Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-14

no need of his askin' for II now. L nave
IT. ready for him every day Sometimes
he asks and sometimes he don't. but ne
always gifts il. Why. I'd a lot rather pay
for the bunch of 'em every day than To
see him go without. 49,
do many~come around every day Ike
that" was asked.
punches Of EN- RENTED the merchant.
The merchant tossed his burned STUB
away and drew a long breath.
II remember one queer thing, salo ne
that happened about year or 80 aso-
I was standin' out here one day wren
lcng-faced man rolled up and wanted 10
know il had paper from some place
in lower South Dakota ] told MN. ~
course. that had. Well. I've didn't say
anything. but just plunked down ms
money and asked for copy.
81 gave IL to him. Instead OF wander
ing along like most or EN- do he stop
ped in his tracks and began to read ire
second page. III never forget the shock
he gave me When he opened the page
he Just looked at the top ard then stag
sered hack like he'd been shot. He got
white as a ghost and his jaw took
long drop.
81 tried to look sympathetic. but not
KNOWN Jennie I couldn't do more 'en
look like I'd been handed a beef stew
with no meat in il.
Friend o yours asks | at last.
.'He looked at me. vacant like, for
minute before he spoke.
I'D "a married her. says he. some
FIVE years ago IL she hadn't thrown me
down. Poor little Jennie. Poor
-
fright there he springs the tears. He
reaches for his handkerchief and cries
like a kid Honest, I felt for minute
like l was responsible for the whole
thing. me havin sold him the paper.
tnof q
must have been pretty fond OF Jennie.
always supposed he left Washington
and went back to the little town where
everybody knew him"
Frequently this black andy white printed
friend is the means Of information by
which the stranger in Washington learns
OF accidents. mishaps and good fortune
among his circle Of acquaintance In that
faraway town he calls home.
Countless comedies and tragedies. born
of a line in a four-day-old newspaper.
have escaped the eye of the man who
sells to the stranger within the gates:
countless tears have been shed; countless
shreks Of laughter emitted
They come they buy and they go. these
strangers OF whom Washington knows
nothing comforted for the moment by
has told them.
1t so happened that on certain day
a man, rather seedy and very abject.
wandered over to the merchant OF the
cosmopolitan newsstand and asked to
read copy Of the paper. The merchant
held out his hand expectantly. where
upon the seedy individual grinned feeble
grin and explained that he only wanted
passed out the desired paper.
The shabby man grabbed il eagerly and
ran his eye over the county notices. Sud-
denly he stopped and read eagerly.
No more work! No more work." he
yelled deightedly.
much of IL now" remarked the merchant.
Read this pe-emptorily ordered the
shabby man.
The merchant read a county notice to
the effect that the will OF So-and-So was
filed for probate and his lawful heir
would do the attorney an inestima BILE
favor by putting in an immediate appear
ance.
That's me- said he. land the old
geezer mentioned as the deceased is an
uncle of mine. 1T means I've got a good
paying farm with plenty OF men to run It.
It means no more chasing around in this
town after work that you can't get: It
means Tn a gentleman once more. 1t
means
He paused and eyed the merchant care
fully.
II think I'll borrow a dollar from you."
he said.
Il think not" replied the merchant.
Il only wanted to send a telegram ask
ing for money to get home" explained
the seedy man. I'D let you have II back
tomorrow. But. never mind 1 don't
think | need it,
He was a different man already. He