Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-05-02


wards, and Heaven knows what never
ending jokes this first successful and
cruel hoax Of Jickling's cntailed upon
me.
The only one who did not laugh at
it was Asheton and as he had serious
" set himself to the regeneration of
,lickiing. he told that youth roundlv
and firmly at tagging next morning
that he meant TO have an end Of this.
Jickling sulked. Ever since tha, dis
agreeable morning when Asneton had
limited at the necessity of his turning
over new leaf his life had not been
happy. Asheton insisted now upon hi :
washing his hands and face properly.
brushing his clothes and keeping his
room in order. Nothing could be more
distasteful to .Jckling. On the whole,
Jlckling began TO see that n firm hand
was exercising its SWAY over him.
Ashcton went the length of seeing for
himself every evening that Jickling
learned his lessons for the next dav.
and did not pass his time tracing pat
terms on his bureau with red-hot
poker. rs he much preferred to do.
But there was one point on which
the fcud between the two was ceaseless
and terrible. Every dav. or at least
every haif-holiday (and there were
three OF these a week.. game Of foot
ball was paved in our tutors field,
and everybody was expected 10 be
present at II. The object was. in the
iir~t place, 10 train good football-play
crs for House Eleven. and in the next.
to make the games really pleasant,
which they would not have been had
the attendance been fitful and limited.
Now, nothing would induce Jckling to
play. Most solemuly was he told that
II he were not at his post in the field
at the time when the game began, il
would 60 hard with him. lie declined
- taNc any notice of these mcnaccs.
aud when the game began he was in
Nauahly wanting What's the use Of
my gong to football : he pouted
anEriiy' as Ashetun caught him in the
very act of bolting up the High Street
one morning after elcvcn-o clock school.
i never touch the ball once during the
Whole game. Its always YOU swells
who have it; and then. when the
games over, YOU drink all the beer,
aud | get none
That's not true, ,jickling'
'ItlS. turned tie can upsidedown
Yesterday there was nothing in it, |
ought 10 know
You're teaching Rivers to be as
iisrcputablc as Yourself What are
YOU doing with Jickling. Rivers
lie was going to show me dog. |
d. .,a,a...~..ai.
a NANCY brute you swore you had
got ril OF at the end OF las, half said
Aehcton. Indignantly, to Jickling.
Now, I'll be bound YOU meant Rivers
70 buy this dog of YOU. Did he, Rivers !:
Tell me the truth
hung my head Such was indeed
the aim Of our expedition. Jickling
had consented to sell me a mongrel
cur, which J didn't want, nor he either.
for fifteen shillings and sixpence. lie
had assured me that it was part Of
established and insurmountable usage
to possess a dog, and that by not hav-
lng one | should be holding myself up
rs an object of scorn and derisiOn 10
the community. We were on our way
to the birlfancier'~ where Jicklug
kept the brute
Asheton guessed much of this by
our faces. and though we were stand
inG IN the most frequented part of the
street, and though, rs | have already
stated, II was not his habit 10 take the
slightest notice of a lower boy in pub
lie, lie dealt Jickling such box on4Shc
ear as almost sent him backward into
shop-window. A fellow who will
sell a worthless dog 10 credulous
school-fellow AT twelve, will sell
spawned horses at twenty. and be
kicked oil race-courses at twenty-five.
he exclaimed, pale with anger. Now,
cut along both Of YOU in front of me
TO Fishers and III follow. Wen just
see INTO lhis matter.
The pair of US trooped on together
without word-Jickling dogged and
sullen. but not crying, for he was not
the fellow to shed tears at slap oil
the face, or indeed at my other physi.
cal mishap. AshetoR walked at safe
distance behind-near enough to pre-
clude all idea Of escape on Jickling's
part. far enough not 10 let it be seen
that he had Us both i'll custody. Ii
this way We reached a small and dark
bird-case shop, which we entered, and
50 passed down long and narrow
passage at the back into yard, which
was. like all bird and dog-fanciers
wards, filled with ours chained to ken.
nels, plaintiye terriers who had theil
ears cropped and were whining shiver
ingly; wool-stuifed and pin-trusseC
| bird-skins. set up in the sun to drv
melancholy rabbits in hutches, and Sc
on. Jickling's dog, conspicuous BY +
total absence of breed and by def
cheney of hair. was seated on his hind
| quarters, and set up dismal music a
| our approach.
There was an old man, with {
weathcr-beaten hat giving pupp,
milk out of broken saucer. He look
ell up, expecting TO see some Of tn
lower boys, who were his most constan
customers but on catching sight of ;
fellow in the Eight, he rose from hi
STOPPING posture and fingered the briu
of his head-dress.
Fisher, which is Mr.. Jickling's dog
asked Aslieton briskly.
The man addressed as fisher pointe,
to the beast. and added, apparentl
for his own private satisfaction, for h
could scarcely expect that anybod,
else would concur In the remark
And 'andsome dawg too
is he paid forF. continued Asheter
Fisher glanced at Jickling as if +;
know what this meant Jickling wor
such hang-dog expression that rhcr
was no making out. Asheton had take