The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-18

TT is a mooted question whether love Is a cause or an effect whether Adam \ discovered heart in the recesses or his anatomy before or after the appear ance of Eve. In the case of Joe Ridder it was distinctly the former.
 At 19 his knowledge of the tender pas sion consisted of dynamic impressions re- ceived across the footllghts at an anglo of 45 degrees. Love was something that lowered with the calcium light about beauty in distress, something that brought the hero from the uttermost parts of the earth to hurl defiance at the villain and clasp the swooning maiden in his arms; 1t was something that sent fellow down from his perch in the peanut gallery with his head hot and his hands cold, and a sort of blissful misery rioting in his soul. Joe lived in what was known by cour. tesy as Rear Ninth street. Rear Ninth street. has quite d sound of exclusive aristocracy, and the name was a matter of some pride to the twellers in the narrow unpaved alley that writhed it's watery way between two rows of tumble down cottages. Joes family consisted of his father, whose vocation was plumbing and whose avocation was driving either in the ambulance or the patrol wagon; his mother, who had discharged her entire |, debt to society when she bestowed nine &healthy young citizens upon it; eight younger Riders, and Joe himself, who had stopped school at 12 to assume the financial responsibilities of a rapidly in- creasing family.
 Lack of time and the limited possibi- ities of Rear Ninth street, together with an uncomfortable shy1ess, had brought Joe to his 18th year of broad-shouldered muscular manhood with no acquaintance whatever among the girls. But where a shrine is built for Cupid and the tapers are kept burning he seldom disappoints the devotee.
 One morning in October as Joe was guiding his riclSety wheel around the mud puddes on his way to the cooper shops he saw g new sign on the first cot tage after he left the alley-"Mrs R. Beaver, Modste and Dressmaker" he read. In the yard and on the steps were a confusion of household effects, and in their midst a girl with a pink shawl over her head.
 So absorbed was Joe in open-mouthed wonder over the Modesto that he failed to see the girl, until laughing exclama- tion made him look up.
 Watch outl'
 What's the matter?" asked Joe. com ng to a halt.
 q thought maybe you didn't know uyi,a he girl in burst of audacity, then fled hto the house and slammed the door. All day at the shops Joe worked as in trance. Every iron rivet that he drove to wooden hoop was duly informed the romantic occurrence of the morn- g, and as some four thousand rivets are stened into four thousand hoops in the urse of one day, it will be seen that the utter was duly considered. The stray ark from feminine eye had kindled ph fierce fire in his heart that by the be the o'clock whistle blew the con grafton threw rosy glow over the en-
 landscape.
 s he rode home the girl was sitting on steps, but she would not look at him.
 had formulated definite course of on, and though the utter boldness of learly cost him his balance, he ad- Id to it strictly. When just opposite
 gate, without turning his head or his
 he lifted his hat. then rode at
 pus pace around the corner.
 That you slcken' up so for. Joe?"
 | his mother that night; you goin'
 t
 ppe" said Joe, evasively, as he en-
 bred in vain to coax back the shine
 t old pair of shoes.
 el I'm right glad you ain't, Byrne
 aDick ain't got up the coal, and
 tls all them dishes to wash, and the
 bshe's got misery in her year"
 paw turned up?"' asked Joe
 b,' answered Mrs. Ridder indiffer-
 ei ''He looked in bout o'clock. He
 wplerable full then and I spec he's
 beook up by now. He said he was
 gdo buy me a bird cage with a bird
 input I shorely hope he won't. Them
 wlmice he brought me on his last
 splhewed hole in Berneys stocking.
 Be- I never did care much for birds.
 Gands! what are you goin' to wash
 yotad for?"
 JFas substituting basin of water
 for mall girl in the nearest kitchen
 chand howl ensued.
 "s up, Lottie!' admonished Mrs.
 Rid"you ain't any too good to set on
 thet It's a good thing this is pay dayk, for the rents due and four of