Year: 1878

\ citizen Of Second street has fo,
some time past been greatly annoyed
at the slow progress made by the car.
penters In building for him horse
barn. and said carpenters have been
highly incensed over his impatience
They left him the other night on a
scatfold under the caves at one end. to
which spot lie had climbed to see if the
ccrnice wasn't on bottom-side up, and
when he wanted TO come down, the
ladder was gOne--moved around on the
side. The citizen looked down upon
the cobble-stone ally. up at the skv
and he found himself left. He could
have alarmed the neigh borhood by one
yell. but he did't care to make a men
agerie of himself. He watched the
street forty feet away. and finally at
tracted the attention of a bov. The
boy had the situation explained to him
but he couldn't handle the ladder.
When he found he couldn't he sat down
on bundle of shingles and folded his
arms, saying:


We'll, L might as we'll stop around
and see this episode close out at re.
duced figures


Boy, won't you 20 and get man
to move the ladder for me!' softly
asked the citizen as the distance to the
ground began to increase in his estima-
tion.


Not much-you might fall while |
was gone, was the cheering reply.


In the dusk an old lady stopped at
the enterance of the alley to read the
number of the house, and. not being
able to make it out she called to the
boy. He beckoned her to come there
with one hand, while the other was ele-
waited towards the man on the scaffold,


Man up there-highly dangerous
tragedy ahead - he remarked as she
advanced.


Yes, 'sright up there, she replied.
as she streatehed her neck to view
him.


Madame, can't you and the boy lift
the ladder around here anxiously in
quired the citizen, as he felt his knees
going back on solid agreement to stand
firm under him.


i am no madame, sir ? she retorted,
very promptly. I'm almost a stranger
in the city Don't be quite so sassy IL
your remarks, sir :


i asked you if you aud the bov
couldn't move the ladder around here >
he blandly said.


Lifting ladder is mighty hard on
the system, said the boy.


What do know about moving your
city ladders she called out, and
what on earth makes you so ANXIOUS to
come down here all of sudden ,?


i will give each of you half a dol
lar, he suggested.


1t don't seem to me that you ought
10 be so free with stranger she shout
ed. Il don't feel holden to anything
III this case. being as | don't even
know your name. What earthly object
have you got in coming down here
any way


Madam. want to go home,' he an j..
swered


Madam, again want you to un-
derstand that my name is Thomas, sir
If you can't address me as a gentleman
should. III see about it-see about it,
sir =


Names Thomas, and I'll affydavv the
fact shouted the boy. If L o.ln-u-s
don't spell Thomas then / want to see
this Government Mexicanized,


The citizen kept his eye on the
mouth of the alley, and after long
minute the woman inquired;


Any more sass from We up there!


If so we'll stop the press to announce
the same, added the boy.


Receiving no reply the woman
walked away, but the boy stuck to the
bundle of shingles like bumblebee to
Smyrian fig.


Boy, I'll give you dollar to call a
man. said the cherub aloft.


Make more than that as foreman of
the Coroner's jury! was the lonesome
reply.


I'll lick you out of your hide if /
ever do get down! exclaimed the now
indignt citizen.


Yours received-loye TO all was the
kind reply.


Ten minutes brought no change, but
eleven did. \ private carriage came
down the alley, and the driver was
known to the man on the scatfold.


James he called out, James, jump
out and shake that boy there out of his
jacket, and then swing that ladder
around TO me.


My client files his objections and de
mands change of venue observed the
boy, and he skipped before James had
touched the ground.


The ladder was swung around and
the man descended. and he was rub
bing his head to get the swim out of
it, when lonesome voice came 10 him
through the darkness, calling:


Never mind; YOU may probably be
run over by all omnibus tomorrow
Justice is slow but she allus gets there
Detroit Free Press


The man staggered into tidy