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'Artagnan of the loafers there. He was the dingiest, the laziest,
the sorriest brown blot against the green background 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