Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-04-20
THE TWO JONESES.
A story Of 81. David's nay.


CHAPTER l.
II WAS the LIST of March, in the year Of
grace lS- In merchants cfiice, not far
from Cheapside, little man sat at high
desk, trying hard, apparently, 10 keep one
eye on the rows of figures before him and
the other ON the office clock. Failing in this,
his glances travelled from one to the other
with pendulum-like regularity. Al last
the clock struck the wished for hour of
six and the little man shut the big ledger
with bang, and amer locking it up care
fully in the office safe, dashed into dark
Gu picard, ana began hasty but careful
Toilet, involving great splashing of water,
an d much violent exercise with stuInpy
nail brush. Evan Jones was nominally
managing clerk, and really general facto-
tum, 10 the firm of Berwick & Brown,
hard .wo cd merchants. He was fifty years
of age, short, fat, and gocd-natured, though
q little peppery at times. He had numer-
Gus family, whom he found 1t anything
but easy 10 feed and bring up on his mod
est salary Of fifty shillings week. With
strict economy, however, he managed just
to make both ends meet. Not for him were
the breezy sands Of Ramsgate, or the chest
nut avenues Of Hampton Court. Not for
him were the mild Havana or the fragrant
ci i2arette. He had no vices and desired no
luxufies. One indulgence alone, in the
course Of the year, did he permit himself.
He was Welshman to the back bone, and
herein lay his one extravagance. Come
what might, and however depressed the
condition of the domestic money market,
he was always present at the dinner of the
"United Welshmen" on ST. David's Day.
The necessary guinea was TO Jones as much
AS hundred TO many of the other guests
who assembled at the banquet in question
"a sum TO be saved and scraped together
by in finite sacrifice aud self-denial. But
Though ba OK and sides go bare,
Though han DIS aud feet 60 cold"
as the old song says, scraped together ii
must be, by hook or crook. For nearly a
week prior to the present occasion Evans
dinner had consisted of a saveloy and
penny roll aud on the day of our story
he had taken no food whatever since his
frugal breakfast, intending to compensate
himself handsomely for his abstinence at
lLo oApClNt vi AuO Onllcu w
He had, in truth, gone so long without
food as to feel little exhausted but he
consoled himself with the thought of the
splendid appetite he should carry to the
festive board and having at last completed
his toilet, he shut up the Office and started
for the hostelry where the dinner was 10 be
held, feeling at least six feet high, aud
humming Ar hyd a nos with patriotic en-
ergy.
At almost the same moment when Evan
Jones started on his journey, tall, hand
some man, in faultless evening attire, step
ped out of a West End mansion, outside of
which brougham was waiting. A grace
ful little lady, with bright girlsh face, ac-
companied him to the hall door.
"You won't be very late, Owen, will
you ?" she said, coaxingly.
"Not very early, 1 am afraid, pet. We
'Welshmen' are rare fellows for keeping it
up; aud if came away before all the ma
tional toasts had been duly honored
should never hear the last of it,"
Every we'll, dear; then suppose
mustn't expect you till see you. 1 hope
you will have pleasant evening. Don't
take too much wine," she continued laugh
ingly.
"Can't answer for myself en- such au oc-
casion," her husband responded. "The
- Tavern" he said to the coachman |;
and kissing his hand 10 his wife, in a few
moments was whirled out Of sight.
CHAPTER II.
NIL ssIToitod XUalshroanu b.d 9nishad