Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-10-18
REUBEN CAGeS'S THEORY

l was sitting in a cafe below Four
teenth street, with my friend Reuben
Cages. 1t was a sultry July day, and
he ought to have been at his country
house on Long Island, where he had
invited me to spend a couple Of weeks
lie was, however a heavy operator in
stocks, and as the market was fever
ish he thought 1t safer to keep his
street than to be driving a spanking
team and listening to the rolling
| roaring surf.
Cages was said to be many times n
| millionaire. Exactly what that term
signifies, can't explain. l don't know
| what 1t means to be worried over
| ones surplus. If 1 manage to make
both ends meet on the first Of January
ana can race the new year free Of
| debt, l consider myself fortunate
Well we sat at the table chatting.
My dear boy" he said, I'm sorry
1 cannot go down to Clover Hn as we
| supposed; but you see the bears are
after me, and unless l have as many
eyes as spider. and keep them all
| wide open, ferae natunae will get her
claws on me and then"
Here followed the most elegant
| shrug Of shoulders l ever Witnessed
How l enved him. He was poor
twenty years ago when he and l were
| IN the freshman class and so was L.
lie had changed his mind about re-
naming poor, but l had not. l main
tanned my consistency, and at forty
one had not a sou marquee
Now, there's my wife Julia" ne
said, rather petuantly, as he poured
out another cup of mocha, there's my
| Wte' Julia. She is n most peculiar
woman. She runs to philanthropy.
| goes INTO ecstacies over a beggar and
reels on lot Of nonsense about re-
forming me world. The world doesn't
ref linz
| UP OF TWO classes of people; those who
nave made money and those who have
lost 1t. l don't agree with Julia. She
| says the poor ought to be lifted IN
! a pretty big contract that, don't you
think SO? l have fixed policy. never
| 10 give TO any one. 1t works best in
the long run"
Just then a small boy thrust bis be,,
| inside the door and shouted:
| "EXtree!"
| lie could not have been more than
| eight years old. and was barefooted and
| bareheaded. His nair and eyes were coal
black and there was a curiously earnest
expression ON his face. l don't take to
| newsboys much: they are altogether too
pushing and insolent, but this one inte-
rested me. Perhaps it was because I
mad had solid breakfast and felt good :
! natured
The eightyear-o nut crossed the
room and stood wistfully looking into
! Gags face. He was evidently nervous
ana excited. for he stood on one leg and
! then on the other. moving restlessly
every instant, but every time fixing his
| gaze on Gags.
No, get out" was the only response.
All about the big fire. mister"
| out?" 90
/ ~ .',.ie fenow was persistent.
At last and in order TO get rid OF him.
Gags pulled handful OF loose change
from his pocket at sight OF which the
boys eyes fairly glowed
said. "e
Cages looked at him a tribe suspicious
~ bat said nothing.
Ihen came curious crisis The Door
little fellows eyes filled with tears aud
his hand trembled.
Say, mister"
Well haven't paid your"
-, res but my sisters dead at home.
she died last night. and I'm selling ma
pers to pay funeral expenses. Won't
you give me some money, mister to bury
Gags was simply dumbfounded. As
Tor myself. l broke into a loud laugh
IL was a very melodramatic scene. what
consummate actor the young rogue was
Precocious was hardly the word TO cover
the case. He was an infant prodigy
Gags was getting riled
Bury your sister, you young scoun-
dreI Ia Ike to bury the whole lot OF
YOU Then he turned to me What
did tell you. Hugh? The poor prey ON
the rich They won't work and"
MY mother works. broke in the how
IN stout defense OF himself and his fam
lily. Il amt no liar, neither. A fellow
AM, gaI heIp ms sisters dying, can he?
ram my fault cos she's dead"
lie was pallid with excitement and
grief. There was defiance in his ewes
too and lie stood his ground against odds
Cages was puzzled
VINO told YOU that story" he sternly
inquired. '''
Nobody didn't tell me that story"
answered the boy 1T aln't no story
~ ~ trues you live II you don't believe
H. come along. Guess when you see Sis
dead you'll know 1 amt shamming."
Hugh, will you so with NEE"
Certainly"
IL was a new experience for both of
us; curious chapter in the history of
city HE, and l was not sorry to read It.
BY Jove," said Gags. as we raacbnd
the street. Il feel like a fool Now ~
Julia were here. she would give that
young scoundrel a hot breakfast and
peneNe every word he said but I'm made
or different stun don't like to he
piayed with by boy no bigger than n
loaf OF bread. Wen follow him. and
then I'll have him sent TO a reformat orv
OF somewhere. Somebody's got to put a
stop to this kind of a thing, and we NAV
as well begin right now Come. Won
young gamester go ahead, and we will
mind" Nses'
He was so small that his head hardly
came up to Caggs's knee, but he stretched
out his hand and said:
say mister, If you think I am going
10 Jump, just take hold Of my hand, will
1t was queer sight-two big men and
one small boy. The boy was so delegated
mat he forgot to cry "Extreei and the
TWO men were so embarrassed that thew
hardly spoke to each other.
Round the corner into Thomson street
we round our way. two we'll dressed men
ana the shabby little NUT.
Here we be, mister"
The slender fingers were Withdrawn
from the big hand Of Caggs, and the bow |
became almost wild.
Right up here, mister. Look out for |
that stair, cos the boards busted,
IL was dark ana stuffy, with the rank
est compound of villainous smells tnat
ever offended the nostril; but we Stun
oled up one flight then CROPPED our wav
around the corner and found anol..er
flight. ''-'S'
We reached the door of the back Sec
ond story room at last. The NUT burst
IN with loud yell