Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-02-25

ooh, he's been great nuisance, Ger.
tainly; but look here, Dick; don't you
| be half SO easy with HIM. don't be-
lieve he has half the pluck he pretends
| to have"
Il dol know itp was my ruefnl an
swer; !" but if the business is improving
l shall try to put up with the annoy.
| anCe."
"That's right, Dick! And now, good
by! I'm much obliged to you for what
you have done. If any Of the girls say
you made love to them you will know
that am the culprit-only don't you
say so, but keep the fun up. It's not
disagreeable work, / can assure you.
Hal ha! ha! nobody would believe you
if you were to swear it was me! So
good by, and take care of yourself p
With hearty laugh Jim went on his
road; and l, with sad heart, sought
my bed.
arose very early the next morning
and took down the shutters, so as to
avoid meeting that hOrrid butcher. A
few minutes afterward very pretty
| girl came tluttering into the shop and,
with many a pretty smile and shipper,
| purchased half a pound of my best fresh
! butter.
"Why how dull you are this morning,
Mr.. Perkins, she exclaimed, with q
pretty, sly glance.
"Dull!" replied, in dreamy manner.
ooh, nonsense!" she cried; 1T is no
good putting on that modest air after the
way you behaved yesterday. DO you
know, when you first came here, we all
thought you a sneak-at least, most of US
did; but always said you were not so
demure as you wished to make out-and
the way you snatched that kiss from me
yesterday proves it"
49," thought I, "this is the way
Master Jim has been improving my bust
ness, is it?"
Hooked at the little rosy mouth and
could not blame him-nay, l ventured to
follow his example, and did SO with the
greatest success.
"Do you know" said the young lady,
putting her arms on the counter, A." do you
know that have liked YOU ever since
you thrashed that big bully, Grote, the
butcher?"
"Whatp l exclaimed, in amazement,
thrashed Grotep'
"Of course you did, when he came
over here swearing he would pull your
nose! Oh, did like the cool way in
which you went to meet him and knocked
him down. 1t was splendid!"
Could it be possible? Had my twin
brother thrashed the butcher and left
me to reap the glory9 AS if to con
firm my suspicious, at that very instant
Grote appeared in his shop-and oh, his
face! 1t was one mass of bruises! /
stepped out on to the pavement to have
a look at him closer. On seeing me he
bowed politely, but l merely shook my
fist at him and he retreated rapidly.
cannot describe how my business in
creased from that day, and all through
Jim's boldness and Observation-Disclosures.
During the day received letter from
dear brother, in which he informed me
that he had not lost his money; but
having heard of my misery he invented
that little plot to save me.
have now several large shops. Jim
has never joined me, he having retired
from the turf and become gentleman
farmer. am married and have large
family. My eldest boy is about to marry
Miss Grote, Grote having become very
good friends with me and, what is better,
very rich. But, good friends as we are,
have never thought it worth my while
to inform him of his slight mistake
Tom Hoods Comic Almanac for 1875.