The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-03-11

u,
know.
But who shall paint Mr.. Gritfin's disgust.
the next morning, when Melindy, still alb
sorbed in the novel and splendid idea of
valentines, while pouring out his coffee at
breakfast, stunned him with the innocent
inquiry;
Did you ever have valentine, Mr..
Griffin 81
The man glared at her He laid down
his knife and fork and forgot to take the
cup she held out to him.
81 have valentine y he thundered
with explosive disgust. Il. Do you think
there is a big enough fool in New York
to send me one? A valentine, indeed I.
Nasty, extravagant, idle, useless things
Money thrown into the gutter. Trash
stutt folly nonsense Have you lost
your senses, woman? II anybody should
send me one Of those things it would go
into the fire quicker, Don't be q fool,
AIelindy :"
With which mild remark he seized his
coffee and swallowed it; devouring his
breakfast in silence unbroken, save by in
teEmlttent growls; squabbled with his
oVercoat, Kicked his slippers virulently
into the corner, slammed the door behind
him, and fled down the street to his office.
much as if the idea of some small pursu-
ant 1ield impelled his footsteps.
Truth to tell, Mr.. Griffin once had val
entine, and more than one, of q defama-
tory and abusive character lie suspected
always So and perhaps Justly = that they
We're sent him by q clerk whom he had
discharged, as the easiest way of venting
his spite There was this to be said in
favor Of the idea, that the literary part of
the missives had been selected with an
eye to Mr.. Gritfin's special tailings and
meannesses, and enclosed in a yellow en-
Felope to make sure Of their being opened
He felt at once trapped and insulted, and
when his greedy soul rested on the wasted
money those gaudy billets had cost, it
added another element to his pungent
dislike Of the whole tribe, and he sWore
within himself that if one ever entered his
door again it should make short passage
TO the flames.
Melindy was indignant enough; but
she was also wise to know that an angry
man had better be severely let alone, and
she went her way and did her daily duty,
hoping devoutly that she should have Il
valentine, if old Griffin, as she irreverently
called him, did not; also feeling a certain
surety that one would appear at its season
John Perkins had been SO pleased with
pleasure, 50 eager to find out which style
She thought prctticst. So the day went
On Mr. Grit1n's growls softened to his
normal state OF grutfness John Perkins
came at his usual rate of twice week :;
the tiny geraniim he had brought Melindv
41 t-l,o
rongh green buds; and at last the thr-
teenth of February rose upon the great
city of New York. 1t has Il discouraging
effect to take things in this general way,
in the vast idea Of a city with its thous-
ands OF beating, breaking hearts, its num-
9erless agonies and delights, its deaths,
births, tragedies, comedies, that comprise
all heaven and hell within their mighty
scope. The tiny segment Of humanity
dwindles to its germ. How much better
for present purpose is it 10 say The sun
rose upon our three acquaintances, for we
are not writing the story OF 4 city, but of
john Melindy, and old Griffin.
Nevertheless the thirteenth was bright
day for everybody, and Mr.. Griffin took
his way early to the office, being yexed in
spirit with a regard to a certain man who
owed hlIu ten thousand dollars. THE man
honest, Woodworking and unfortunate
three facts Of no more account to Mr..
Griffin than his blue ewes, brown hair, and
English whiSkers. 10 DC pressed for this
ten thousand dollars was a matter of life
and death with him, it was to put all he
had to the hazard of a die, but poor Mr..
Griffin could not risk 50 much money.
All the long way down town he plotted
his campaign against the luckless man.
The brilliant valentines that drew his I'M
willing eve on either hand affected hip as
a red rag does a turkey. If he could have
gebbled them he would. lie did mrowl
half audibly, and almost scared weak
minded old lady on the other side of the
omnibus out OF her little wits She thought
he was crazy and was afraid to get out.
lest he should attack her; 50 she bore his
presence in a quiver like a mould of iellv
till he got out. and then almost tainted
from relief Perhaps he was crazy.
think he suffered from emotional insanity
myself 1 think all insane people ought
asylums, and | take my stand and leave
my patient reader to classify MI Griffin.
All that morning he hunted his prey like
a bloodhound. He tracked him from one
place to another and followed him up, de-
termined on a personal interview, which,
after ALL he failed to obtain.
The day was very mild and Mr.. Griffin
got heated His head began to ache He
was as much surprised as 4 lamp-post
could have been to feel a sharp pin in its
lantern; but he was coward in grain,
and the possibility OF q sickness. with loss
of time, expense Of medicine, doctors
bills, and watches, startled him. He be-
lieved IN prevention; that sickness might
cost him coffin never came into his cal
culations. He was practically an utter
skeptic. with God in none of his thoughts.
but the human aspect of sickness terrified
him lie dropped q postal card into the
nearest box, telling his clerk he should
not be down again that day, went home in
time to prevent superhuous dinner being
cooked, and went to bed and to sleep, be-
ing merely oyertired and heated In the
meantime his clerk, who was Il sharp wit
ted fellow, and had brother in Washing
ton, Congressional reporter for a New
York paper, who with certain fraternal
interest occasionally sent him a bit of
news in advance likely to be useful on the
caused him TO sit down and write small
note to his Chief as follows
DEAR SIR: Congress will pass bill to-mor-
row for half a million appropriation to build Il
general hospital for lnebriate Senators, and the
hanaWa and Desert X. X. Company own the
land they have promised to build on. X. & D.
shares will go tomorrow night like Il rocket.
QElck & Quaver have $4,000 on hand at 90. |
would buy in tonight; but they're shut up, and
have to be off in the : \. NJ, train to Albany.
MY father just dying there. So notify you, as
time is money. JOSEPH JONES.
Now Mr. Griffin kept everything in his
o11lce under lock and key-paper, envel-
opes and all, lest the clerk should unlaw-
fully use and waste them out of office
hours. He grudged the pen and ink
put these might be needed to fill up tel
egram form or file q bill, and he reluctant
ly lett out certain sheets of foolscap for
possible exigencies. Mr., Joseph Jones,
having disgust at valentines, had been
lndltlng one that very afternoon to his
susan, and on the first envelope had drop
a dreadful blot of ink between her sweet
names. Luckily he had provided for mis-
mans M hnn 4,.r~ i II ,+1,l