Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-01-19
From the Sunday Times.
THE GHOST OF ...
LAST NIGHTS PARTY
OR SKETCHES OF
Christmas FircsideS.
CHAPTER ONE.


ASSiliage common-a blue-eye ed,
curly headed urchin of fourteen years,
sporting by the door yard with a New
.-,undlaud dog--a man standing in the
gateway, trembling with passion, and a
ueek and beautiful woman close behind
IN, with tears of pleading in her eyes.
lch was the scene behtld, and such The
.~personages present, when the words with
!, which our story opens were heard.
a "You have broken the best and mos,
expensive re,ort in my labra,ory. sr!-
sThese tricks Of yourself and that vii
lainous dog will never cease. Leave my
house! You are no true son Of mine,
( SAID the father. ceasing only from excess
uf rage.
The dog had skunk into hiding place
and the boy stood alone. with arich col
or on his cheek; while a few laborers IN
the vicinity stopped 10 hear the wran
gle.
The wra,hful chemis, had turned and
gone into the house. but the echo OF his
words still fingered in the youthful ears
now ungling with the shame Of public
rebuke. "Lease my house! surged
within him like The noise OF an unqulet
sea.
Heed him not, Arthur. for my sake, ;"
cried the mo,her, who had advanced to-
ward her only cil,ld, and the dog, hear.
ing her mild voice, stole forth from the
shadow OF bush, and licked the hem
of her garment. '.He will soon forge.
his cruel words.
"Mo,her, | love my father, and love
You; but this tyranny, 80 often repeated,
is undeseryed. Neither Rover nor my
self have been in the labra,ory;" and the
lip of me young man quivered, though
tie proud heart kept back the tears anx-
ious TO swell out upon those glowing
checks.
.Come back in an hour, then. my
son, ard he&ill have iorgo,,eL it. Take
walk before supper. and it will refresh
Iyoh,' returned the loving parent.
YES. forgotten now, to repeal TO NOR
tow," mut,cred the boy. turning away
IND beckoning TO the dog.
The harvest moon was up before he
Returned, and his steps were s,ealthy -
(f'rhe singling color had passed from his
ears. but small, brigh, spot of scarlet
on his cheek showed how much Of hid
den emotion was ye, left. The dog
came crouchingly behind him. AZ il he
OWNED some secset purpose Of liis mas.
Ter .ha. required stiffness. The boy
stopped ber eat window, ,hro' which
ne the shaa Of woman. How
asaE:Is.ss.Rs he looked up! But he
ps only . moment-turns to the leiI
mounts little shed-raises slowly q
window, and, in five minutes. emerges
silentlY.with small bundle on his back
and little volume in his hand. He
lesps lightly to the ground, subdues a
whistle for the dog, and then. without q
look behind him, walks swiftly over the
village common TO the main road.
4 ii.
Morli0nfin the streets Of New York
Mes 1swhen Canal street 10 jus,
out Of yown and Murray H i'll 1bng dis.
lance from the ouiermost dwelling of the
advancing city. A slender line Of ship
81 - piers, which are narrow md
zone Of these stands q boy
:; e.; !: e; !:
schS1frmy mes sma.es! fried
s-se xaisse IN ship At his
You look strange and tired. Pfaps
you want The place Of cabin boy?
The youngster sprung up The side Of
y ..-~ .essel. with the dog at his heels
Wondering at the sudden alacrisy
master. "Ths very request
.havs made! rse-rve"-ant
ekss's voice lrembled as he dash
ed .4pay iear-'loss my father and my
mother. I'm alone in The world. IL
seek my fortune on the seas"
"A brave boy--a wonderful lad; aud
> decided acqulsition for old Father Nep
q ssne, wis is none Of my Sort" cried I
!. huge, sunbarn, individual. who had ap
psasn,ly been experimenting .l.e open