“Oh, you didn’t know we was here or you wouldn’t have kep’ us waitin’,
would you?”--“Now, ain’t she a slick un!--and in her bare feet too.
Well, the walk through the grass will be good fer her corns.”--“Say,
now less get her drunk. She’ll be awful funny when she’s full,” and
they passed up a whisky-bottle toward me; and so the remarks flew as
the crowd of thirty or more men kept pushing closer around, anxious to
get a nearer view of me.
“I say, miss, is that the latest style of wearing hair on Canal
street?”--“Oh, you forgot your bustle!”--“You don’t feel as big as you
generally do!”--“You won’t snub us now, will you, even if we do live at
the Cross-roads?”
Sam Scott took me by the arm. “Don’t be afraid, missis--I know them
all. Let us go,” he said.
I looked into the face of this tall young man, and saw the look of
quiet determination as we moved out of the door. There are two kinds
of composure--one which speaks of calm rest and peace, the other a
calm that is so quiet it threatens. It is the hush we feel before the
storm--the composure of the couchant leopard before he springs. This
was the look on the face of this twenty years old stripling as he
pushed me not ungently before him and motioned that The Man should walk
by my side.
Bilkson led the way, his head tied up so he could not wear his hat.
Doubtless he exaggerated the severity of his wounds, hoping to get
sympathy from the crowd. But be it known this was not a sympathetic
assemblage. Scott seemed the only sober man among them, and they kept
still crowding near, and still the ribald jeering continued. Scott
walked close behind me, and I noticed that he was the only one who
carried no weapon--even Bilkson, who walked like a drum major at the
head of the procession, carried on his shoulder a fencerail.
“The band will now play the wedding-march,” shouted a loud mouthed
buffoon. “They took their wedding tower afore the ceremony, didn’t
they?” And still the awful obscenity which I dare not think of, still
less write, continued.
One man, no longer young but drunker than the rest, big, red whiskered
and burly, reeled up by my side and endeavored to put his arm around
me. “Only one kiss, my dear--just one. Now don’t be frisky,” he
hiccoughed.
I felt the nauseous hot whisky breath against my cheek. A suppressed
scream came from my lips and I started back. Suddenly I saw the right
arm of Scott shoot forward. I saw the ruffian dodge and thought Scott
had struck at him and missed his mark; but quicker than the flash of
thought the tall young man grew a foot taller, the head went back, the
chest heaved, the lungs filled, his body seemed to sway to the left and
pitch forward, the brawny left fist shot out like a thunderbolt and
caught the ruffian square on the angle of the jaw. The man seemed to
spring into the air, and as he fell in a heap ten feet away I saw blood
gush from his eyes, nose and mouth. The first right hand move of Scott
was merely a feint. As the man dodged to the left he ran square against
that terrific stroke, which was not a mere hit with the clenched hand,
but a stroke backed up by the entire weight of the body. In dodging the
blow he had rushed to meet it.
As we passed on, scarcely pausing during the incident I have described,
I heard a coarse voice behind say, “He is dead! He got that awful left
hander! He’s done for sure! What will his wife say to this?”
Some fell back to look after the man who was hurt and others dropped
off or fell behind one by one. I looked in the east and saw the great
red streaks which told of the coming of the day. The stars disappeared.
I heard the merry song of birds (how the birds do sing early in the
morning!) and when we reached the village the sun was just peering over
the far off hills. Bilkson, still with his fence rail, marched ahead.
The Man and I walked hand in hand, for my woman’s nature had began
to assert itself; although at first I felt strong and able to endure
anything, but as we entered the village my hand went out to The Man and
I felt his reassuring grasp.
This was the first time my hand had touched his, and the only time he
had come near me since the first night I saw him, when he passed his
hand over my face as I went to sleep.
The mob had disappeared, but a quarter or an eighth of a mile back,
I saw coming, jauntily swinging a cane, a high white hat on the back
of his head, the Prince Albert coat buttoned around his pompous form,
Mr. Pygmalion Woodbur, attorney and counsellor at law. Close behind me
still followed Sam Scott, dark and determined.
We entered the little tumbledown depot, and The Man and I sat down
on one of the hard benches, Sam Scott seated scowlingly between us.
Bilkson and the fencerail thought best to remain outside. Mr. Woodbur
entered and smilingly bid me “Good-morning,” stroked the high hat
and hoped I was well. He said he heard that I was in trouble; that I
had been indiscreet; and knowing my little lapses from the path of
rectitude were merely sins of the head and not of the heart, he at once
decided to befriend me, and had come out from the city to see that I
received right treatment. There I sat, hatless and shoeless, but not
friendless, for ever did I feel the serene composure of The Man, and
spread out over his bony knee I saw the great brown hand of Sam Scott.
The train was two hours late, and as we sat in the depot children came,
curiously peering in the door to see the bad man and woman whom the
officers from the city were obliged to arrest. Women came carrying
babies in their arms, and rough-whiskered but kindly-hearted men
stared at us, and carried on _sotto voce_ conversations which I could
partially hear.
