The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-04-27


tree" To which proposition Mrs. Plum.
tree readily assented; whereupon the
good old gentleman diverged into some
excellent counsel which it is not neces-
sary to produce hore
Now, if Mrs. Plumtree in that hour Of
her anexity. could have looked in al
Clayton & Co.'S Office in Wall street, she
would indeed have found just cause fol
all her apprehensions
1t was leisure interval in the bust
ness of the day. Stocks were neither
coming in nor going out, money for the
time was inactive, and a knot of young
fellows were gatherd idly around one OF
the desks, having no occupation but to
chaff one another. There was Jack
Wendoyer, Joe Simpson, Harry Sheri-
dan, Remsen Cronyn, Tom Parke, Allan
Bleecker, Murray Rutgers and William
PIT mtree.
can't undertake to describe them
the limits of this paper won't allow it
except to say that whereas all the Others
had a fair share of manly growth and
vigor, the last was fair, delicate boy Of
sixteen, who seemed hardly fitted to deal
with the world or to mix with men,. ]
don't believe he was Intentionally weak,
| but one could see in his frail form and
timid manner the physical lack of moral
strength which his mother had described
/ of an absence of back. bone.
They were running each other with a
ready play of wit which was often
neither delicate nor charitable, and was
quite as often widely at variance with
truth. OF this attack each one came in
for liberal share. and Allan suffered
with the rest.
"Say, Cronynl" called out Tom
Parke from across the circle.
"Well9n responded the other indif
ferently.
"Did you ever know our friend
Bleecker was fond of wine ?'
Had NV suspicious" returned
Cronyn;' these proper fellows will take
it on the sly.n
Tom nodded acouiescence. and Allan.
without speaking. awaited further deyel.
opments.
"Know Jim Ward, don'tyou. Cronyn?''
Crown sienifed that he did.
"Says he met Allan at Ten Eyck's the
other night. Ten Eyck had some of his
rare old port out. Jim took half glass,
and says it made his head buzz. SAYS
he saw Bleecker drink three glasses
and take two small bottles with him af-
forwards"
"To be sure p' chimed in Murray Rut-
gers; "don't you remember, Allan, that
| time you and Ihad the champagne sup
per at the Brunswick BEG pardon,
though, my dear fellow-I don't suppose
you do remember; forgot what state
your head was in that night"
Never mind" put in Sheridan for
givingly, "never mind, Allan; it's what
we all do-only you ought to do it above
board"
But Jack Wendover's face took judi
cial look, and Willie Plumtree's large
eyes expanded to an alarming extent !.
"Pm disappointed in you, Altar" +"
said Jack, sadly shaking his head; "and
yet it's only the dear gazelle business
over again. Can't you draw upa pledge,
fellows-make it very strong? l think, T"
he added musingly, that you ought
to prohibit soda water it's certainly a
mild form of Stimulation hot day.
Here's little Plumtree, too; by all means
count him in."
Let Billy alone, Jack" said Simp-
son; he's getting educated. He'll be
a man yet, one of these days-won't you,
Billy |"
But the boy shrank away from the
rough blow that accompanied the words,
and looked still anxiously at Allan, on
whose face the blood had been deepening
with every syllable, until now it was
fairly scarlet.
BY tho way, said Parke, !" Jim Ward
told me capital story"
Tell it to US, Tom," eagerly from
half dozen voices.
It's pretty bad" he said with SEEM
ing reluctance.
/ There was loud laugh from Simp-
son.
"That will Just suit Bleecker," he
said.
But upon Toms remark, Allan had
moved away and was now at his desk.
"Allan's mad" observed Rutgers, hes.
itatingly.
"Troubled about Jim Wards tales,
guess" said Cronyn.
"Pity he can't bear the TRUTH" put in
Parke, and Allan, hearing the remark
turned back and stood again before the
groupe.
at isn't that" he said hotly. Then
pausing for moment, while his lip
frightened and the blood once mort
rushed to his face, sI don't mind hoV
much you run met isn't true, not ,
word of it-but l can't stand that
Then he paused again.
"Well?n said Tom, sarcastically.
YOU'RE telling story" Allan wen
on rapidly, q that don't want to hear
tnats p why - ! m golhg oa on ro na a.
rheM eJacuia'eu tom anu IN W
others SET up a cnofus Oh lrohicai SUI
prise: 49, %, ;,;uo, pu.u.u
n I5nce Hnu, .o;ts mrsn honad an9u uIteu Eronv mu
INV aear fellow % asked Tom "isn'
.h;s = ysm I'D Jona - rtn,o ~
'iiss mJnL n new uopr,so sa;ra - 4o,,n oor
) t;nred IA Allan ~" st;l, ii s moTe mnbat;cal1,
@;sn,t G . t;t thing to listen TO and don
. believe in it."
...oxo H.,