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doorway。
Here was a long table set with choicest chinaware and silver； and
lavishly furnished with food of that expensive and spectacular sort of
which the devotees of sport are supposed to be fond。 Here again was to be
perceived the liberal and florid taste of the gen… tleman with the urban
cognomenal prefix。
A No。 10 patent leather shoe protruded a few of its inches outside the
tablecloth along the floor。 The Kid seized this and plucked forth a black
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man in a white tie and the garb of a servitor。
〃Get up！〃 commanded the Kid。 〃Are you in charge of this free lunch？〃
〃Yes； sah； I was。 Has they done pinched us ag'in； boss？〃
〃Looks that way。 Listen to me。 Are there any peaches in this layout？ If
there ain't I'll have to throw up the sponge。〃
〃There was three dozen； sah； when the game opened this evenin'； but I
reckon the gentlemen done eat 'em all up。 If you'd like to eat a fust…rate
orange； sah； I kin find you some。〃
〃Get busy；〃 ordered the Kid； sternly； and move whatever peach crop
you've got quick or there'll be trouble。 If anybody oranges me again to…
night； I'll knock his face off。〃
The raid on Denver Dick's high…priced and prodi… gal luncheon
revealed one lone； last peach that had escaped the epicurean jaws of the
followers of chance。 Into the Kid's pocket it went； and that in… defatigable
forager departed immediately with his prize。 With scarcely a glance at the
scene on the sidewalk below； where the officers were loading their
prisoners into the patrol wagons； be moved homeward with long； swift
strides。
His heart was light as be went。 So rode the knights back to Camelot
after perils and high deeds done for their ladies fair。 The Kid's lady had
com… manded him and be had obeyed。 True； it was but a peach that she
had craved； but it had been no small deed to glean a peach at midnight
from that wintry city where yet the February snows lay like iron。 She had
asked for a peach； she was his bride； in his pocket the peach was warming
in his band that held it for fear that it might fall out and be lost。
On the way the Kid turned in at an all…night drug store and said to the
spectacled clerk：
〃Say； sport； I wish you'd size up this rib of mine and see if it's broke。 I
was in a little scrap and bumped down a flight or two of stairs。〃
The druggist made an examination。 〃It isn't broken；〃 was his diagnosis；
〃but you have a bruise there that looks like you'd fallen off the Flatiron
twice。〃
〃That's all right；〃 said the Kid。 〃Let's have your clothesbrush； please。〃
The bride waited in the rosy glow of the pink lamp shade。 The
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The Voice of the City
miracles were not all passed away。 By breathing a desire for some slight
thing … a flower； a pomegranate； a … oh； yes； a peach … she could send forth
her man into the night； into the world which could not withstand him； and
he would do her bidding。
And now be stood by her chair and laid the peach in her band。
〃Naughty boy！〃 she said； fondly。 〃Did I say a peach？ I think I would
much rather have had an orange。〃
Blest be the bride。
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THE HARBINGER
Long before the springtide is felt in the dull bosom of the yokel does
the city man know that the grass… green goddess is upon her throne。 He sits
at his breakfast eggs and toast； begirt by stone walls； opens his morning
paper and sees journalism leave vernal… ism at the post。
For； whereas； spring's couriers were once the evi… dence of our finer
senses； now the Associated Press does the trick。
The warble of the first robin in Hackensack； the stirring of the maple
sap in Bennington； the bud… ding of the pussy willows along Main Street
in Syra… cuse； the first chirp of the bluebird； the swan song of the Blue
Point； the annual tornado in St。 Louis； the plaint of the peach pessimist
from Pompton； N。 J。； the regular visit of the tame wild goose with a
broken leg to the pond near Bilgewater Junction； the base attempt of the
Drug Trust to boost the price of quinine foiled in the House by
Congressman Jinks； the first tall poplar struck by lightning and the usual
stunned picknickers who had taken refuge； the first crack of the ice jam in
the Allegheny River； the finding of a violet in its mossy bed by the
correspondent at Round Corners … these are the advance signs of the
burgeoning season that are wired into the wise city； while the farmer sees
nothing but winter upon his dreary fields。
But these be mere externals。 The true harbinger is the heart。 When
Strephon seeks his Chloe and Mike his Maggie； then only is spring arrived
and the newspaper report of the five…foot rattler killed in Squire
Pettigrew's pasture confirmed。
Ere the first violet blew； Mr。 Peters； Mr。 Ragsdale and Mr。 Kidd sat
together on a bench in Union Square and conspired。 Mr。 Peters was the
D'Artag… nan of the loafers there。 He was the dingiest； the laziest； the
sorriest brown blot against the green back… ground of any bench in the
park。 But just then he was the most important of the trio。
Mr。 Peters had a wife。 This had not heretofore affected his standing
with Ragsy and Kidd。 But to… day it invested him with a peculiar interest。
His friends； having escaped matrimony； had shown a disposition to deride
Mr。 Peters for his venture on that troubled sea。 But at last they had been
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forced to acknowledge that either he had been gifted with a large foresight
or that he was one of Fortune's lucky sons。
For； Mrs。 Peters had a dollar。 A whole dollar bill； good and receivable
by the Government for customs； taxes and all public dues。 How to get
possession of that dollar was the question up for discussion by the three
musty musketeers。
〃How do you know it was a dollar？〃 asked Ragsy； the immensity of
the sum inclining him to scepticism。
〃The coalman seen her have it；〃 said Mr。 Peters。 〃She went out and
done some washing yesterday。 And look what she give me for breakfast …
the heel of a loaf and a cup of coffee； and her with a dollar！〃
〃It's fierce；〃 said Ragsy。
〃Say we go up and punch 'er and stick a towel in 'er mouth and cop the
coin〃 suggested Kidd； Viciously。 〃Y' ain't afraid of a woman； are you？〃
〃She might holler and have us pinched；〃 demurred Ragsy。 〃I don't
believe in slugging no woman in a houseful of people。〃
〃Gent'men；〃 said Mr。 Peters； severely； through his russet stubble；
〃remember that you are speaking of my wife。 A man who would lift his
hand to a lady except in the way of 〃
〃Maguire；〃 said Ragsy； pointedly； 〃has got his bock beer sign out。 If
we had a dollar we could 〃
〃Hush up！〃 said Mr。 Peters； licking his lips。 〃We got to get that case
not