imjuuuuqi.il i mmnmiiim.
THE KING OF THE MILL. I
fniniininiiiMiinirimiK
One summer evening, nftcr Btipper,
Monsieur La Kobc, tho village notary,
camo out upon the veranda of tho llo
l Castor, his nnt In his hand, his
unnothly-Bhavcu faco ruddy and pleas
ant to look upon. Drabon, tho drum
mer, who camo up from Montreal to
Saint Pyx occasionally on business,
eat smoking quietly In a chair that
was tilted against tho wall.
"Good cvoulng," said M. La lloso.
"Good evening, Monsieur lo Notarlel"
answered Brabon, Indolently.
Then thcro followed a Uttlo spell of
sllenco that was Intensified by the
clatter of distant cow bolls.
Presently thcro oppcarcd In tho
street, immediately before tho hotel,
a sort of living fantasy a singular,
fork-faced old man, who strode slowly
past, clad In a looso robo of many
bright colors. His eyes had the un-
E55E!
mvA
v&
Singular, Dnrk.Pnccd Old Sinn,
Clad In I.ooho nolle.
tnlstakablo and restless look of the
tfaft On his head was a crown of but
tons, Bllvcr, bono, pearl, presumably
sewn together on cardboard, and
poking a headgear of remarkable bril
liancy. Behind him walked u gray
haired, gray-eyed woman In ordinary
garb. Hor look wns clear and steady.
Her domeanor in every way sane.
Sot though It was plain to seo sho was
a commonplace, rustic woman, there
was something august in her carriage,
unaccountably so, perhaps, but no nat
ural ns tho studied poso of tho other
wait constrained i nd unnatural. Her
eyes were set fairly upon tho fantasti
cal figure before her with a meek, pa
tient look and an ovldtut Interest be
yond his ludicrous pomp and preoccu
pation. It waB not surprising, then, to tho
notary that tills apparition, empha
sized In the mnglo atmosphere of the
summer twilight, thould have made
Brabon cry out with astonishment:
"Allonsl What Is this monsieur? I
have been in St Pyx many times be
fore, but I declare this is new!"
"A very pathetic affair it Is, Bra
bon," said tho notary, taking a chair
and looking at bis watch, to be assured
he bad time to tell tho tale boforo go
ing for his customary evening chat
with M. Le Cure in the presbytery rose
garden.
There Is a tale?"
"Well, as you will a history, noth
ing absorbing, but very human, very
touching. Old Cesalre Molsson, a man
with a largo family, a thrifty, sober,
God-fearing man, once owned the mill
by the Hlver of Angels"
"Yes. I see it fiom here the suat
white building near the cluster of wil
lows yonder."
"Exactly. Well, he was a man with
a considerable family, I said did I
oof and wlfen the epidemic of small
pox occurred in the vjllago that was
many years ago, monsieur poor Mols
ton's family was attacked, and oue
after another, his wife ami children,
passed away, and ho himself, indeed,
till there was only left his son Zeph
rin, whom you saw go by a moment
since "
"It left hlin so the small pox?"
"No. Ho was not at homo when tho
epidemic occurred; ho was at college.
Old Cesalro nrtnngcd to put by enough
silver to educate the lad the brightest
of his brood and M. Lo Cure also con
tributed, for he had hopes that Zeph
tin would becomi a priest."
"Then, 1 presume, the shock of the
great calamity unbalanced tho young
man's mind?"
"That may be pritty true, monsieur,
though for a long time after the nffnlr
he was thought to bo perfectly sound
mentally. Well, Zephrin was obliged
to leave college and take up the busi
ness of the mill a lonely task it must
hnve been for one w ho had tasted the
sweets of knowledge. Then every
dusty timber of the mill must have
teemed to hltn like a ghost of the hap
py days when tho place was brimming
with laughter and good cheer.
