The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-08-01


needed but one glance at him to real
ize that it was Lent all the year round
at his boarding house
The hair of the old man was as
white as snow. and he had whtskers
that a colonel of cavalry would have
been proud of. His clothing was in
rags. You could have bet your bottom
dollar against banana that he hadn't
had a chummy talk with Fifth ave
nue. tailor In a thousand years. Yes,
he was in rags, and you didn't have to
look three times to see his fourteen
toes sticking out to the weather.
There was a time when this old
mans hand organ played such lively
tunes as Buffalo Gals" and "a Hot
Tine" but now the best it could do
was to give out a few choky bars of
1.-THE Girl l Left Behind Me-"
Not Penny In His Clothes.
Not one red cent did that poor old
man have in his clothes. A boy came
along and offered to sell him the Wal
dorf-Astor tavern for Is cents; but,
alas. he could not even ask one Of the
chauffeurs who hang out on the Thir-
ty-fourth street side to have pony Of
beer with him.
1t was just awful to see that old
man grinding away and getting older
every minute and know that he hadn't
any stock In a water power company
and not one chance in a thousand to
marry an heiress. There were motor
<ho ,h@ rlo n0A
at him and probably wiped away their
tears. They realized that If their con-
ductors didn't divide fairly on the
knockdowns they would be grinding
hand organ some day themselves.
Poor man. Poor old chapv' ex-
claimed many people who passed.
None of them followed 1t up by
dropping penny In the ragged old
cap. but that is not necessary In
great city. If you sympathize with a
poor man that pays his rent and board.
A passing telephone girl did stop and
take out her purse. but. finding that It
contained only a nickel and remember
ing that she was to contest in a gum
chewing match that afternoon. she
passed on.
Stuck to His Corner.
Four long hours passed away. Dur
ing this time there were three thun-
der showers and hatlstorm, and Com
missioner Flynn raided three more
gambling houses. The old man had
not moved from his corner. He wasn't
spiked down, but it was as good as
any other street corner to him. When
you get above ninety years old you
don't care darn which corner you are
on.
Then a policeman came sauntering
that way. He had just been fined
three days pay for seeing his captain
drink a glass Of beer In a saloon. and
the thing rankled-that is. it ranked
because the captain hadn't asked him
to pour some of the same down his
own neck No. the valiant officer was
not in a mood to stand any back talk.
He was. indeed. looking for some one
to give him a bit Of sass when he
caught sight of the old man In rags.
His face frightened. and that beer he
didn't get was momentarily forgotten.
Only momentarily. however. He meant
to write a letter to the papers that
evening and tell how the police force
was disorganized and the lid was OF.
Now. then. you -. what In -
are you doing here?' he demanded as
he approached the old man.
Was Easily Understood.
His English was plain and perfect.
Even one Of the gas house gang could
have understood that be was making
an inquiry about something.
ALIAS. sir. am an old man" was
the reply. and the pathos of the tone
| and words went right to the heart Of
the peanut man on the corner.
But what do | care for old men?'
shouted the officer as be clustered
around. Cant you see that you are
interrupting Broadway tratfic?"
But, kind sir. I'M on Forty second
| street"
But you are dra wing a crowd
THAT cannot be. as US two are
alone
Don't dispute mer' exclaimed the
officer as he thought OF the loss of his