Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1873-01-04

she would not show discourtesy even t.
this forIon creature.
On sullen mid December day Dicky
came at later hour than usual. There
was glitter in his snaky eyes akin to
fire, and the muscles Of his face twitch-
ed as those Of that skinless frog on Pro
fcssor GaIyani's table may have done,
when the time for discovering a new
science had fully come. Anastasia said
gently, How do you do, Dicky?" and
placed him chair by the fire.
He swung the chair upon his shout
der as a hand-organist does his instru-
ment, and darted to the other side of
the room, where, setting it down with a
crash, he dropped himself into it.
" Is it raining?' Anastasia inquired
" Hootl Don't know-don't care eth
er, y was the mcivil answer
A little pool of water was melting
from his hugo boots upon the carpet.
Anastasia sighed softly, thinking of the
stain it would leave, and again asked
him to sit upon the hearth by the fire.
"Poohl fire! Don't want no fire: got
enough of that inside Of me. Dash i'll
FL send him where they say fuels
cheap. Dash him! he's a fool. Who
was it that was telling about smash-up
somewhere? I'll give something for a
smash-up that would smash him. Hoot.
smashl ki!'
All this was uttered in a thick. rapid
tone, and with great violence of man
ner with the concluding exclamation he
snapped his fingers and started upon his
feet.
What is the matter, Dicky ?' Anas-
tasia inquired with her usual gentleness
A connected answer to her question
she could not get, but by picceing ont
| DicBy's yenomous mutterings with her
own previous knowledge, she understood
at length what had happened. There
was a railroad excursion that afternoon
to a neighboring village. An amateur
concert band from Skyeberg, and half
the towns people beside, made up the
party. A concert was to be given, and
a special train would bring them back
at midnight. All this Anastasia knew.
The smart young people living in her
| house had gone, and she had felt as if
she herself would like to be one of the
company, for even to solitary old maids
/ the impulse to mix with others for social
/ enjoyment sometimes come. But none
| had asked her, and on second thought
she believed it was much better to stay
at home, it is so desolate being in
crowd Of ones own towns-people, with
no one to speak to- What she learned
from Dicly was, that he, too, had covet-
ed ride and festive revelry with the
rest, but he had not proved an agreeable
addition to the company, and the con-
ductor, finding he had no ticket, put
him off the train. 1t was against this
gentleman, then, that Dicky's mutter-
ings broathed out wrath. Anastasia
tried her best to modify this passion,
setting before him in the simplest Ian
guage the divine preceptsof forgiveness
of injuries, but had the modification of
failing utterly in impressing their spirit
upon him; for at the very door, when
he went away, she heard him muttcr
with vindictive intensity, Hootl dash
him! Poof smash! ki!'
Anastasia felt some uneasiness, and
debated within herself whether it would
be possible, and, if possible, quite
proper to send the conductor some
warning of the fellows vindictive spir-
it. But perhaps Dicky would soon for
get his anger, and she had dread of
seeming bold and pushing-a thing
about as likely to happen as the hatch
ing of scorpions from doves eggs. She
determined, finally, to try to soften
Dcky by some extraordinary kindness,
and to win him to forgetfulness of his
passion. Thinking out this plan occu
pied her mind until her usual bedtime.
She was Just going to lock up the house
for the night when Dicky darted
in, veneered with ice, for it was raining
now, and so cold that the drops were
instantly converted into sleet. He went
to the stove, in which the fire burned
low, and spread out his claw-like hands
for warmth.
"Poof Cold work, ugh!" muttered
Dicky, thrusting his fingers into his
hair MS the warmth made them tingle,
and twisting and writhing with pain.
"What have you been doing out in
the storm? ?" asked Anastasia.
"Think / tell? Fools tell, He's a
fool, but he'll never tell what hurt him,
Ki? sma-a-sh!"
He set his hands whirling, the one
over the other in rapidly revolving cir
cles. until Anastasia's head grew dizzy
with watching him; then he suddenly
struck out one from his shoulder and |
leaped half way to the ceiling. Coming
down on all fours, he rolled over two or
three times on the floor. Next he
sprang upon his feet, yelled "Sma-a-sh'
again at the top of his voice and ended |
the extraordinary performances by dart
ing out of the house as mceremonious-
ly as he had come.
Anastasia, as soon as she had recover
ed in some measure, from her astonish-
ment, began to gather up his disiointed |
sentences, connecting them with his
strange demeanor, and trying to make
ont what it meant. She could not
doubt tl,at whatever his work, it had |
beon for purposes of revenge. That |