The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-02-26

ton Of coming home with Nelly; hi
thoughts ran in another direction be hat
merely spoken Of the thing because he fan
cled it would please; the idea Of her pre-
sence, as matters now stood, was anythin,
bat agreeable to him and he trusted to th'
chapter Of accidents for losing her i th'
thrang," as himself would have said, ana
thus regaining bis freedom.
On the following day they joumeyed to
gether to the scene of popular confusion
willing away the time with such converse
ton rs their knowledge of cOurtships, mar
riages, births, baptisms, and burials, could
supply. Nelly frequently looked in Jockl
face, to try if she could read his thoughts
but somehow, in the present instance, BIZ
eyes were either turned upon the ground
or seized with an unwonted wandering. Al
one time be kept carefully examining The
road, a. though he had lost shilling; al
another be surveyed the tops of the distant
bills with as much care as if he had been
specializing upon their heights and dis
tances. And while these intelligeneers were
thus employed, she could read bat little
yet, nevertheless, his manner was courteous;
and in their con1uct and conversation they
exhibited fine specimen Of that harmony
which, in most instances, results from a
wish to please and to be pleased on the part
of the female.
On arriving at the market, Jock soon dis
covered the mistress of his affections in the
person of Lizzie GimmertOn. But, in the
Plentitude of her power, and the extent of
her dominion, she had become caprictous,
as despotic sovereigns are very apt to do !;
and Dettlsd, as it appeared, at the long in
tervals which had lately occurred between
the times Of his making obeisance at her
throne. she had chosen another sweetheart,
whom she now digni6ed with the honor Of
leading her from plaoe to place, and showing
her OF to the admiring multitude. Sup
ported BY this new minister, she seemed 10
pay no attention to the smiles and ely Winks
with which Jock greeted her; but still he
did mot despair of being the successful can.
didste, If be were only left at liberty to
offer the full amount Of bis devotion and
to this object be now began 10 direct his
thoughts a..s l aa
A certain chapman had displayed num-
Der Of necklaces, and other snowy trinkets
Of little value, upon his stand, which was
thus the most brilliantly decorated Of any in
the market. This had drawn together a
crowd Of purchasers, and other people, who
were anxious to see the sparkling wares.
Mon civilly pushed aside men, and maidens
pushed aside maidens, while each appeared
eager to have peep at some ~"rticular ar
ticle, or to learn the price thereof; and to
this place Jock drew Nelly, under pretence
OF giving her her market-fsre from among
the gewgaws which it afforded. But, while
she was looking about for something which
4" she might wear for bis sake,' as she said.
and which, at the same time, would be an
easy purchase, he contrived to jostle rather
rudely the people on both sides Of hin,
making them jostle those VITO stool next
them, and those again perform the same
operation on others at a greater distance.
This, rs he bad anticipated, soon produced
q universal hubbub; every one, to be
avenged for the insult or injury he had sus-
tanned, thrust his elbows into the sides Of
such as he supposed were the aggressors.
These were not slow to retaliate. In a
short time the innocent and the guilty were
involved in the same confusion and, while
the precious wares of the packman, and the
persons OF his customers, were both in i'm
minent danger, Jock started off, leaving
Nelly to make the best Of her way out of q
bad bargain. He had now obtained his
freedom; and in twinkling be was by the
side Of Lizzie Gimmerton, whom he found
at another stand, receiving the benediction
Of her new jo in the form Of ''pennyworth
Of PepPeTmint-dr0Ps." /"
:" How are ye the day, Lizzie p said be,
in tones 50 tender, that he had supposed
they would melt any heart which was less
hard than Clatchert Craig.
" No that i'll, jock" was the reply; how
are ye yersel! and how's Nelly -
And Herewith the damsel put her arm in
that Of her companion, whom she now per
mitte0, or rather urged, to lead ber away
and, as be did so, she turned on Jock
side-lOng look, accompanied by a sort Of
smile, which told him, in terms not to be
mistaken, that he was not her only sweet
heart, and that, at present, he was not likely
to be successful one.
If we could form such thing as proper
conception of one who, in attempting to as
cend throne, stumbled, fell below it, and,
in boxing up from thence, saw another
seated in his place, perhaps we should have
some idea of Jocks feelings ON this occa-
sion. Like a true hero, be, NO doubt,
thought of thrashing bis rivals skin for
him but then this was by no means doing
the whole of the work, for it was Lizzie
Gimmerton VINO had led the man away, and
not the man who had led away Lizzie Gin.
merton and, thoug b the man was thrashed
into chaff, Lizzie GimmertOn might very
probably find as many more as she pleased,
willing to be led away in the same manner,
which, in the end, might entail upon Jock
the labor of thrashing half the people in
the market, not to mention the risk which
he would run of being thrashed himself
Finding that this plan would not do, it were
difhcult to say if he did not entertain Sc
riOus thoughts of making a pilgrimage to
the River Earn, for the purpose of drowning
himself, or of taking signal vengeace upon
the hard-hearted maiden in some other way;
but as farther speculatious upon the sub
ject, in the existing state of our informa-
ton, mast be purely conjectural, it were alb
surd to follow them. In the beginning Of
his despair, he looked down, as men very
naturally do; but, in the middle of It, he
looked up, to see what was to be done, and
there be saw Nelly, who was not SO easily
lost i the thrang" as he had imagined,
standing close beside him, and regarding
him with look of real compassion, which
contrasted strongly with the me 'iciOus smile
nf tho okhnr dnmanl