Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-03-09
How PietrO
Paid Ills Debt.
BY SABA B. CUSHMAN.
Copyright, 1901. by Mary McKeon.
By SABA B. CUSHMAN.

]
shoes that passed him on the dry pave
ments. Business was slack and Pie
| tro's heart sank as low as the hoard of
silver in his tattered purse. If it would
only rain. then the gentlemen hurrying
I by might need his services, but the
I blinking stars, half hidden by the
/ smoke of the great city, found not a
cloud behind which to retire, and Pie
I tgo concluded that lie might az well
I close up for the night The process Of
/ closing UD consisted OF packing his
4 brushes, backing and various nipple
ments into 4 small box and singing
i the same by strap from his shoulder.
\ one watching Pietro's closing up
could determine the proceeds of the
DAYS business. IF he moved with alac-
/ rity. the iipgling silver in his purse
promised we'll for the necessities of
! life: if he moved reluctantly, pausinG
now and then to see if perchance there
might vet be 4 patron for him. the
purse was lamentably light and Pie
tro's supper must be likewise Tonight
/ lie knew that the persistent craving in
his stomach must 20 entirely unappeas
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.
law. no use kicking" remarked Pie
IL, J.,
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 filled with I'M
wonted tears, shutting out for mo-
ment the sight of the stream of gay
humanity that thronged 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 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 be banished. When the
old gentleman had relieved his mind
and turned away, the ticket seller
looked at Grayson eXpectantly; but
with a muttered maledictiOn at his
chicken heart, as 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 fee 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 a hand grasped him
unceremoniously and a voice asked
gruff1y:
/. what were you crying for, kid2"
CAV. what yer givin' us, dude? l
warn't erwin"
"All right, but what's wrong? Bank
rupt?" with a quiZzical glance at the
others stock in trade.
Nope" replied Pietro. Got my out
fit left. That's about all, though. Bust
ness is pretty dead now. Be better aft
er election"
Grayson laughed.
That's right. I find it so myself
What do you say to a good hot steak
in here:"
They were passing a little restau-
rant. ana the aroma Of hot coffee and
frying meat hoated out to them, re-
minding Grayson 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
| to witch like a rabbits.
! ''Sure. but dis is bum joint. Come
! TO Maginty's. It's swell there"
| They went to Magintys, and over
| cup of strong coffee and their steak
/ and potatoes PietrO became cOnfiden-
tiaI 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 lie had borrowed money
/ that his mother might have a burial fit
i for a 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 ut those same
/ strong clinched hands. admitted that
4 no had asked pietro to call again only
That he might give him receipt for
/ liz 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
4 Grayson's comrades significantly tap
+ ped their fureheads at this latest &c