The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1910-01-14

Milwaukee Red had just rolled out
OF box car, having arrived on u
night freight from Seattle. and was
humping back doors for breakfast.
with ono foot very conspicuously
bound up In rags, an arm In II sling
and nm expression OF countcnnnco Ia
correspond, ho hnd applied ut several
doors without success when Mt tho
door of II poor llttlc shack In IL side
street II woman with foreign accent
badc him enter.
"lloly smoke" thought Milwaukee
Red. us mo power house wOrkln'
right? A warm set down already
Dnts sure goin' some. Dat beats dc
cold handouts n mile. Now. jess watch
little Willie punish do grub" Aud
no hcsiintcd not tho fraction OF Il sec,
ond; but. with II cheerful willingness
born of two duys' FIST. he followed
the woman into tho house.
hut Reds bright vision OF II table
londcd with snvory dishes only lasted
until he got inside tho door. The table
was there all right, but In place OF the
smoking breakfast that Reds hungry
imagination hnd conJurcd up there
were only some fragments OF loaves OF
blnck brend and IL pitcher OF water
while seated about tho table were -four
hulf starved children.
The woman explained to Red TINT
they were themselves nearly starving,
that she was widow and that n
grown son. her sole support. had wan.
dcrcd Off months since In search OF
employment, but That she never turn
ed II hungry man AWAY unfcd at leust
with such az she had ind ended by
blldlng hun sit up TO their frugn
board.
hut Red did not move. IIe stood IN
tho middle Of the floor and stared as
though hypnolIzcd lie stared ut tho
partly eaten pieces OF dry brend, nj
tho furnished looking children. at tho
pale faced woman and at tho room In
general, wherein want was written ey
erywherc. lie stared for II full min
ute, and then, without n word. no turn
I'd md strobe out Of the room. And
the woman noticed that ho did moi
limp rs hc went out NJ he had don,
when he came In.
Outside. Red made for tho nearest
nllcy. Invested himself Of his make
up" stored the bnndnges In n bundle
for future use and started uptown
An inspiration had come to Mr.. Red
Of Milwaukee.
lie had been In Frisco mnny times
before. and he knew the ropes at a
certain cheap cutting pInce south OF
Market street. Once IN II moment OF
weakness ho had accepted n position
In tho place for few days washing
dishes.
Red went boldly into meat mnr
ket md said I'm after do mcnt fol
Johnnles hash factory. Johnnie sent
me. Dey wants ten pounds"
The butcher looked ut Red. "Jusl
some tramp dIshwnshcr at JohnnIc's.'
he thought to himself "IIc acquires q
new one every other day. RI chance
IT'S being all right"
Rcd liked with the meat. but not e
JOhnnic's. He next lay for Il bnker'S
wagon. Pretty soon one ratified past
and stopped In front Of n house. Red
watched his chance, and nS the driver
ran around the house with two loavei
Of bread he helped himself to fOui
nice, fresh warm ones from box NJ
on top.
Butter md milk were next on hl,
shopping list. and these he stole from
back doors where the articles had beer
left. It being yet early in the morning
aud Red being mn urtlst IN this kind
Of fOruglng.
A half hour later the kind hearted
though poverty stricken woman who
had offered lied II share OF what sht
had was surprised to find on her bncl
gcthcr with the following crudcly writ
ten note:
Deer Madam Desc iIngs arc for you
Don't say nothln about IL to nobody. JeH
turn do kids ZOOS on IT, A FRIEND.
The next morning another and siml
lar offering was found on the porcl
and eagerly appropriated. the pool
family surprising 1t to be the work oi
some chnrltubIy disposed person. n'
In fact 1t was. though the tramp who
had called at their door was fartbes
from their thoughts.
These early morning donations con
tinucd with scarcely nn interruption
for three weeks. Some mornings there
would be articles ~ clothing for boil
children md adults MS well as food
or the latter there was great variety
ny great variety. IN fact, Ms thu
source from which It came.
"Wnt yer rustIin' 20 hard fer all d.
time. RedT asked Kelly tho Bum on
night when they met IN an nlley wher'
come empty barrels afforded free Iodg
inga
Got n fnmbly Ia support" wal
Reds tcrsc reply.
"a which, exclaimed Kelly. scarce
ly crcditIng his ears
"a family" repeated Red.
you sure must be nutty." said Kel
ly with alarm. ns though In fear o
bodily harm.
Then Red bad 10 explain the situa
ton. Il amt goln' 10 see them kids q
hungry" he said, mot as long as
can rustic"
you'll git pinched an sent over d.
road fust thing yer know" warned
Kelly.
Cant help It none," said HE'D