"He was not liked by the villagers
on account of his silent and arrogant
manner; ho was unlike any other mill
er who had evor been kuown. When
the Inhabitants came with their grists
he received them with the grand air of
a seigneur of the old days, who, amid
bis courtly entourage, received the
felfs of his dependents. 'It's like that
always,' grumbled the erones; 'poor
parents fill their children's minds with
foolish notions ot greatness! Poor old
Cesaire himself rest to his bones
was not like thlB peacock; Cesaire
knew his place bon vleux! A miller Is
a miller, If his head be crammed with
Latin or flour dust!'
"Every one pitied Zephrin, of
course, on nocount of his great be
reavement and the business of the
mill suffered no great retrogression In
consequence of his singular demeanor.
This eM-lustreness, this hauteur, how
ever, wns taken lightly by the young
folk of the village nnd often of a sum
mer's evening, like thlB one, for In
stance, they passed by the mill crying
up at Zephrin. who Invariably pored
over his books In the little dormer
window, 'Behold the king of the mill!'
Then, with gestures of mock gravity.
Think of him mighty empire of rats!'
"Quito so," said Barbon, "they
taunted him Into Insanity with these
gibes. The crown! tho robes! I see
now how they camel"
"Indirectly these taunts may have
affected hU mind, monsieur. Ills curi
ous attire and mien are obviously 6ug
festive of the fact; but It Is my opin
ion his sad derangement 1 only partly
duo to tbem.
'Sr-v
ClZLfwMWfMfflWuIll E
.mwr'i ris"kw-uz""L?i
'.jsl-kv - . . - -jr- -7 r . f zj? i
A
"Night after nleht the little dormer
window of the mill was light till dawn;
yet tho earliest comer did not fall to
find Zephrin up and about. No ono
could uuderstaud, for not another light
savo tho miller's might bo found in all
Saint Pyx not oven at tho presbytery,
af tor 10 o'clock. At length the tongues
of the gossips began to wag. It went
abroad that no wns closeted each night
with tho Old Man tho ovll one tie
bating upon tho salo of his soul for
riches and power to satisfy bis sinful
pride. Again, others said it wns not
Zcphrln's light nt all; but only tho
glowing of tho ghosts of his family
who camo to entertain him. Indeed,
taken all in nil ,tho miller was become
a fcarsomo Individual and tho neigh
borhood of tho mill a plnco to be
shunned after dark, unless ono had no
foar In his heart If by any unfortu
nato concurrence of Boreerles a person
should chanco to meet a fire-fly whllo
passing the mill, no plunging of steel
Into wood might savo him from tho
ovil Bplrlts. Even to bless himself nnd
utter pious invocation, perhaps, might
not avail!
"In tho midst of Zephrln't Ill-reputo
a singular thing occurred. Ho was
known to liavc fallen Into conversation
with a customer. It was this way:
Coletto Dion camo often to the mill
wKh fiie grist of her mother a poor
widow with thirteen children, of whom
Coletto was the eldest Ono day when
sho camo down along tho dandelion
dotted pathway leading to the mill,
with her mother's grist In a bag upon
her head, Zephrin watched her with
much Interest. If common report may
bo believed, sho was certainly, In thoso
days, a picture not to bo blinked cas
ually. Sho had the figure of a nymph
nnd a face, for all It was common
placo at points, something unusually
lino for a villager. But tho Htep, tho
carriago; It remains to this day, as wo
have seen, monsieur, dignified, distin
guished, majestic! At first glance, It
is said, there wns some rcmarkablo re
semblance between Colotto and Zeph
rin and who can tell? It may lmvo
been some vnguo suggestion of con
geniality some thin rny, as from one
distant planet to another which In
spired tho miller's Interest
"When, at length, sho arrived at tho
door of the mill and deposited her bur
den beside it, said he:
" 'You have a meaning step, p'tlte,
and a pretty one.'
