The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-02-25

| door, WHICH WIS OEoOu0St Wy I'LL, W
whom I delivered my dreadful message.
81 must be off at once, Dick, y he said,
1--WE must change clothes DIRECTLY You
will be all right, for have made every
one believe that was you. [ make q
capital tradesman after AL. I've sent
your business up wonderfully"
ssTm very glad to hear it, Jim; I'm
sure it needed it. But how about the
butcher %
''Oh, he's been great nuisance, GER
tainiy; but look here, Dick; don't you
be half SO easy with him. [ don't be-
bieve he has half the pluck he pretends
to have"
81 dol know it!'' was my rueful an
swer: ''but if the business is improving
I shall try to put up with the annoy
ance.
''That's right, Dick And now, good
bye! I'm much obliged to you for
what you have done. Ii any of the
girls say you made love to them, you
will know that I am the culprit- only
don't you say SO but keep the fun up.
It's not disagreeable work, I can assure
you. Ha ha ha nobody would be-
leve you if you Mere to swear it was
me So good bye, and take care of
yourself !''
With a hearty laugh Jim went on his
road; and I, with sad heart, sought
my bed.
I 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 futterirg into the shop, and
with many 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 a
pretty, sly glance.
''Dull 2" I replied, IN dreamy man
ner.
ooh, nonsense - she c1ied; sit 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 such a sneak-at least,
most all of us did; but I said you were
not SO demure as you wished to make
out-and the way you snatched that kiss
from me yesterday proves it p
$780," thought I, ''this is the way
Master Jim has been improving my
business, is it?''
I looked at the little rosy mouth, and
could not blame him, may, l ventured
to follow his example, and did so with
the greatest success.
s'Do you know" said the young lady,
putting her arms on the counter, edo
you know that I have liked you ever
since you thrashed that big bully, Grote,
the butcher %
"What," exclaimed in amazement,
'thrsahed Grote?''
''Of course you did, when he came
over here swearing he would pull your
nose Oh, I did like the cool way IN
which you went to meet him, and knock
him down. 1t was splendid -
Could it be possible? Had my twin
brother thrashed the butcher, and left
me to reap the glory2 AS if to confirm
my suspicious, at that very instant
Grote appeared in his shop and on,
his face It was one mass Of bruises !!
[ stepped out on to the payment to have
a look at him closer. On seeing me he
bowed politely, but merely shook my
fist at him, and he retreated rapidly.
I cannot describe how my business in
creased from that day, and all through
Jim's boldness and Eighth eartedness.
During the day I received letter from
dear brother, in which he informed me
that he had not lost his money; but, hav-
ing heard of my misery. he invented
this little plot to save me.
I have now several large shops. Jim
has never joined me, he having retired
from the turf and became gentleman
farmer. I am married, and have a large
family. My eldest boy is about to marry
Miss Grote, Grote having become very
good friends with me, and, what is bet
ter, very rich. But, good friends as we
are, [ have never thought it worth my
while to inform him of his slight mis-
take.
A PROvIDENT RAT FAMILY.-One Of