the voice of the city-第6章
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clothes men had to do a little club…swinging。 More
than half the patrons escaped。
Denver Dick had graced his game with his own
presence that night。 He led the rush that was in…
tended to sweep away the smaller body of raiders；
But when be saw the Kid his manner became personal。
Being in the heavyweight class be cast himself joy…
fully upon his slighter enemy； and they rolled down
a flight of stairs in each others arms。 On the land…
ing they separated and arose； and then the Kid was
able to use some of his professional tactics； which had
been useless to him while in the excited clutch of a
200…pound sporting gentleman who was about to lose
20；000 worth of paraphernalia。
After vanquishing his adversary the Kid hurried
upstairs and through the gambling…room into a
smaller apartment connecting by an arched 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 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 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。
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 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 note somehow； boys。 Ain't
what's a man's wife's his？ Leave it to me。 I'll go
over to the house and get it。 Wait here for me。〃
〃I've seen 'em give up quick； and tell you where
it's hid if you kick 'em in the ribs；〃 said Kidd。
〃No man would kick a woman；〃 said Peters； vir…
tuously。 〃A little choking … just a touch on the
windpipe … that gets away with 'em … and no marks
left。 Wait for me。 I'll bring back that dollar； boys。〃
High up in a tenement…house between Second Ave…
nue and the river lived the Peterses in a back room
so gloomy that the landlord blushed to take the rent
for it。 Mrs。 Peters worked at sundry times； doing
odd jobs of scrubbing and washing。 Mr。 Peters had
a pure； unbroken record of five years without having
earned a penny。 And yet they clung together； shar…
ing each other's hatred and misery； being creatures
of habit。 Of habit； the power that keeps the earth
from flying to pieces； though there is some silly
theory of gravitation。
Mrs。 Peters reposed her 200 pounds on the safer
of the two chairs and gazed stolidly out the one win…
dow at the brick wall opposite。 Her eyes were red
and damp。 The furniture could have been carried
away on a pushcart； but no pushcart man would have
removed it as a gift。
The door opened to admit Mr。 Peters。 His fox…
terrier eyes expressed a wish。 His wife's diagnosis
located correctly the seat of it； but misread it hun…
ger instead of thirst。
〃You'll get nothing more to eat till night；〃 she
said； looking out of the window again。 Take your
hound…dog's face out of the room。〃
Mr。 Peters's eye calculated the distance between
them。 By taking her by surprise it might be pos…
sible to spring upon her； overthrow her； and apply
the throttling tactics of which he had boasted to
his waiting comrades。 True； it had been only a
boast； never yet had be dared to lay violent bands
upon her； but with the thoughts of the delicious； cool
bock or Culmbacher bracing his nerves； he was near
to upsetting his own theories of the treatment due by
a gentleman to a lady。 But； with his loafer's love
for the more artistic and less strenuous way； he chose
diplomacy first； the high card in the game the as…
sumed attitude of success already attained。
〃You have a dollar；〃 he said； loftily； but signifi…
cantly in the tone that goes with the lighting of a
cigar … when the properties are at hand。〃
〃I have；〃 said Mrs。 Peters； producing the bill
from her bosom and crackling it； teasingly。
〃I am offered a position in a in a tea store；〃
said Mr。 Peters。 〃I am to begin work to…morrow。
But it will be necessary for me to buy a pair of 〃
〃You are a liar；〃 said Mrs。 Peters； reinterring
the note。 〃No tea store； nor no A B C store； nor
no junk shop would have you。 I rubbed the skin off
both me hands washin' jumpers and overalls to make
that dollar。 Do you think it come out of them suds
to buy the kind you put into you？ Skiddoo！ Get
your mind off of money。〃
Evidently the poses of Talleyrand were not worth
one hundred cents on that dollar。 But diplomacy is
dexterous。 The artistic temperament of Mr。 Peters
lifted him by the straps of his congress gaiters and
set him on new ground。 He called up
