Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1907-12-19
y N the afternoon Of the day be-
fore Christmas two brokers
sat in their palatial Offices in

~ the Hanover building whe1
there came a knock at the door.
~tOome in," said Henry Rogers, the
senior member Of the firm, man OF
Ytxty, with a round, jolly face and 8
pair of keen, humorous eyes.
The door opened, and the janitor OF
The building stepped inside and with
N obsequious bow said:
"tMr. Rogers, the scrubwomen Of this
ibuNding-there's fifteen Of them-are
out in the hall, and they won't &C
away until they see you"
"Bless mev' said Rogers, arising and
Throwing his half consumed cigar into
the glowing crate.
a few seconds later Rogers stood be-
tore group Of women, huddled to-
neither in earnest and rapid conversa'
Ellen Ryan, a widow Of forty, with
ahree children, stepped forward and
made a courtesy nearly to the floor
Bald she:
"Ax1n yer pardon, Mr.. Rogers, but
the gur-rls have bad little meetin'
today, and they picked me out to say
d few words-a few wUrds-a few
thankful words to you. for sendh' the
five dollar bills to each Of us. God
bless you, and"-
Here Mrs. Ryans utterance became
lehoked, and Rogers said hastily:
my good woman, you surely must
b mistaken. r.
"'Tis no use Of you denyin' It, sir, -
interrupted Mrs. Ryan passtonately
*There's not another man in the Han.
DTar ;buildin' would do the likes Of 1t,
pnd may you live to eat the chicken
that scratches over your grave, sir, and
H At would not hurt your feelin's we'd
all like to shake hands wild you, sir,
!ihekase you're a man." And Rogers
.Dpft hand was squeezed to pulp by
sRfteen hands Redeemed by water and
l8alloused by the scrubbing brush.
T. atMore Of your sentimentality," said
IDfancis Powers, his partner, as Rog-
.prs re entered his Office. "1'n bet that
you have given away thousand dol
lars i'm just such foolish fashion dur
ing the last three days."
II haven't figured up yet" replied
Rogers, his eyes twinkling. by the
VERY, Powers, what does it cost you to
support your yacht?'
Powers flushed angrily.
sExcuse me, Francis" said Rogers.
II did not mean to be rude. AS to the
scrubwomen, prefer to have my fun
with living men and women instead of
tBatsuma vases, bric-a-brac, yachts and
automobiles 1t is only the point Of
view. You give literally to the church
and organized charity, and I prefer to
give individually. I get my recon-
pense in the exhibition of genuine feel
ing" -
AsYes, I know" replied Powers test1-
ly. "tbut you are the laughingstock Of
the whole street. The Railways are
filed every day with all kinds Of riff
rar who come here to pull your leg. l
stumble over the. lame, the halt and
the blind waiting for you to come out.
Why, heard Brown say to book
agent the other day: Go and see Rog'
ters. He's easy" IT,
$50 Brown said l was easy, eh?"
:ehuckled Rogers. 'Now, suppose,
Trancis, that you consider that slang
expression term Of reproach." Still
FttR11k it sounds little better than
.fisat misery old thief Rogers or old
Rxgers would squeeze a cent till the
eagle screamed In fact, Francis, l
tsaul of the opinion that Brown paid me
10 compliment. Under the guise Of Gym
'dcfsm he paid me one Of the highest
compliments that one man can pay to
smother"
..You certainly are incorrigible,' re-
plfed Powers There are regular
channels for the distribution Of char
;1ty, societies organized for the pur-
ipuse.'
Yes, I know" replied Rogers, "but
II j dispense my dollars in that way l
shall miss the fun Of watching Mary
ELLEN Ryan fumbling with her apron
and trying to make a speech. By the
way, have heard many an after din.
ner speech that wasn't half SO elo-
turent as Mrs. Ryan's. Eloquent
speeches are made not" entirely with
the tongue. Did you ever hear wo-
= man say to you that she hoped you
would live to eat the chicken that
seratched over your grave? Francis, I
hike to see the light come into faded
eye, the blush into sunken cheek at
the touch of a piece Of paper which
represents to me only the price Of
dinner"
Rogers talk was interrupted by a
clerk, who put his head in at the door
and said:
AtMr. Rogers, there is queer looking
fellow out here who calls himself Otto
Kreig. VIII you see himT'
4By all MEANS" replied Rogers.
ICES the German violoncello player.
Send him in. You should have heard
him play the Schumann 'Heimweh,
Powers. He appeared at the Atlanta
club the other night before 800 men of
our type. He carried his big fiddle
three miles because be had no car fare,