"'True?' questioned Colette, with
eomothlng finely scornful on her elo
quent lips. Sho was piqued, lot us be
lieve, Blnco ho had not noticed her
pretty face; for, though a woman mny
bo conscious of her subtlest grace and
charm, homage to tho features Is the
thing tho real Joy. Isn't It bo, Bra
bon? 'Well,' Bald tho miller, 'I doubt
not there Is more In your mind than
tuo more grinding of yonder grist, eh?'
" 'It Is my mind now,' said she. 'It
was my step lately!'
" 'It Is the mind which regulates the
stop, p'tlte. I nlways watch the atop
when I would know tho mind,' he re
sponded. "Now, thcro Is much in these frag
ments which reveal the clearness of
Zophrln's mind at that period and also
the real character of the man and tho
bent of his spirit. You see, It was the
gesture, the carriage, the aspect, that
Interested him most Why? Wo shall
see. Though Colette, It may be pre
sumed, did not realize the true signifi
cance of his words, ehe rcmeinebercd
them every one nnd repeated them to
her mother, who In turn told every
thing to the cure, Langlols, from
whom I have tho story. Tho girl con
fessed to her mother that sho was
much BurprlBcd regarding the Ill
reputed miller. 'Monsieur Molsson
Zephrin,' she declared was not at all a
weird man, but on the contrary, very
sensible nnd good-natured. Yet her
mother warned her she must be wary;
such fine qualities oftentimes screened
tho worst souls. Colette, however,
maintained stolidly not a word of the
village gossip was true. 'Indeed,' snkl
she, 'they say almost as naughty
things of me because they thluk I nin
proud. And you know, mamma, I am
not proud nor wicked.' So every time
Colette fetched the grist to tho mill
sho returned radlnnt and full of praise
of the miller. At length one day he
said to her, im she reported:
necnnie a Common Sillier Could Never "Win Sly Henri.
M 'Colette, I am going to ask you
something.'
" 'If It la one thing I know what my
answer will be,' she responded with
much piquancy.
" 'Well, If I should ask you to marry
me?
" 'Then I should answer "No!"
"Why? says the miller, his heart
sinking to his boots, no doubt, but ris
ing again very quickly when ho catch
es tbo twinkle of mischief in her oyes.
" 'Because a common miller could
never win my heart,' says she coquct
tlshly, yet with something truly dra
matic in her pose. 'That is only for a
great man.'
" 'A seigneur?' ventured tho miliar.
" 'Higher.'
" 'A governor?'
" 'Nay, higher.'
" 'A prince?'
"'Even hlghor.'
" 'A king?'
" 'Yes, a king.' Then, after a pretty
pause: 'And tlint Is thou, my dear
king of the mlllf "
"Now ho draws her hands across the
door of tho mill and kisses her fair
head that Is fallen against his breast
and that is all. Let us suppose they
simply looked out In a day-dream,
across tho little ltlvcr of Angels, to
tho pleasant) daisied meadows and
green fields about here.
"'Well,' says Zephrin to her very
gravely and with a new, strange look
in his eyes -a. look that frightens her
not a little.
"'They call mo In contempt "tho
King ot tho Mill," but they shall bow
boforo mo yet as before a king. And
Indeed I shall wear tho robes of a
king and Bpeak the noblo words of a
king, which I am getting by rote each
night where they sec my lamp burning
in tho dormer window. Heln! They
shall Bit like rats, the rats whoso em
peror they Bay I am now, while I hold
them In spell with the bravo lines of
Mollore Of Cornelllel Of Raclnol'
" The good St Ann protect usl Who
are thoy nil?' cries Colette, now much
perturbed. But the miller continues
without noticing tho Interruption.
" 'And I Bhall come to you then with
my triumphs; In my fine royal robes of
purple and gold and ermine; with my
glorious Jeweled crown. And I shall
kiss your hand In linage to your
In hoinago to your beauty and lay these
laurels, these triumphs at your feet,
my queen 1 my Colette I'
"Just then appears a farmer with his
grist and tho happy, frightened girl
flits away like a startled bird."
