Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-02-01

/ DChi LlC SiI, yOu NC SOJ QClCh eyes
to find that out directly" said the chatty
daredevil he was that did It, and that was
a portrait of the London detective that
had come down to take him off to prison.
His last meal In Norham he ate in this
here room, sir, and rare lot of ham and
eggs he did get through, sir, and never
minded bit that the policeman was a.
watching of him." ..,0- .,tfIr. IL. .a2
The gentleman said not one word.
Hes aueerer than ever" confided the
waiter to the old cook, AS he received the
tea and toast from her hands. II began
to tell him about young Rogerson, but he
did not listen bit, did not even ask If he
was hanged or anythink. It's like taking
meal to ghost, that it is"
| You might do better than poke up old
stories about as bad a young scamp as
ever lived to disgrace honest family"
retorted the old cook, who was sharp in
her temper; "and as to ghosts, there's
plenty o'ghosts everywhere, for them as
has sense to see 'em, Peter, but don't
think you need be afeared."
Meanwhile another Norham tradesman
had dropped into the coffee-room, and
Peter, in the Intervals of his attendance,
came out and chatted with them in cheer
full equality, wherein the sole line of so
cial distinction lay in his remaining stand
ing while they were seated. r7 '.y
Real Christmas weather this" said
Mr.. Johnston. .r......
"But Norham's very dull" answered
Mr.. Lee. ir, 1'i sfst'+'f "''
They're a dead-and-alive set of peo-
pie, now, the Norhamites," said Mr..
Johnston, who was one himself, and would
| allow nobody else to abuse them. "It
used to be different in my young days. /
remember 1t quite gay, what with oxen
roasting to be given in charity, and the
puddings boiling for the same, and every
body that was anyways connected with
the Church-and everybody seemed to be
in those days-invited to tea in the Town
hall. And used'nt there to be fine CAROL
singing through the streets! And rare
Christmas sermons he used to preach,
the old rector that was in my young
days" ~ ...ro.jsal ~. - .
Peter directing his thumb toward the
open door. :" I've just been showing that
gent that bit of an old sketch up agen the
wall. He broke the good old gentleman's
heart, that young scamp did," e..
''Ah, yes, and did deal of harm to
Norham every way" pursued Mr.. Johns
ton "we've never had a lively Christmas
since l remember the first after his go
ing off. What could people do when they
knew there was nothing but misery in
the rectory house? The town Just kept
as quiet as ever it could, and it couldn't
do less every Christmas after, during the
old rector's days. And SO it got out of
the good old ways"
"Poor young Rogerson," said old Mr..
Lee. 81 used to think there was some
thing good In the young fellow for all his
wildness, and always hoped he'd right
himself, till he went and did that wicked
ness that set man against him, as well as
Goi." ........ 30. r.F
81 don't know about good or not" per-
sisted Mr.. Johnston, ''but know that it
took years and years before his sister
Mary looked up again. Only at last, as
time began to thicken over the tender
spots o. grief and shame, she kind of took
heart. Says she once to my dear wife
that's dead, Mrs. Johnston, our poor
Dick was the child Of many prayers, and
And then she took fancies that he was
dead. And noticed she was happier
like after that-just as one breathes freer
in q house after the dearest corpse is
buried. As for poor Tom RogersOn, his
brother ruined him for this life anyway.
Mavbe he needn't, but poor Mr.. Tom was
| awful proud and sensitive. Miss Mary,
she told my wife that her brother Tom
| said he'd never ask people to trust him,
because he couldn't expect they would,
after his brothers. ways, and he wouldn't
lay himself open to be halftrusted,
| and watched, and suspected all the time.
And so, he that was so clever stayed a
poor undcr-clerk all the rest of his days,
and has left his poor widow just to srrug-
gle on and get what places she can for her
boys. Such pretty, dainty miss as she
used to be, and now she's wearing an old
rusty silk that's been turned and turned
till she's forgotten which is its real
right side. Il should think what their
uncle did won't go against my sons, Mr..
Johnston she said only the other day.
Bless you, Mrs. Tom,' says 1, half the
tewn-people are new since then.' 'I'm
always so afraid he'll come back SAYS
she; I'm sure don't wish him not to
repent says she, 1 always hoped he
would-but | can't help thinking of my
own, and for their sakes, I'd rather he
tent he is, the more he'll stay away, ma
am,' says. 1T isn't as If the whole
story was above ground still, and he'd
well, but there's some that's dead that
died in wrath and bitterness with others
for his sake. Look at poor old Mrs. Rog-
erson-how she turned against Mr.. Tom,
good dutiful son as he was, because he
wouldn't stay by Mr.. Dick through thick
and thin. and defend him as If he were in
nocent. Poor dear old lady, she knows
better where she's been this many day.
But Mr.. Dick had better wait to ask your
forgiveness till he can ask hers too. You
forgive him, ma'am,' says L, 'and that's
enough for you, but / maintain that he'd
have no right to come disturbing your
mind to ease his Own.'" 81.
There was one that would have been
glad to see him, had he returned in ever
such shame and misery" said kindly old
Mr.. Lee. Ii.i .-sjrrGIl r.u i9-'i ~ -A
NJ" Aye, aye" chimed Peter !; g know
who you mean. You know she was on
the charity school committee, and when
the lection board met here, she always
just stepped In yonder and took a look al
that rum picture on the wall. She never
thought saw her. She never thought
nobody was looking at her. My old
4 r