The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-07-23
with one ear upturned, listening to the
crash Of household utensils.

crash Of household utensils.
"'Tis Jawn McCaskey and his missis
at 1t again." meditated the policeman.
Il wonder shall go up aid stop the
row. I will not. Marr',d folks they
are, and few pleasures they have.
Twill not last long Sure, they'll have
to borrow more dishes to keep it up
with"
And just then came the loud scream
peloW Stairs, betokening fear or dire
extremity. "'Tis probably the cat"
said Policeman Cleary and walked has
tily In the other direction.
The boarders on the steps were fut-
tered. Mr.. Toomey, an insurance So
licltor by birth and an Investigator by
profession, went inside to analyze the
scream. He returned with the news
that Mrs. Murphy's little boy, Mike,
was lost. Following the messenger,
out bounced Mrs. Murphy-200 pounds
in tears and Mysteries, clutching the
air and bowling to the sky for the loss
Of thirty pounds of freckles and mis-
chief. Bathos truly, but Mr.. Toomey
sat down at the side Of Miss Purdy,
millinery, and their hands came togeth-
er in sympathy. The two old maids,
Misses Walsh, who complained every
day about the noise in the halls, in
quired Immediately if anybody had
looked behind the clock.
Major Grigg, who sat by his fat wife
on the top step, arose and buttoned his
coat. "The little one lost" he exclaim-
rr,il +l,a ot% fa
never allowed him out after dark. But
now she said &C., Ludovicw in bar
itone voice. "Whoever can look upon
that mothers grief without springing
to her relief has a heart Of stone."
"Give me some 30 or-60 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 paper by the street
lamp, turned over q page to follow up
the article about the carpenters strike
Mrs. Murphy shrieked to the moon,
ooh, ar-r-Mike; f'r Gawd's sake, where
is me little bit av boyw
"Wen'd ye see him last?" 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!
I 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
tits 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 it hard as iron; they say
that no pulse Of pity beats in it's
bosom; they compare it's streets with
lonely forests and deserts of lava. But
beneath the hard crust of the lobster
is found a delectable and luscious food.
Perhaps q different smile would have
been wiser. Still, nobody should take
offense. We would call no one 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 so 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 rye high" he said
to the servitor Haven't seen a bow
legged, dirty faced little devil of a
six-year-old lost kid around anywhere,
have you"
Mr.. Toomey retained Miss Purdy's
hand on the steps. '"Think Of that
dear little babe" said Miss Purdy,
'lost from his mothers side, perhaps
already fallen beneath the iron hoofs
of galloping steeds. Oh, isn't it dread
ful?"
"Ain't that right?" agreed Mr.. Too
mey, squeezing her hand. Say 1 start
out and help look for um!'
Perhaps" said Miss Purdy, "you
should. But, oh, Mr.. Toomey, you are
so 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.
LII LLc otCOuu uOOl NIL anu
Mrs. McCaskey came to the window
to recover their second wind. Mr.. Nc
Caskey was scooping turnips out of his
vest with a crooked forefinger, 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
q gossoonw
"The bit of boy mislaid," said Mr.
t McCaskey, leaning out of the window
''Why, now, that's bad enough, entire
' ly. The childer, they be different. Il
twas a woman I'd be willin', for they
( leave peace behind 'em when they CO.
7 Disregarding the thrust, Mrs. Nc
= Caskey caught her husbands arm.
] "Jawn," she said sentimentally