"Bon Dieul" said Brabon. "I sec.
The stago was bis vagary 1"
"Yes," uald the notary, bowing his
head as before some great mystery.
"At the collego entertainments, while
strutting through the plays of these
groat masters in the little hall, with its
small stago and crude sceuory; before
the common village audiences, he first
heard the siren voice of Art And It is
ns a siren's voice to some, you know,
Brabon. Eh bleu! What Is the differ
ence? Ho Is playing a role now how
tragic a role."
"But about Coletto?" interrupted Bra
bon, with some impatience. The gentle
sentimentality of tho notary escaped, to
an extent the bluff, practical drummer.
"Ah! there Is the ro'e tho role of
beauty and distinction! Think of.ltl
All along sho has believed In him
vaguely. From the day ho had fright
ened her with his strange talk, seem
ingly bo Irrelevant to her happiness,
her poor, small mind was filled with
visions of mysterious greatness and
Joys to bo in tho future much as nre
our visions of the life to come. He
asked her to wait. She must never bo
tho wife of a common miller, but of a
great man, a man whom tho whole
worlr would applaud. And so she
'waited; trusting, loving, believing In
him Infinitely; and even when her rea
son Is fallen Into decay see tho de
votion! Each day, all these years, she
goes to the mill and attends upon him,
performing the household duties, con
ducting the business of the mill, detail
ing the work and Instructing tho men
hired to do the milling. Thus has she
cared for him as no one would care for
a child, and In all, save the matter of
this vagary, he Is obedient to her Blight
st whim."
Brabon touched the notary's arm.
"See! They come again."
Once more the bizarre figure strolled
past followed by the woman. They
had wnlked to tho church where Co
lette was making a novena for Zeph
rln's recover'.
To look upon the notary one would
supiose un angel passed, but there was
on the face of the drummer only a look
of perplexed Incredulity.
When they were gone a little way
the notary arose, looked at his watch
and made ns to set forth. Brabon de
tained him.
"Ono word, monsieur. They nre mar
ried now?"
"Oh. no! That could not be," he an-
r i -l
Bwered with something like a sigh.
"They are still courting and looking
forward to a day of greatness and
making roady for the wedding. Mon
Dreu Brabon. That Is love, eh 7 St
Louis Globe-Democrat '
Aeeomniodntlntr.
"Of course I'm a friend of tho work
lngmau," said the aspiring politician.
"Then why don't you work occasion
ally?" asked one of his auditors.
"Oh, that's slmplo enough. I don't
wish to crowd some more deserving
man out of a Job." Philadelphia North
American.
.lIlliaiykaiEiiiiritrriiuwri'sqy
THAT HOUSE THAT
JACK BUILT.
niirmmmnniTVTMi v
Tbo houso that Jack! built 15 still
standing, for this is a truo story, ns
nny ono will find who will read tho
records of the County of Belmont, in
tho State of Ohio, where It Is written
almost ns I hnve tcld it.
Jake Hcatlierlngton waB an English
miner's boy. Indeed he might have
been called a miner himself, for from
tho dny ho was Eeven years old ho had
spent sixteen hours out of every
twenty-four deep down in a coal mine.
Ho had emigrated with his fatlior
from England and he hnd a mule.
Tho mule'B nnme was Jade. Jake said
they mere pnrtners. Jack was the
sturdiest little mule In tho Ohio val
loy. He was oiily three and one-half
feet high, but he was as stout as oak,
and Jnko himself hadn't more pluck.
"It' All Dccntmc of Yon, Jack."
There was no load so heavy that Jack
wouldn't do his best to draw It; there
never was a hill he wouldn't pull up
It; nud as for being afraid of whistles
and noise and crowds Jack) simply
gloried In them and nlways pushed
Into the thickest of every din. Jnko
had been nil his life a lonely fellow,
nnd every day that he worked with
Jack ho became happier. Ho fell Into
the habit of talking aloud to him ns
thoy went about, telling him how
much coal they bud taken out to-day
and what they had sold It for, and he
confided to lilin all his future plaus.
