Year: 1879

One morning recently, soon after the
Eating stand on the Central Market, Chica-
go, had been thrown open to the nav of
the hungry public, and while Mrs, Ma
gruder was telling small boy that she
could hold up her hand and swear that she
never used beans in her coffee stranger
came along and asked if he could get bite
to eat. Mrs. Magruder has been on the
market for many years, and she thinks she
Knows thing or two, She has flattered
herself that she could tell to a bite just
how much customer could eat, and she
has for years had an undisguised contempt
for thin bodied, spare-faced men, who try
to chew their coffee and mince their toast.
This stranger was little better than a
six-foot shadow. His foreground consisted
of shirt collar and mouth as big as a
mince pie, and the perspective revealed
nothing except two hollow eyes set below
thin line of sandy eyebrows. He re-
marked that he had just arrived from Day
ton, and was somewhat hungry, but want
ed first to inquire how much his breakfast
would cost him, as he was rather short of
| funds.


"Oh! | suppose you may be able to wor-
ry down six or seven cents worth of provi-
sions and cup of coffee, she replied.


"Suppose yon say twenty-five cents for
all | want to eat5" he said, as the corners
of his eyes began to twitch.


Mrs. Magruder looked him over and
mentally calculated that she would make
just thirteen cents by the bargain, and she
replied;


az must have my money in advance,
you know"


"Oh, certainly-here ii is. Now, then,
may eat my fill for that quarter2n


She said that was the understanding, and
winked at the woman in the next stall.
The thin man from Dayton doubled up on
a stool, opened his mouth, and fried saul
sage went out of sight so quickly that the
last end seemed to smoke. A fried cake
followed, than a second sausage, and after
a gulp or two the man handed out his cup
with the words:


"That tastes like real coffee-gimme
some more"


While she was filling the cup he got
away with two hot biscuits and slice OF
beef, and the coffee came just in time to
wash down hunk of mince pie. He could
use both arms and his mouth at once, and
he attended strictly to business. When
Mrs. Magruder had filled the third cup her
smile had quite vanished. She saw that
she wouldn't come out even without resort
ing to strategy, and she began asking ques.
tions. The man answered none of them
except by mournful shake of the head
Crash crash went his jaws, and he
reached out from the shoulder like clock
work Mrs. Magruder called his attention
to dog fight across the way, but he ate
faster than ever. The bell struck and shC
remarked that big conhagration was rag
ing at the Union depot, but the man die
not raise his eyes.


When Mr.. Margurder discovered that shC
was at last six shillings behind she said that
she was "poor widow with five children
to support.


GLOW do pity youl" replied the mar
as he passed his cup with one hand ant
raked in biscuit with the other.


Then Mr. Magruder told story about {
man dropping dead on the market the day
before on account Of overeating, but thu
man got away with two fried cakes and re
piled:


"Curious how some folks will make hog
of themselves


AT length Mrs. Margurder wanted tt
know how much longer he could stand it
and the thin man from Dayton gave her
approaohful glance and answered.


"Have thus early fallen in with swind
lers and falsi6ersY"


She let him go on for three OF four min
utes more, and then she hinted that de