The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-07-17
Written for the woKKINexAxs ADVOCATE.
PICTURES, CHARACTERS,
.FetCs from .MtnerEOIcn.
BY sUBTERRANEAN.
[COatiaued from last ,oeek. !
BY SU BTERRANEAN.

TWO hours Dut IL Is now only showing
itself over the ridge of the mountain. The
air is still fresh and cool, and it contains
enough of the aroma of flowers to make it
delightful. Everything is quiet in the
streets everything is lovely in the woods.
The birds have left their roosts, finished
their morning songs and are now revelling
in an early breakfast, to the modification
of the caterpillars and the other little in
sects which form their delicacies of their
prey.
Without noting minutcly the appurten-
ances Of = certain humble dwelling in Min
erstown we enter in Imagination, "a a
room il which table cloth il spread for
breakfast This is widow Lovejoys res
idence. The widow is pretty and very in
terestlng in other respects aud in age she
is little over thirty. She Is busIly en-
gagged in making ready the morning meal
/ for two.
Mrs. Lovejoy moves briskly about, and
J breakfast is soon steaming on the table /;
/
of eggs is sending column Of vapor into
the air directly above it. Some home
made bread and a jug Of goats milk III
| addition to the above, denote that the wolf
has not lately been at Mrs Lovejoy's door
| The widow moves towards a door opening
into the stairs leading to the garret and
/ Ia III - I,bu,,rf Igaa -
spond to the call, 50 it is repeated, and the
following is added by way Of comment
/ 81 declare if | have to call again | shall
bring whip and make you jump out Of
bed" Mrs Lovejoy's voice pitches into
| tone semi-sngry.
''What time is it mother p asks a voice
not in the least agitated by the terrible
threat, although the question IS asked with
| a yawn by its owner master Johney he
tumbles out Of bed and with thump
bounces on to the garret floor.
''The first whistle has gone boy, didn't
you hear it N
| Johney appears at the foot Of the stairs
rubbing his eyes with one hand, while in
the other he holds pair If breeches.
Johney walks straight up TO the stove and
thursts his bare legs into the aforesaid
article Of clothing.
/ By the time this feat is accomplished
his eyes are wide open. He applies them
to the practical purpose Of examining the
/ details on the table cloth. Johneys
/ brows are tolerably handsome, but they
come down over the countenance which
/ had Just began to brighten up like the
morning sunshine, and they now over
\ shadow it with frown. Like the clouds
I which cast their shadow over a beautiful
| landscape they Indicate coming storm.
Johney says with sneer, mother
where the pie ii
''Why boy, (the term boy is used as
| a substitute for dear child, 1t Is spoken
in such an expressive manner), where do
you suppose that ] can get PIE for every
meal III
Il don't care nanny, says this hope
| full son, doggedly, 'but there's some left IN
/ the cupboard, and | want It
Mrs. Lovejoy protests, but master
Johney insists until the pr Is placed On
the table.
While Johney discusses his breakfast,
/ he chats conhdentialiy to his nanny,
, and she is delighted with his prattle when
| it touches ON the interesting events passing
outside.
At profession a slateplcker, Johney at
twelve years is an accomplished person.
In addition to being the ''man of the
house" he can smoke a cigar take chew
of tobacco, and lick Tim Finnigan. rhIs
latter is an accomplishment he boasts Of
Mr.. Timothy Flnnigan and Johney have
been boxing together for the last SIX
months, until Tim a week ago, held out
his hand (threw up the sponge) which was
a signed of surrender. Now Tim and
Johney are the best of friends, and are
allied together in the challenge to fight
the best two boys Of their size and weight
in the breakers But according to Johney's
prate at the table the boys Of Miners
town breaker have something more weighty
and diplomatic i'll hand than the manly
art To learn the nature Of their busl-
ness, we must follow Johny through his
conversation.
Johney informs his mother that "Pat
Duggan Is a sundown.
IA sundown and what sort Of boy is
a sundown Z" asked Mrs. Lovejoy Of her
young hopeful
"a sundown nanny" says Johney, in
explanation, lis boy who is not SO bad
| as -
Johney stops short and leaves the sent
ence unfinished, evidently surprised at hav-
ing so nearly betrayed himself.
''Do you know Johny, says Mrs. Love
Joy, that if you do not hurry you will be
too late for work The whistle will % in
twenty minutes
Let her 90 nanny" says Johney,
helping himself to another egg and an addl-
tional slice of bread and butter.
"Why, what do you mean my son n asks
Mrs. Lovejoy. ''Mr. Gordon will be
angry if you are late. and it will not be
well to loose his good opinion"
81 was going to tell you nanny when
spoke of Pat Duggan, that yester-
day while the boys were eating their din
ner all the slate pickers joined and fromed
''The Young Mems Mutual Protection As
sociation." Pat Duggsn was elected presi-
dant by acclamation as the boys said, Tim
Finnigan was elected vIce-presldent, and
| was voted into the Office Of secretary.
After the boys had eaten their dinners
the meeting was called to order by presl,
dent Duggan. He had lump Of custard
in his mouth at the time, and piece OF II
got into his wind pipe, and made him
. cough for the next Eve minutes. Thn
! / caused some confusion and delay, because
the boys got around Pat, and Barney
O'Brien slapped him 50 hard on the bach
, that he knocked the piece clean out Of hi
throat, which stopped his cough at once.
Pat was red in The face, and wanted t.
! know the boy who struck him in order T.
-, L.,