At night when the work was done
Jake always smoked his pipe near
Jack and planned the next dny. As
for the mule his affection for the man
was something unbent d of. It was
only necessary to watch Jack's ears
when Jnko wus near to know that his
whole soul was wrapped up In his
master. So devoted was Iks that he
brayed with grief If Jake attempted
to drive another animal, and if nny
one on the premises dared to harness
or drive him he kicked nnd balked un
til the Intruder was glad to give up
tho task. Every time that Jake saw
his partner kick over a man who at
tempted to use" him ho confessed that
It mado him love Jack better. This
was Jack's way of showing his affec
tion, he said.
Jake and Jack had not been in busi
ness together long before It was evi
dent that they were making a great
deal of money. In an amazingly short
thue Jake paid the last dollar on his
eight acres nnd was able to buy a
much larger piece of coal land. "It's
Kicked Cp HU Heel nt the Miners
all because of you, Jack," he said to
tho mule, putting his arms around his
neck. "I never could 'a done It with
out you." His holiness grew so fast
now that he began to hire men, nnd to
buy other mules, and even to send
coal down Hie river on his own fiat
boats. Men looked on In astonish
ment nt the way ho grew rich, and
when they spoke to him about It he
would say modestly, "Yes, Jack and
mo's doing pretty good."
About five years nftcr the partner
ship was formed Jake and Jnck con
cluded they'd buy n third piece of
land. It wns a big piece which had
nevr been opened, but they felt sure
there wns coal there, and so It proved
thousands upon thousands of tons of
tho richest, blackest coal that any ono
had over seen on the Ohio river. Tho
firm bad made their fortune, but they
never slacken their speed. To bo sure
Jake dropped his pick aud shovel, for
now ho had to superintend men, nnd
build houses nud whnrves and steam
ers. Jnck, too, no longer drew loads
of coal, his one nnd only load was
Jake. Thy had bought tho finest Ut
tlo cart that hnd ever been seen in tho
valley, and togather trotted from mine
to mlno nnd from wharf to wharf
looking nftcr their business, and as
they rode Jake counted up in a loud
voice to Jnck their earnings. This ho
found very convenient for ho could no
more rend and write and cipher than
the mule. It helped hlin greatly to
add up aloud to Jack, he said.
As tho firm grew richer nnd richer
Jake found that peoplo treated him
with a respect which sometimes was
very troublesome From Now Orleans
nnd Pittsburg and Cincinnati and even
from Now York camo bankers nnd
steamboat builders nnd capitalists and
tried to persuade him to invest his
money In their enterprise. "I'll havo
to talk It over with Jnck," ho always
said, and though the men did not al
ways know who Jnck was, they had
to wait until the partners hnd had a
rldo together and thought the matter
over. It was wonderful how few mis
takes they made In spite of nil the
flatter' and persuasion of tho flno gen
tlemen from the cities. The truth was
Jake and Jack both had a great deal
of good sense nnd when they mnde up
their mluds nothing could budge them.
Of course ns he was so rich Jake's
neighbors thought he ought to marry
and so he did at last. Ho was very
fond of his wife nnd bought her
gowns nud Jewels, but Jnck hnd his
heart. Everybody said that, even Mrs.
Jake herself.
After the two hod been in partner
ship about twenty-five years Jake con
cluded to build a house. As he was
the richest man In tho valley he de
cided he must have the finest house,
but before ho hnd said anything to his
wife about his project ho told his part
ner. "It's you ns has done It Jack."
he said, tears of gratitude In his oyeB.
"It's you as has done It It'll be the
house that Jack built an nothln' else."
