The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1873-08-13
THE MYSTERY OF "oLD TONI

"Who is old Tom p" asked Mrs.
Spriggins.
replied that did not know, and
asked why she asked.
Because" she said, "when Mr..
Spriggins and l are sitting on the piaz-
"a, every little while some of his
friends. come up and say that old
Tom wants to see him, and he gets up
and goes off looking pleased, and
comes back with his face SINNER than
ever and smelling of peppermint" 4"
Several of the young ladies have ask.
ed me if there is a spring away off on
the far piazza, for they see the gentle.
men wiping their mouths when coming
back from promenade there.
This morning the Sprigginses were
down to breakfast later than usual
and there was difference in the or.
der of their arrival. Usually Mr..
Spriggins frisks in first, in sort of l.
pay-forthi style, and Mrs. Spriggins,
leading the little Spriggins by the
hand, fol lows, with the grace and dig.
nifty of Christian mother conscious
of trying to do her duty and satisfied
with the way her back hairs done up.
But this morning Mrs. Spriggins led
the van, with the injured air Of per-
son who pays taxes and is not allowed
to vote, and Mr.. Spriggins followed
after with his head down on the floor,
as though hunting for something he'd
lost; and his hair was thinner than
usual-looked as though the moths
had got in it during the night. And
he didn't seem to want anything for
breakfast but pickles; and when Mrs,
Spriggins got through she didn't wait
fer him as usual, but just clawed hold
of the little Sprigginses and sailed out
of the room like seraph sliding down
Riverdale hill on a shingle-you'd d
have thought she was getting away
from something catching.
"The fact of it is my, boy" (this is
what Mr.. Spriggins said to me after
breakfast, confidentially), "there's no
use in those newspapers going on and
discussing whether Old Tom Gin will
intoxicate, for I've tried it. | never
could drink more than gallon OF
anything without feeling it, and you
needn't tell me that Old Tom won't
set fellow up if he takes enough OF
it, even if it does mix better with Con.
gress water than some other drinks.
You see a good many of the boys got
around yesterday and kept looking
toward me, and | got SO confused af.
ter while that one of them went
home with me, and when we got about
where thought the room was, he put
in his head to ask if Mrs. Spriggins
lived there, and the rest of him dis.
appeared kind O. suddent, as though
something took hold of it. And when
he came out he thought there must be
a mistake somewhere, that he'd acci-
dentally stirred up the nest of fe-
male tbreshing machine, disturbed the
old bird while she was Matching, or
something. She's little, but she's
amazing powerful, Mrs. Spriggings is,
and she thought it was me She was
yanking. l didn't sleep much last
night, for she'd good deal to say that
she thought'd be interesting to me
and you mayn't have noticed it much,
but she's got a way of fixing fellows
attention when she sets out that's sur.
prising, and she gives You nothing but
facts, either. She's great ON facts,
Mrs. Spriggins is"
Passing the BARRIERS shop just nDw l
saw Spriggins in there having his head
shampooed; it's the third time he has
gone through that to-day, and I guess
he'll feel better by and by. You see
the trouble with Spriggins is that he
cant hold much any way and doesn't
know when he's full. Most men are
muzzle-loaders, and deal like guns
some can burn COED deal of powder
comfortably, and others can't; some
take the drains without winking, and
others kick up laundering fuss with
one in them. If man doesn't know
when he's got enough and will drink,
the better way is to carry a Charger
in his pocket and load by that; guess
ing by fingers-full won't do. And
then one wouldn't be safe unless he
evened the measure off every time
with II staight- t-edge.
The Shah himself Is an ugly cuss.
Il