The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-05-24
THE TWO JONESES.
A story of St. David's Day.

gin. .s the 1st of March, in the year of
ows mfs- In merchants office, not
The % rom Cheapside, Il little man sat at a
alss = I desk, trying hard, apparently, to
Ore 9a one eve on the rows of figures be-
cor q I'm and the other on the office
rte II Failing in this, his glances trav-
a all Il d from the one to the other with pen
ne s%m like regularity. At last the clock
DE, MI MI the wished for hour of 6; and the
oor ss @ man shut the big ledger with a
al all |sas, s and after locking it up carefully
~. tEe office safe, dashed into dark
lch s'board. and began hasty but care
'u!. sfsilet. involving great splashing of
al- .,sr and much violent exercise with a
Ian rmnv @ uail-brush. Evan Jones was
eIy ;ay lnninallv aI managing-elerk, and really
i'a ~oeral factotum, to the firm OF Bor-
$ek & Brown, hardwood merchants.
on Il was 50 years of age, short, fat, and
at Iml natired, though little peppery at
tes mas He had numerous family,
= -JIom he found it any thing but easy to
Of "a and bring up on his modest salary
me Nshillings a week. With strict econ
oa- m however, he managed just to make
Is nj ends meet. Not for him were the
oi usu sands of Ramsgate, or the chest
an u sTenues of Hampton Court. Not
Il him we're the mild havana or the
hraut cigarette. He had no vices and
OF Aired no luxuries. One Indulgence
ns lone. in the course of the year, did he
lh- H wmit himself. He was a Welshman
ns he backbone, and herein lay his one
! =. 3arsvagance. Come what might, and
ae i, However depressed the condition of the
am ~, domestic money market, he was always
'ed ea I,resent at the dinner of the United
~ ~ 3Eekhmen on St. David's Day. The
~ 4 Necessary guinea was to Jones as much
~ ID hundred to many of the other guests
Tho assembled at the banquet in ques-
Sn-a sum to be saved and scraped to-
NO ether BY infinite sacrifice and self-de-
he ia But
N. Though back and sides go bare,
Or Though hands and feet go cold,
zee Ehe old song says, scraped together it
n. must be, by hook by crook. For near
'se Esweek prior to the present occasion,
he Ean's dinner had consisted of a saveloy
ed ada penny roll and on the day of our
lal ary he had taken no food whatever
lat nee his frugal breakfast, intending to
~ Snpensate himself handsomely for his
IN iStlnence at the expense of the "United
th Aelshmen." He had, in truth, gone SC
nd n hag without food as to feel little ex-
y, luted; but he eonsoled himself with
to De thought of the splendid appetite he
a. Mould carry to the festive board; and
to aVng at last completed his toilet, he
n aHtup the office, and started for the
IN astery where the dinner was to be held
r. Rng at least six feet high, and hum.
"a nng Ar hydy q nos with patriotic ener.
n, g.
nd At almost the same moment wher
q, Ivan Jones started on his journey, &
ed i al, handsome man, in faultless evening
e, snre, stepped out of a West-end man
ms aoa. outside of which a brougham wa;
9, Eallng. Agraceful little lady, with {
10 Msnt glrlish face, accompanied him to
Va Il w uaif-uUDI,
rs You won't be very late, Owen, viii
. Foam she said, coaxingly.
mot very early, am afraid, pet. w,
"elshmen' are rare fellows for. keeping
1iap; and if | came away before ali tn,
:. Lional toasts had been duly honored
|. '@oald never hear the last of it,
~ very well, dear; then | suppose
,s aaent expect you till see you. hop,
d q ~ sa VII have pleasant evening. Dom
9 Ae zoo much wine," she continued
Z aghingly.
!. Oant answer for myself on such al
/, M%sslon,' s% her husband responded
II Inc - Tavern" he said to tn,
| amman and kissing his hand to hi
: daght. ""' " III i''' o''
n CHAPTER II.
y ie limited Welshmenn had finishe.
q MI dlnner, and had made considera
= ptogress with their dessert. Eacl
raaa naa wore attached to his button-hole
5 sss ssa'leflul composition of green an,
: Sass suas satln and silver filagee, which wa
, ,arr aTp0sed (by dint of making believ
~ II, much indeed) to represent tn
: ssk sacred to the occasion. A per
s hurricane of MS and ms and ~
). Mu@,s flew about the room, onl
1 ,b,;u,s. u,g ior few moments when tn
: n,aa na'ilah rose to propose a toast, or th
: sss SI ~ y the far end of the banouet-hal
! saaa 4eu lhelr harps for some Cambria
= NJ Evan Jones was seated at th
i a sise ass BOARD, but alas, no longer tn
Q ,eaaasaaiNl-span Evan Jones who had bu
/. ae,sls e o. hours earlier left the office c
5 hls hs. borwick & Brown. His care
. d SsSsur, SsSurushed hair was now rough an
, q Ssras e his face red, his shirt-fror
t nj MI H. sna crumpled, his utteranee thicl
| q aalandgse s general appearance that of
i ba saiah ,a who has dined "not wisel,
nma.el e Well" Poor Evan had been i
, nt saas t. n lmmoderate in his potation
| h,ns : had 50 weakened himself by Ion
i h,5 that the little he had takeo bo