Tho liouse was begun nnd during the
months It wns building Jake went
every dny to see It Often his friends'
and rich visitors went with him and
always he said, "Yes. sir, it's a fine
un. but Wie credit's to Jack, ne's
built It sir." and so all up and down
the river the new home come to bo
known, greatly to Jake's jov, as the
"Houso that Jack built." But Jake
was not satisfied with having hlB part
ner's name attached to his home, ho
wanted his dear face and tender eyes
nud great sympathetic ears In It ,and
so ho had a splendid head of the mule
carved In stone nnd put up as a key
stone to the fine nrched portal. Then
'he was content.
When at hist tho house was dono
Jake refused to take any one through
It until after his partner had seen it
He made a great feto on the lawn nnd
invited all Ids neighbors. Then In the
prosenco of them nil he led Jack from
his stable across the lawn up the steps
Into the now house. From room to
room wont the two old friends, Joke
leading tho way and explaining lov
ingly all the conveniences and lux
uries which henceforth he aud his fam
ily were to enjoy. He always declared
that Jack understood and enjoyed it
all and long nftcr he told how the mule
rubbed his nose against the fine wood
work and peered Into all the closets
and kicked up his heels at the mirrors
and cantered around the great drawing
room nnd actually Iwunded up the
broad staircase three steps at a time.
"No one ever appreciated this houso
like Jack." declared Jake.
When the house was built Jack was
already old for a mule. He wns 30,
In fact, but happily he still had a long
term of years boforo him. No prince
ever received more homnge and lived
In greater comfort than uid he In his
last days. Jake himself cared for him;
nnd Cantered Around the Iloom.
the whole community petted hlra, and
often visitors from far away came to
look on his white hairs. At last, when
he wis 40 years and 10 days old, Jack
died. His death was tho one great
sorrow of Jake's life. The man buried
his old friend under a favorite treo,
and often he went there to sit by his
grave. Every visitor was taken out
to seo the spot and to hear tho tale of
Jack's honorable life. Philadelphia
Inquirer.
Pattl is singing again In London at
tho old price. It Is about thno to ex
pect her bore for nuothor farewell tour.
TnLKl'HOM.NO IX THIS IIOCICIES.
Hnrd Lnlior Hniulrcd In rinclne the
Wire nnd Entnullnhltio- Commnnl.
cation.
Telephone construction in the Itocky
Mountains is nttended with a great
deal of hardship. The lino built from
Leadvllle to Aspen several years ago
Is a case In point. It took two months
to cover the entire length, forty-eight
miles. In ordlunry construction tho
poles would bo set forty-two to the
mile, but ntccrtnln points where sharp
turns nre necessary, tho number some
times Increased to seventy-five to tho
mile. The members of the construc
tion gang had to bo expert as axmen
as well as linemen, for when timber
was encountered a path of 200 feet on
each sldo of the line hnd to bo cleared
In order that wires might not' bo brok
en when trees were blown over by tho
terrific blasts which at times prevail In
that region.
A great deal of the comparative
slowness of the installation was owing
to the iunblllty of tho workmen to la
bor in Buch a rarlfied atmosphere. At
one point the wires were strung nt an
elevation of 12,000 feet above the level
of the sea. In such an altitude the
linemen soon became completely tired;
after he has climbed two or three
poles he has to take a rest to recuper
ate his energies. The preparation of
the holes for pcles, which would have
been tedious In similar ground even In
an ordlnnry atmosphere, was an espe
cially slow and fatiguing operation. It
was often necessary to blast n hole for
the polo by the use of giant powder,
nnd nn ex-miner who hnd hnd nn ex
tensive experience with explosives,
wns nsslgned to the job.
