La Junta tribune., 1907-07-13
How Pietro
Paid His Debt.
BY SABA B. CuSHMaN.
Copyright. leo7. by Mary McNcon.
BY SABA 8. CusHMAN.

! sIttN N4iiA l'alNNSi hltAi 'ii NfA' w pa ~
/ monts. business was slack and Pie
I tro's heart sank as low MS the hoard OF
/ silver In his tntterei purse. II it would
| only rain. then the gentlemen hurryinc
! by mi .ht need his services, but the
! blinking stars. half hidden by thu
smoke of the great city, found not Il
! cloud behind which to retire, ana Pie
tro concluded that he might MS well
| close up for the night. The process OF
/ closing up consisted of packing his
I brushes. backing and various imple
ments into II 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. II he moved with alac-
rity. the jincling silver in his purse
| promised well for the necessities of
| life: II he moved reluctantly. pausing
now and then to see II perchance there
might yet he n patron for him. III"
purse was lamcntably light and Pie
tro's supper must be likewise. Tonight
he knew that the persistent craving in
! his stomach must go entirely unnppeas
| ed. for there was no more than enough
| silver to satisfy the voraciousness OF
/ Isenberg the money shark. OF Water
| street into 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 philosophlcally as he slowed away
| his last brush: i've seed worscr 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 filled with un
wonted tears, shutting out for mo
| mcnt the sight of the stream OF gay
humanity that throngcd past on Its
way to the 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 at the dirty face of the urchin
and another at the brilliantly lighted
| entrance of the opera house, he hur.
rIed on He must be quick or there
would be left not even standing room.
which was all that he could afford to
pay for At the ticket window fat
old gentleman was wrangiing 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 be banished. When the
old gentleman had relieved his mind
and turned away. the ticket seller
looked ut GraysOn eXpectantly: but.
with II muttered malediction at his
chicken heart, as he chose to term It,,
Grayson turned away. Plctro was
trudging wcarily 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 IN
his mind the weary question OF
finances. he did not heed the approach.
ing footsteps until n hand grasped him
uncereponiously and voice asked
gruiiiy:
what were you crying for, kid?
Jaw. what yer givin' us. dude? !
warn't cryin'.'
"All right but what's wrong! Bank
rupt:" with quzzical glance at the
others stock in trade.
..Nope." replied Pietro. Got my out
fit left That's about all. though. Busi
ness is pretty dead now. Ec better aft
| er election"
GraySon laughed.
..,rhat's right. ! find it 50 myself,
What do you say TO Il good hot steak
In here"
They were passing a little restau-
rant, ana the aroma of hot coffee and
frying meat honted out to them. re-
minding Grayson that his evening
meal had been dispensed with to make
uD the amount necessary for his admit
tance to the land of hearts desire and
causing the nostrils of his companion
to twitch like rabbits.
Sure but dis is Il bum joint. Come
to Maginty's. It's swell there"
They went to Maginty's. and over a
cup OF strong coffee and their steak
and potatoes Pietro became confiden-
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 burial At
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 at those same
strong clinched hands. admitted that
he had asked Pietro to call again only
that he might give him a 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
Grayson's comrades significantly tap.
ped their foreheads at this latest &C.