The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-05-04

IN an evil hour, paid my money,
aud passed through tho tnrnstile; and
then feared to leave my flowers in
charge of the gate keeper. 1t was diff
ferent at friends house; but at this
public place the precious bouquet
might come to harm. The man, too,
was very reluctant to take it; said he
would not himself be at his post much
longer, and would Have to deliver over
ms trust to his successor. l did not
like the prospect; and determined not
to part with my treasure. ~
Jones was little snlky at first. and
said in surly tone. "You'll get aw-
fully chaffed, my boys" but suddenly
he cheercd up again, as if his very
words had somehow comforted linn.
He was quite right; l did get awful
~ chaffed; but l adopted the tactics OF
appearing to have been let out for the
evening from the Deaf and Dumb in-
stitution. But to Jones l was forced to
. = +
be as one that heard; and he played
to a marvel the part of the kind friend.
His ears seemed to have become all at
once supernatuhaIly sharp, SO that not
even awhisper to my disparagement
escaped him; and he faithfully impair
ted to me whatever he heard. My
equanimity was gradually disturbed,
and, at last, when Jones asked in a
tone of horror, ''Did you hear what
that fellow. said ?" 1 answered anger
ly, "No, I did not; and I don't want
to know" - e
But Jones, having, perhaps, y lseener
regard for his friends horror than his
own, rejoined. "Well, old fellow, there
is limit to everything, and I don't
think you ought to stand that"
ir:wardly wondered whether Jones
himself, in my position, would not
have stood that, and mnch more, with
out showing his valor; but with a
sroan l asked, "Well, what did he
say 2" M
"Oh, my dear fellow" replied Jones
with a Singer, 81 shouldn't like to re-
peat it."
"Can you point the man out ?" I in
CURED. - -
This Jones did with surprising alac-
rity. r2G MIA
"Let us go back and ask him then,'
I said, trying to appear cool and COM
! Portable. ieff
The man whom Jones pointed out
was dressed as gentleman, was con.
siaerably bigger in every. way than I
and was sitting between two wearers
of hornets whom we may charitably
assume TO have been his wife aud his
mother in-law. At my approach he
showed some slight perturbation
with led me to hope that lie suffered
as do, from constitutional weakness.
| (nothing more, / assure you,) which
some people mistake for what is in Ger
tain circles called the "funks." Iva.
encouraged, therefore, to ask will
some haughtiness whether he would
oblige me by repeating the remarks h
had lately addressed to me. lie oblig
ed me with q readiness and ,emphasi
which slightly altered my opinion
about his constitutional weakness, an,
which almost reduced me to an awl1
ward silence, which Jones might hav
misinterpreted. Fortunately, howeye
| was inspired to make a general re
mark about the difficulty of properl
kicking any gentleman who happen
to be sitting upon a bench; aud the re
mark, notwithstanding its truth an
generalits, so far from meeting wit
his appreciation, caused him to start II
in n fury, threaten damage to my nos
with his fist, and seize my precious boz
quet with his right band. Thereupo
flashed across my mind a piece Of af
vice to the effect that .'the thrcatene
should never wait for accomplishment
but should always take the initiative
and so, maddened at the destruetio
that was being wrough upon my boz
quet; dashed my clenched right han
into the face of my adversary, wi
staggered back against tree, and lie
upon my white glove red stain.
There were sllrieks from the suppo
i, ed wife and supposed mother in la
:, Tone Of whom promptly snatched n
( face,) and yell Of delight from Jon
! whose object had probably now be,
t accomplished, without any inconven
. ence to himself. MY adversary quicI
r " recovered himself, aud returned
| the attack; but either had been rigl
? after all, in my snrmise about constit
t tional weakness land his knees real
did tremble more than mine) or d
heather deities still interpose in fay
$ Of mortal men, for my. bully oppone
!. gave me by no. means tat for I
3 Though he had no gloves on) graz
me just once on my left temple, and
Y closing was, to my surprise, tliroy
y fiat upon his back. He rose, Al