The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-11-29

been for certain loose habits which had
marked his course from childhood. His
parents had been careless and prOfane |
before him his father had been a tough,
rough customer: SO Jack naturally enough |
came up in the same track. But he was
good looking, and kind hearted, and gen
ial, and social, and SO had gained for a
wife one of the best maidens of the town,
as we'll as one of the handsomest-
Master Freddy Sprout, aged five years,
stood by his mothers side, with sadly
begrimed and tear-streaked face, and
his story was that Solomon Gordon had
whipped him with stick, and the boys
legs still bore few slight tokens of the
castigation. Two other boys had come
home with Master Freddy, and their tes-
timony corroborated that which the suf-
ferer had given. Freddy, with some of
his playmates, had been throwing stones
at Mr.. Gordon's dog, and one of the mis-
siles hurled by Freddy had hit the ami
NAL and caused him to howl with pain
Of course the stone thrown by such tiny
hand could not have inflicted much in
jury upon the canine brute; but Solo
mon Gordon loved his dog, and when he
saw what had been done he caught Mas
ter Freddy and gave him thrashing; for
be it known that Solomon Gordon was
just such another man as Jack Sprout-
warm-hearted, generous and neighborly;
but rough, uneducated, strong-willed and
impulsive.
Jack Sprout put on his hat and pre-
pared to sally forth. His lips were pale
and tightly compressed, and the huge
muscles in his arms worked like bundles
Of ropes.
dear jack" pleaded his wife, "don't
90 out now"
"Let me alone, Abby. No man shall
strike child of mine without having
chance to strike me. shall 60 and see
Sol. Gordon, and I'll give him such a
licking as he won't forget in hurry!"
And Jack closed the sentence with ter
rible oath.
"No-no, Jack-don't go. What good
will it do? Wait until you are more coole
"Pshaw Go away, Abby. There is not
power enough on earth to save Sol. Cor
don from drubbing; and I'll give it to
him before the sun goes down.
And as Jack Sprout looked at that mo-
ment he gave awful evidence that he was
able to make good his word; for more
magnificent structure of framework and
muscle was not to be found in the town.
'Dear Jack" cried the wife, taking he
husband by the arm, 'oh, do listen to me
one moment Freddy is not much hurt;
and he ought not to have thrown stones
at Gordon's dog. You know both Solo
mon and his wife set everything by the
the little animal, and he would not bark
at the boys if they did not plague him.
If you go and find Gordon as you are
now you will only make matters worse.
Oh, wish you would drop it,
Jack only shook his head and smiled
one of those smiles which are so terrible
upon the face of an angry man.
80 Jack, if you would only try the
effect of kindness upon Solomon. He is
| q good man at heart"
Jack interrupted his wife with a de-
risive sneer.
"Dont laugh at me, Jack tell you
it would be better to do 50 than to resort
to blows. If you were attacked | would
not blame you for fighting to protect
Yourself, but this is not case that calls
| for your strength of muscle. There is a
higher and nobler strength that you can
use now"
"Oho!' uttered Jack, "you are preach
ing. You are giving me some OF your
Sunday school lessons. ButI don't want
'em. You may experience religion as
much as you please, but you mustn't
preach the stuff to me-"
Jack" spoke the wife, with stern
solemnity, "have been any worse since
l began to have an interest In religious
thingsa"
mo, Abby, you we're good always
"Then why will you not listen to me!
If you will stay with me now-if you will
wait until your anger is cooled then
90 and speak kindly to Solomon Gordon
/ give you my solemn word that you will
feel thousand times better than you will
if YOU
But Jack would not hear his wife out
He had sworn that he would thrash Solo
mon Gordon, and he would keep hi:
word. His temper was at the boiling
point, ami he was fairly aching to get hi:
hands upon the man who had dared t.
strike his boy; for Freddy was his pet
and eveTv blow that had been laid upOr
the child's body had been a mark of fir,
upon his own heart. So he put his wifi
away from him and hurried from tn,
house, slamming the door after him.
Il Away went Jack Spro0t with rapit
heavy strides; and had Solomon Gordo1
fallen in his way just then he would mos
assuredly have been severely beaten, fol
, though Solomon was stout, bold mar
vet Jack was regular Hercules.
, But Jack was destined to get prett
thoroughly cooled off before he met tn
object of his wrath. As he approache
the bridge that spanned the river just be
{ low the falls he heard loud cries of alarm
and upon hurrying forward he found tha
| boy had fallen from one Of the projec
t ing timbers Unto the water. He looked owe
the railing. and saw the little fellow ju.
: coming to the surface of the foaming, boi
q ing fiood-a curly-headed boy just abos
: the age of his own darling Freddy
stretching forth his tiny arms in an agon
of despair 1t was terrible place, ths
seething, roaring pool, where the watel
of the great river came pouring dow
L 4