The digging of one pole hole would
sometimes occupy him n w'jfle day,
working honestly. Over 300 pouuds of
powder were used on the line for thlB
purpose. When tho continental divide
was reached tho poles had to bo aban
doned, nnd the wires placed In a cable,
which was burled In a two-foot trench
for a distance of 7.000 feet. Tho ad
visability of abandoning aerial con
struction nt this point wns demonstrat
ed by tho experience of tho company
that maintains the Lcndvllle and Den
ver line. At ono point on that line,
Mosquito Pass, tho poles were orlg
Innlly set seventy feet npert As soon
as the wires were covered with sleet
they snapped, ard the lino wns use
less. Double tho r umber of pole3 were
then used, with the same result Tho
Bpace between Hie poles was then re
duced to twenty-five feet, but when the
sleet enme tho line wns swept down
flat Eventually nn underground ca
ble was laid for two and a half miles,
and there hns bsen no trouble since.
Denver Field nid Farm.
SMALL, GIRLS AHE 1'Ol'UIiAIt.
"Dcnr, Yon're So Tnll," They Say,
nnd the Man In Vain.
The short girl has many advantages
over the tnll one. She haB to go
through life looking up and nothing Is
so becoming to eyes as that Her lash
es show more and so does her hair.
There are curves of cheek, chin and
throat that look their prettiest to a
man who must look down to them.
A small girl Is more easily held ard
more easily kissed. It Is nicer to havo
to lift her face up by the chin, nnd It Is
more epicurean nud satisfactory to
reach down to the upturned lips.
It Is comfortable when you hold a
girl on your knee to have her head Just
come to your shoulder, Instead of hav
ing to hang over surplus, as It were.
Everything about a small girl Is llkely
to be a provocation the unexpectedly
tiny hand, tho distracting morsels of
feet, the little head, the little nose.
A small girl can bo fascinating event
In a temper, ehe can be delicious when
sho cries, she can be lovely when ehe
pouts, and none of these moods 8lts
well on a big woman. Then, too, the
man in love Is Inclined to pet names,
and he wants to call his girl "Blrdy,"
whether she weighs 200 or not; yet he
is not insensible to tho appropriateness
of the title when given to a real little
flilng.
A man likes to feel big, by compari
son, at least A really large man does
not object to seeming almost a giant
besldo the girl of his heart, and It js
almost necessary to the short man's
vanity that he Bhall seem big to the
little creature he Is going to marry.
It Is. yery fetching to have one's girl
say: "Please, dear, my neck gets so
tired you're so tall." Don't you know
what that means? Well, get a bit of
a girl ajid you will (iud out. On tho
whole, tho small girl has the best of It.
Kansas City Star.
THEIR LUCK AVAS 11AD.
So They Threw Awny the Iluuhlt'a
Foot nnd diluent; Coin.
Two men were talking about luck at
the corner of Baltimore nnd South
streets recently. Neither of them had.
liad a recent visitation of Dame For
tune, and In consequence both were
loud In their denunciations of that
fickle lady.
"I haven't had a good thing for three
years," said one of them In a tone of
deep disgust. "I hnve tried my best
to overcome the hoodoo, but somehow
I can't do It. I've tried every sort of
mascot, but I can't get out of the rut.
For two ywirs I hnvo carried a rabbit's
foot but it seeniB to have come from a
Jonah Babbit and not one of the regu
lar kind. Darn this luck, anyhow."
The other man sympathized deeply,
nud told his own troubles In the same
disgruntled style. He, too, had a mas
cot In the shaio of a Chinese coin.
"They nre all a snare and a delu
sion," he said, aud his face looked
more woelwgone than ever. "Darn
this luck, anyhow."
"Mascots are not what they are
cracked up to be," assented the other.
"I'm almost tempted to believe In
Jonahs as the liarbliigers of good for
tune. I'm going to get rid of this rah
bit's foot at any rate."
"I am right with you," said the other.
"Darn this luck, anyhow."
Tho rabbit's foot nud tho coin ap
peared from their iwckets, and with a
more hopeful maimer than they had
yet shown the two elmrnis were tossed
together In tho middle of tho streets
near tho tracks of tho city passenger
railway. Then the two "hoodooed"
men went down tho street nrm In arm.
"Darn this luck, anyhow." was the
last thing heard as they disappeared
In a doorway. Baltimore Sun.
Vk
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