“Now ain’t she a wicked-looking thing?” said a woman. “See her long
hair clear to her waist--and how brazen!” said another. “Why, if it
was me I would cry my eyes out for very shame, and there she sits pale
like and not a bit scared.”--“Ah, you Sam Scott, where did you get the
introduction?”
Sam Scott sent back a look for an answer, and the questioner sneaked
away.
I shook with the cold morning air, for I brought no wrap. One woman,
who carried a baby dressed only in its nightgown, stared at me, and
I saw her hastily throw her apron over her head and go out, running
against the door as she turned. Soon she came back. I noticed her eyes
were very red. She brought me an old pieced bed-quilt, and told me to
put it around me to keep me warm; to take it with me, and if I didn’t
have a chance to send it back I needn’t; and abruptly as she came she
rushed away.
The train arrived and we entered the smoking-car, leaving Sam Scott on
the platform. I looked at him and endeavored to speak, but the words
stuck in my throat. He guessed what I wanted to say, and stammered,
“Now, you, missis, keep still will you. I know, don’t I--how that
blamed sun does hurt my eyes!” and he began gouging one eye with the
knobby knuckles.
Arriving in Buffalo, I saw drawn up in the depot yard a patrol-wagon,
with three brass-buttoned officers seated therein. I knew they were
waiting for us, and that Bilkson had telegraphed for them, possibly to
deepen my humiliation. As we descended from the car, Bilkson called out
in the direction of the officers,
“Here they are, and you’d better look out for ’em! Just look at me
all chawed up. An awful fight we had!” And surely he looked as if he
spoke the truth, for a half dozen dirty men had contributed a dirty
handkerchief apiece to tie up his broken head. “Take no chances, or you
must run your own risks,” he continued.
At this one of the officers went back to the patrol-wagon and returned
with handcuffs.
“Here, old gal,” he said, “we’re used to sech as you--the worse you are
the better we like you! Spit and kick and scratch now all you want, but
put on the jewelry just for looks, as it is Sunday morning, you know.”
I felt the cold steel close with a snap around my wrists, we were
pushed into the wagon, Bilkson climbed on the seat with the driver, and
amid a general yell from a party of street gamins we dashed up Exchange
street. The bells were ringing, calling worshipers to church. Children
dressed out in stiff white dresses, women daintily attired, family
groups, we passed on their way to church, and they turned to look with
wondering eyes.
At Michigan street I saw coming toward us a form I knew full well,
the first and only face which I had seen--it seemed for years--which
I might truly call friend. It was Martha Heath, walking briskly
forward, going I knew to a mission Sunday-school on Perry street,
where she taught a class of grinning youngsters. She, too, looked at
the patrol-wagon with its motley load, and I saw she did not recognize
me. I thought of calling to her, but the restraining influence of the
officer’s club, who sat close to me, froze the words on my lips. Still
she looked. I held up my hands showing the handcuffs in mute appeal. I
saw the books drop from her grasp. Her hand went to her head in dazed
manner--she reeled--staggered--and grasped a friendly railing as we
whirled by.
The driver cracked his whip in the direction of a passing policeman,
and pointed over his shoulder with his thumb, and they both laughed.
“What charge?” the officer asked, as we were marched up before the high
desk at the station-house.
“Make the entry in lead pencil and call it burglary--we may want to
change it later. Oh, we’ve got it in for ’em though! Put ’em in the
freezer, and mind no one sees ’em, for we want to make ’em confess,”
said Woodbur, lowering his voice to a confidential whisper.
The next morning in the _Daily Times_ was the following item, and the
clipping now adorns my scrap book.
BEAUTY’S BLOWOUT.
A FREE RIDE.
HOW ASPASIA HOBBS HOBNOBS WITH CAPTAIN KILBUCK AT NO. 10.
Church goers yesterday morning in the vicinity of Main and Exchange
streets were treated to the shocking sight of seeing one of Buffalo’s
former society belles taking a ride with the genial Jimmy Smith, who
received first prize in the recent Times contest as the most popular
policeman in Buffalo.
Old residents well remember Hobbs, of Hobbs, Nobbs & Porcine, who
skipped by the light of the moon to Canada, and the fair virgin in
the patrol-wagon was none other than Aspasia Hobbs, daughter of the
above. Now who says there is nothing in heredity? Aspasia was attired
in her bare feet and a blue quilt which the officers provided for her
for decency’s sake, and looked as if she had been having a high old
time with the elderly hayseed seated in the wagon with her.
Well, the good book is right when it says, “There is no fool like an
old fool.” Verily, when a woman falls she goes to depths to which
a man can not descend. The festive Hobbs has been going it strong
lately and as there are quite a number of charges against her,
doubtless Judge Prince will do his duty. By the way, we hear the
worthy judge has decided to accept the nomination for another term.