The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-11-02
Continued from Page II

eye aiAShteu uPOu Ine uTcnin VINO mao risi-
bly, applauded the insulting speech of the
tramp. He started menacingIy toward the
urchin The latter daTted down the alley
which had been the nocturnal couch Of Mr..
Magee He disappeared
oricer Mulcahy looked about the quiet
residential street He sighed; there were
no more worlds to conquer; he resumed the
measured pacing of his beat
Around the first corner Mr.. Masee re.
Taxed his speed A backward glance as.
sured him that Officer Mulcahy did not
mediate pursuit The rockpIle that had
doomed large before him dwindled to the
size Of a pebble. work-hard manual
iaoor-was pleasantly aloof once more. A
man might think of breakfast
He fumbled in the pockets Of his tat.
tered coat with pleasurable authorization.
Last night there had been three silver
quarters therein; and none Of them had
been wasted on lodging, for the night had
been one Of september's jewels.
Three quarters, Seyenty-hve sweet
cents! "scotfin" for whole day, though
never handout passed from cooking
housewife to begging Grant OF the roadl
But that was last night. This morning
Mr.. Magee invoked the Fates. He cried
aloud to the spirit Of justice that his long.
past schooldays had told him lowered ever
over the land Of the free and the home Of
the brave
Rolled" he cried. Wicked! So help
me Joseph, gentleman can't close his
eYes in blissful slumber meath the tender
moon without some city dick frisking him
as he dreams Seventy.tive cents-goneI"
He looked about him. He remembered
what he had heard Of Rockport; that It
was place to be stunned by knights Of
the road, for that its citizens were cold to
those who toiled not Only the fact that
Mr.. Magee had been ignorant Of the final
destination Of freight which he had
boarded, coupled with the devotion to duty
which had made freight handler paddock
the door Of the empty" in which he rode,
had brought Mr.. Magee to Rockport.
He had intended to detour around the
city. Once In 1t, he had planned leaving
the next day. But to the east, whittier he
had purposed going, lay the river. One
must have the price Of ferry ticket to
cross II. to gain the access to blind bag.
gage" beloved of tramps.
West, south and north Mr.. Magee could
hope to 60. The rods" Of many a train
In the Union Station awaited his presence.
But Mr. Magee wished to go east For no
other reason than the all-suficient one that
he wanted to. He would not go to the
railroad yards and undertake the long de.
tour to south or north. He would cross the
ferry and resume his eastward way.
Down the street doomed the blue figure
OF another policeman. Mr. Magee shivered
though the morn was warm Judging from
what he'd heard, his late police antagonist
was an exception; any other policeman
would be likely to lack the kindness OF
heart-though not Of hand-that had SO far
saved Mr.. Magee from arrest as a vagrant.
There was cross street before Mr..
Magee It led to the Union Station and
train sheds. He could dodge down the
cross street, gain the station and-forego
his eastward trip. Or he could dodge
through yard, come out upon another
street, thus avoiding the approaching Do
nceman, and-look for work!
Mr. Magee's lip curled at the alternative.
out-he wished to go east. And before so
doing he must raise the three cents which
an octopus ferry company demanded OF its
Would-oe passengers-strictlv IN advance.
Mr. Magee was too proud to beg for
money; he had never accepted a cent of
charity In his life. Food-scoffin-that
was different. But money-some hell.
hound, some vile, debased crawler OF the
night. had. frisked him Of his three silver
quarters, that meant food and the contin.
uance OF his journey to the rising sun.
The food, that was nothing; the money.
that was seventy-fve cents
Mr. Magee would last the day without
food; he would not attempt the Rockport
housewives. their lack OF hospitality, their
affection for large and hungry dogs, had
been bruited about trampdom Their ig.
noble habit OF communication with q DO
Iiceman whenever a knight of the road
asked for the humble biscuit or the homely
pie had been impressed upon Mr.. Magee
by fellow tourists.
Food-that was nothing; he tightened
his belt. Three cents-that was three
cents! He must find a Job Of some sort
and hold II long enough to gain the price of
ferriage. Distasteful. indeed but
j worked three hours the day before
Yesterday said Mr. Macao .,b,. oonn,-.