The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-02-26

curmudgeOn numbered tne little man,
fiercely. "With the remains of such a
feast on the table, there must be more
where it came from.
"Upon my word" replied Richard,
meekly, for he was getting frightened
again, "there il not bite III the house.
Don't lie !" roared the other; there
is a cold ham in the pantry, and a demi-
john of brandy in the closet. ="
How do you know that Z" it was on
the tip of Richards tongue TO ask, but
he was too much amazed to speak.
How do / know itl" broke in the
stranger, as if reading his thoughts,
"why, smell them; so bring them
out.
Richard would have demurred, but
his guest made movement which con-
vinced him delay might be dangerous,
and the required articles were produced.
Without changing his seat, the little
man drew up TO the table, and began TO
eat. And how he did eat A chunk of
ham, big enough for shark-bait, was
stuck on the point of a carving knife,
and thrust down his throat with the
audacity of a sword-swallower. Another
and another followed, till nothing re-
manned but bone, which he crushed with
his teeth, and then sucked the marrow.
a" Now for punch ~ he cried.
"There is no hot water" Richard
ventured to say.
4" Water !"-who asked for water
Bring me lemon, some sugar, and a
kettle"
The kettle was placed on the fire.
The stranger filled it with brandy, add
ing lemon and sugar to suit his taste. AS
the liquor boiled over, it caught fire, set
ting the whole in blaze. Richard jumped
up to take it off; the stranger caught his
arm, and flung him back as if he had
been a child, instead of a substantial citi-
zen of fourteen stone.
"What are You aboutl" he exclaimed.
"The punch is doing well enough"
g 1 was only afraid the house might be
burnt"
" Bother the house" replied the little
man; " there's no danger"
Your health, Dick ~ at length he
said, and, raising the kettle all blazing to
his lips, he drank like a dromedary.
"And now, Dick, it's yO,T turn" he
said, after long breath. "You must
drink nay health now"
Richard drew hack.
" Drink :" shouted the stranger hold
ing out the vessel.
Poor Dick took single gulp. He
left the skin of his mouth on the brim of
the kettle, his throat was scorched as with
liquid fire, and his hair was singed by
the blaze
"And now to business" said the
stranger, resuming his seat, and leaving
II. l.. a 1. II
knew John Walter, believe"
"Yes-yes," stammered Richard"
once knew person of that name.
Z" You and he went to California to
gether.
Richard acknowledged the fact.
" You made money, and he didn't"
CT believe was the more fortunate of
the two"
"You and he started to return to-
gether, and he died at San Francisco.
Richard bowed.
His wife and child are now desti-
tute, the stranger persisted.
" L can't help that.
"Of course not. 1t was his boy
you gave the good advice to to-day /
hope the young scamp will profit by it. .
The scene with the little beggar, Rich
ard was sure had been Witnessed by no
one. How the stranger had found it out
was past comprehension.
"You're quite sure John Walter died
poorl" the stranger went on.
"Oh, quite" ;" said Richard "I paid
his funeral expenses myself.
"That's lie, retorted the little man !;
{" they were paid by the public. It's an
other lie that he died poor. He had
twenty thousand dollars with him, which
you stole.
81 deny it :" Richard fairly screamed !;
"and defy you to prove it,
"Prove it What effrontery Why,
/ saw you do it.
{" It's false. There was nobody pres
ent."
I" Be careful, Dick, or you'll com
nit yourself. / saw you do another
thing"
Richard shrank shivering in chair,
but said nothing.
"John Walter would have survived his
illness, Jm you put poison IN his medi-
cine ~
A sudden fury took possession of
Richard Whinstone, when he saw the
secret of his life in another's keeping.
The carving knife lay within his reach.
He seized it, and springing on the stran-
ger, with desperate plunge, sought to
bury the blade in his heart, but it glanced
as from plate armor, and in an instant
the little man was on his feet.
"Oh, no that's your game, is 1t Z"
And with trip that sent his heels
spinning in the air, Richard was thrown
headlong, with force that shook the
house to its foundation. The club foot
was planted on his stomach, and what a
horribly ugly foot it was II Uds cleft
like the hoof Of an or, and seemed to
weigh a ton.
Then you are the"
"Pray keep civil tongue in your
head, and come along" said the little
man.
( Richard tainted.
When he came to himself, day was
breaking. The old housekeeper, who
had found him groaning and sprawling
on the floor, had, with much difficulty,
shaken him into consciousness. She as
sisted him 10 bed but Richard never
was himself again. The surfeit of pig