Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-05-30

"Only rather?" in tone of disappoint-
ment.
"' Ratber," explains the captain, :" in
that tone means very"
The lady takes the plate and fills it with
cold chicken, stufling, salad, bread, and
what not; adds knife and fork and gives
it to Dick.
The knife and fork are of no use to him
He squats on the deck, and eats with Ma
ture's implements. He has no idea Of
gastronomic combinations. First he eats
the chicken, then the stuf1ing, then the
salad, then the bread and, this done, takes
long breath, and looks up with a look
that says more, as plainly as Oliver said
the word. More he gets, from the same
kind hand, which he watches with dimly
awakened feelings of delight. Gloved, it
was a wonder; bare and glittering with
costly rings, so white, so small-it bewil-
dered him. Why did every one do what
she told them? How could she keep all
those gold thingsp She couldn't 'lick' any
one with those hands! Dick mused.
The plate is full again, and he turns his
attention to its contents with apparently
undiminshed appetite.
:" l should keep some of that for to-mor-
row, If were you," observed the doctor.
"Then you'd be n foolm Dick replied
with n scof. 1.-The big fellows on the
levee'd take it from you before you'd gone
two blocks! Tomorrow amt here, but
the grub is, and so I'm a-going TO get out
side it while / can"
There is general laugh at this philos-
ophy, and the lady asks if he may have a
glass OF champagne.
"Yes," the doctor says, "but / think
he'd prefer whiskey."
Whiskey? A child take thatm she ex-
postulates.
"Try him." replies the doctor.
He is tried, and losses off three finger
deep of raw Bourbon without winking.
That's so'thing like!' he observes
smacking his lips.
This feat somewhat lessons the lady's
sympathy. Dick gets outside his grub
without further comment, and is walking
off when the captain calls him back with
"Why, you young rascal! are you 60
ing without saying thank youP"
"Thank yc."
mo, not me. Thank the lady"
"Thank ye kindly, ma'am," says Dick.
1t was the first polite speech he had ever
uttered, and heaven knows where he pick
ed it up.
The party remained on board till about
six O'Clock, but by the time it broke up
every one had forgotten the Rat; but as
Mrs. Austen was crossing the levee, he
ran up, much to the annoyance of her
companion who had had enough of him.
Il say" says the Rat. "Do you like
him?' with chuck Of the thumb toward
the steamer.
Captain Gilbert?
Ycs-is he your feller?
" Get out, you scamp! cries tho gentle
man, Indignantly.
d" Let him speak, Fred, the lady pleads.
" No, Dick, am married, and this is my
husband but Captain Gilbert is our kind
friend. / crossed with him once, and he
was very good to me when was sick.
" Was gdu ever sick? asks Dick with n
face full of wonder.
"Often. So | can answer your question
and say do like the captain very much.
You'd hate for anything bad to hap
pen to him?"
" Why, of course-to him or any one
else"
Wot to me?
g Indeed | would, my poor boy. Oh,
Fred see how wistiul he looks! Mayn't
give him some of Charley's left off
things? have Il little boy at home, she
goes on, seeing assent in her husbands
eyes" about your size"
docs be get chicken to eat? asks the
Rat.
Yes.
L" Erery day?
mo, not every day, she answers, smil-
ing; and it is well she does not qualify her
reply, for Dicks credulity was not yet
sufficiently elastic to bear such marvel
as boy about his size, who had chicken
every day.
So they bid him follow them, and more
wonders were in store for him. lie sees
Charley. He is taken up TO the lady's
own room, where the promised things are
produced and tried on over his rags. Here
he stands, lost in admiration. The great
broad bed, with its satin coverlet, its lazy
lace bound pillows, and snowy mosquito
bar held back by silken ropes of the same
color as the little knots which here and
there, light up the varied greens of the
fern-spread carpet; the armors with their
plate glass doors; the dressing-table all
glitter with crystal and with Colds and IL
score of Crincam CrGnkumS such as he
never before behcld; the pictures on the
wall; the flowers in the balcony; the per-
fume of the place (no fixed odor, but Il
combination of all sweet things) bewilder
ed the Rat. If he had ever heard Of Fairy
land he would have thought himself there.
He had never heard of Fairyland or of the
enchanters, giants, dwarls, genii and all
the old myths which surround its princesses
and the exemplary third sons of its kings
A drunkard who would drop dime as he
staggered from the bar-room was the near
est approach to II good fairy that Dick
knew. He gazed about him bewildered
and some dim sense of shame stole over
him as he saw his own reflection in the
looking-glass.
Mayn't put 'em on now9 he asks as
the things are selected.
Better not, says the lady. q" Put them
on in the morning. Come here again
about ten o'clock, and we will see what
can be done for you.
He submits, and goes down very reluct-
antly, with two whole suits of Charey's
left off clothes bundled up in large hand
kerchiel, and fifty cents in his pocket
AS soon as the hall door closes after him,
the brute instincts of secrecy and evasion
pull his jelly-bag hat over his eyes and send
him off at II run.
Outside bar-room at the corner, con-
versing afably with several noted thieves
of his acquaintance, is policeman. Set
thief to catch II thief, is maxim which
the powers that run the New Orleans
constabulary put in practice, but the thief
is rarely caught. The chief duty of the
force is 10 catch votes for the politicians,
to whom they jointly and severally owe
their places, and TO be otherwise political
ly useful. The policeman at the corner
has just done good stroke of work. lie
had arranged that row should break out
at a hostile club that night, and the pre-
destined disturbers Of the peace had pled-
ged him once, twice, thrice, in whiskey.
He was all aglow with Importance Gin
whiskey) when he saw our Rat come out
Of Mr.. Austen's house and scuttlc off.
Here was n victim worthy of his STEEL
so he Immediately gave chase, shouting
Stop thieln and fired his revolver at the
fugitive.
Ills first shot struck colored girl, who
| was CROSSING the street nbont ten Yards