Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-08-18

q colleen's blanderin' tongue and stub
born true heartedness. If you are
man who read this, may such an In.
fuence be sent you before 2 o'clock
tomorrow; If you are a woman, may
your Pomefanian greet you this morn.
Ing with cold nose-a sign Of dog
health and your happiness.
The Stovepipe gang borrowed its
name from a subdistrict Of the city
called the Stovepipe. which Is a mar
row and natural extension of the famil-
lar district known as Helps Kitchen.
The Stovepipe strip Of town runs along
Eleventh and Twelfth avenues on the
river and bends hard and sooty ell
bow around little, lost, homeless De
Witt Clinton park. Consider that a
stovepipe Is an important factor In
any kitchen and the situation Is an
alyzed The chefs In Helrs Kitchen
are many. and the Stovepipe gang
wears the Gordon bleu.
The members Of this unchartered but
widely known brotherhood appeared to
pass their time on street corners ar
rayed like the lilies Of the conserva-
tory and busy with nail files and PEN
knives. Thus displayed as guaran-
tee of good faith, they carried on an
innOcuous conversation in 200 word
vocabulary, to the casual observer as
innocent and immateral as that heard
in the clubs seven blocks to the east
But of exhibition the Stovepipes
were not mere street corner ornaments
addicted to posing and manlcurlng.
Their serious occupation was the sep
arating Of citizens from their coin and
yaluables. Preferably this was done
by weird and singular tricks without
noise or bloodshed, but whenever the
citizen honored by their attentions re-
fused to impoverish himself gracefully
his objections came to be spread finally
upon some police station blotter or hos
pital register
The police held the Stovepipe gang
in perpetual suspicion and respect As
the nightingale's liquid note is heard
in the deepest shadows, so along the
Stovepipe's dark and narrow confines
the whistle for reserves punctures the
dull ear Of night Whenever there was
smoke In the Stovepipe the tasseled
men I'm blue knew there was fire In
Helrs Kitchen.
Kid Brady promised Molly to be
ha .ntnncf hn OF
est, the wariest and the most sue
cessful plotter in the gang. Therefore
the boys were sorry to give him up.
But they witnessed his fall to vir-
tuous life without protest, for in the
Kitchen 1t is considered neither un-
manly nor improper for guy to do
as his girl advises.
Black her eye for loves sake. if you
will, but it is all-to-tbe-good business
to do a thing when she wants you to
do it.
Turn off the hydrant," said the
Kid one night when Molly, fearful
besought him to amend his ways.
"I'm going to cut out the gang. You
for mine, and the simple life on the
side. I'll tell you. Moll-Pll get work,
and in year We'll get married. I'll
do it for you. Well get fat and a
flute and sewing machine and rub
Der plant and live as honest as we
can"
"Oh, Kid" sighed Molly. wiping the
powder off his shoulder with her hand
kerchief. I'D rather hear you say that
than to own all Of New York. And
we can be happy on SO little"
The Kid looked down at his speck-
less cuffs and shining patent feathers
with suspicion of melancholy.
It'll hurt hardest In the rags depart
ment." said he. i've kind Of always
liked to rig out swell when could
You know how | hate cheap things.
Moll This suit set me back siXty-fve
Anything in the wearing apparel line
has got to be just so or it's to the mis-
lit parlorS for it for mine. II work
won't have so much coin to hand over
to the little man with the big shears" ;"
"Ncvcr mind, Kid I'll like you just
as much in II blue Jumper as would
in II red automobile"
Before the Kid had grown large
enough to knock out his father he had
been compelled TO learn the plumbers
art. So. now. back to this honorable
and useful profession he returned. But
il was as an assistant that he en-
gagged himself, and it Is the master
plumber and not the assistant who
wears diamonds as large as hailstones
and looks contemptuously upon the
marble colonades Of Senator Clark 8
mansion.
Eight months went by as smoothly
and surely as though they had "elaps-
ed" on a theater programme. The Kid
worked away at his pipes and solder
with no symptoms Of backsliding. The
Stovepipe gang continued its piracy on
the high avenues, cracked policemen's
heads, held up late travellers, invented
new methods Of peaceful plundering.
copied Fifth avenues cut Of clothes
and neckwear fancies and comported
itself according to its lawless bylaws.
But the Kid stood firm and faithful to
his Molly. even though the polish was
gone from his finger nails and it took
him fifteen minutes to tie bis purple
silk ascot so that the worn places
would not show.
One evening he brought mysterious
bundle with him to Molly's house.
"Open that, Mollr' he said in his
large, quiet way. "It's for you"
Molly's eager fingers tore Off the
wrappings. She shrieked aloud, and
In rushed sprinkling Of little Nc
Keevers and Ma McKeever, dish.
washy, but an undeniable relative Of
the late Mrs. Eve ,,,,.
dark and long and sinuous few and
enveloped her neck like an anaconda.
Russian sables " said the Kid pride
fully, enjoying the sight of Molly's
round cheek against the cliRging fur
"the real thing They don't grow any
thing In Russia too good for.yon, Moll.'
Molly plunged her hands into the
hufr. overturned a row Of the family
infants and few to the mirror Him
for the beauty column: To make
bright eyes. rosy cheeks and be
witching smile--recipe. one set Rus
sian sables. Apply.
When they were alone. Molly became
aware of small cake Of the Ice o.
common sense floating down the full
tide Of her happiness.