this latest &c
centricity of their friend, for, though
they were possessed Of numerous ec-
centricitieS Of their own, as men OF
genius must ever be, surely even they
might deem IL the hallmark Of insanity
to take from the street ragged young
ster and give him a glimpse Of better
things through the medium of n mode
of life that to these young men of
mighty ambitions seemed dreariIy pow
erty stricken.
From the point of view of the man
on the pile Of straw, the shoddy mat
zress seems luxurious. While to the man
on the shoddy nothing seems worth
while but one Of floss, Added to Gray
sons ineyplicable treatment of the
dago kid, they told the story Of his hal
lucinations how in the still nights
he claimed to hear bursts of exquisite
melody such as only the great masters
Of music might dream and, dreaming,
reproduce. Grayson was only a hum
BILE student, and, try as lie might, he
could not reproduce those haunting
melodies that would give him no rest.
With his awakening the melodies were