Willmar tribune., 1909-09-29


"Give me some 80 or-0O cents. my
love-" said the major. Lost children
sometimes stray far. I may need car
fares"
Old man Denny, hall room, fourth
floor back, who sat on the lowest step,
trying to read q paper BY the street
lamp, turned over page to follow up
the article about the carpenters strike
Mrs. Murphy shrieked to the moon,
"Oh, ar-r-Mike: r. Gawd's sake. where
n me little bit av a boy?'
"Wend ye see him lastr' asked old
man Denny, with one eye on the re-
port Of the Building Trades league.
"Oh." walled Mrs. Murphy. "'twas
yesterday, or maybe four hours ago!
dunno. But It's lost he is. me little
boy Mike. He was playin' on the side
walk only this mornin'-or was it
Wednesday? I'm that busy with work
'tis hard to keep up with dates. But
I've looked the house over from top
to cellar. and it's gone he Is. Oh. for
the love av hiven''-
Silent, grim. colossal, the big city
has ever stood against its revilers.
They call 1t hard as iron; they say
that no pulse Of pity beats In its
bosom; they compare its streets with
lonely forests and deserts Of lava. But
beneath the hard crust Of the lobster
Is found a delectable and luscious food.
Perhaps a different smile would have
been wiser. still, nobody should take
offense. We would call no one a lob
ster without good and sufficient claws.
No calamity so touches the common
heart of humanity as does the straying
Of little child. Its feet are 80 un-
certain and feeble. The ways are so
steep and strange.
Major Griggs hurried down to the
corner and up the avenue into Billy's
place. "Gimme a rye high," he said
to the servitor. Haven't seen bow
legged. dirty faced little devil Of a
six-year-old lost kid around anywhere,
have your
Mr.. Toomey retained Miss Purdy's
dear little babe" said Miss Purdy.
"lost from his mothers side, perhaps
already fallen beneath the iron hoofs
Of galloping steetls. Oh. isn't It dread.
fulT'
"Ain't that right7' agreed Mr.. Too
mey. squeezing her hand. Say l start
out and help look for um!'
"Perhaps," said Miss Purdy, '.you
should. But. oh. Mr.. Toomey. you are
80 dashing. so reckless. Suppose in
your enthusiasm some accident should
befall you. then WHAT
Old man Denny read on about the
arbitration agreement. with one finger
on the lines.
In the second door front Mr.. and
Mrs. McCaskey came to the window
to recover their second wind. Mr.. Nc
Caskey was scooping turnips out Of bis
vest with crooked forennger, and his
lady was wiping an eye that the salt
Of the roast pork had not benefited.
They heard the outcry below and
thrust their heads out Of the window.
"'Tis little Mike Is lost" said Mrs.
McCaskey in a hushed voice, ''the
beautiful little trouble making angel of
a gossoon!'
THE bit Of boy mislaid," said Mr..
McCaskey. leaning ont Of the window.
"Why. now. that's bad enough. entire
". The childer. they be different. II
twas a woman I'd be willin', for they
leave peace behind 'em when they go"
Disregarding the thrust, Mrs. Nc.
Caskey caught her husbands arm.
"Jawn." she said senumentally,
"Missis Murphy's little bye Is lost.
'Tis great city for losing little boys.
Six years old he was. Jawn. tits the
same age our little bye would have
been If We had had one six years age" "
1--WE never did," said Mr.. McCaskey.
lingering with the fact.
"But II we had, Jawn. think what
sorrow would be in our hearts this
night with our little Phelan run away
and stolen In the city nowheres at ALL
"Ye talk foolishness." said Mr.. Nc
Caskey. "'Tis Pat he would be
named. after me old father in An.
TRIM"
"Ye lie!" said Mrs. McCaskey. with
out anger. ME brother was worth tin
dozen bog trottins McCaskeys. After
him would the bye be named" She
leaned over the window sill and looked
down at the hurrying and hustle be.
low.
"Jawn." said Mrs. McCaskey softly.
I'm sorry I was hasty wid ye"
Twas hasty puddtn'. % ye say"
said her husband. land hurry up tur-
nips ana get q move on ye coffee
Twas what ye could call a quick
lunch, all right, and tell no lie."
Mrs. McCaskey slipped her arm in
side her husbands and took his rough
hand in hers.
Listen at the cryin' Of poor Mrs.
Murphy" she said. "Tis an awful
thing for bit Of bye to be lost in
this great big city. II twas our little
Phelan. John. I'd be breakin' me
heart"
Awkwardly MIR. McCaskey withdrew
his hand. But he laid it around the
nearing shoulders Of bis wife.
"'Tis foolishness, Of course" said
he roughly, but I'd be cut up some
meself II our little Pat was kidnapped
Of anything. But there never was any
childer for US. Sometimes I've been
ugly and hard with ye, Judy. Forget
It."
They leaned together and looked