The Portland daily press., 1878-03-02
The Two JOneses.
A sicrs CT SC. Davia's Day.
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER 1.
1t was the LIST of March, in the year of
grace IS. In a merchants Office, not far
from Cheapside, little man sat at high
desk trying hard. apparently, TO keep one eve
on the row of figures before him and the
other on the office clock. Failing in this, his
glances traversed from the one to the other
with pendulum-like regularity. At last the
clock struck the wished-for hour of six. And
the little man shut the big ledger with bang
and after locking it up carefully 10 the office
safe, dashed into dark cupboard, and began
hasty but careful toilet, involving great
splashiDg of water and much violent exercise
with stumpy nail brush. Evan Jones was
nominally managing clerk, and really gener-
al factotum to the firm of Berwick & Brown,
hard wood merchants. He was fifty years OF
age, short, fat aud good-natured, though a
little peppery at times. He had a numerous
family, whom he found it anything but easy
to feel and bring up on his modest salary of
nifty shillings week. With strict economy,
however, he managed just to make both ends
meet. Not for him were the breezy sands of
Hamsgate or the chestnut avenues of Hamp.
ton Court. Not for him were the mild Ha-
vana or the fragrant cigarette. One indul-
gence alone in the course OF the year did he
permit himself He was Weshman to the
backbone, and herein lay his one extrava-
gance. Come what might, and however de-
pressed the condition of the domestic money
market, he was always present at the dinner
OF the sUnited Welshmen'' on St. David's
Day. The necessary guinea was to Jones as
much as hundred 10 many of the other
guests who assembled at the banquet in ques-
by Infinite sacrifice and self-denial. But
Though back AMI sides 90 bare,
Though hands and feet go cold''
as the old song says, scraped together it must
be, by hook or by crook. For nearly a week
prior to the present occasion, Evans dinner
had consisted Of saveloy and penny roll /;
and on the day of our story he had taken no
food whatever since his frugal breakfast, in
tending to compensate himself handsomely
for his abstinence at the expense of the
"United Welshmen." He had, in truth, gone
so long without food as to feel a little ex-
hausted; 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 to be held, feeling at least six feet high.
and humming ar hyd y nos with patriotic
energy.
At almost the same moment when Evan
Jones started on his journey, tall, handsome
man, in faultless evening attire, stepped out
of West End mansion, outside of which a
brougham was waiting. A graceful little
lady. with bright girlish face, accompanied
him to the hall door.
"You won't be very late. Owen, will youa'
she said coaxingly.
"Not very early, I am afraid, pet. We
'Welshmen' are rare fellows for keeping it up !;
and if came away before all the national
tOasts had been duly hOnOred should never
hear the last of it,"
"Very well, dear; then suppose mustn't
expect you till see you. [ hope you will
have pleasant evening. Don't take too
much wine," she continued laughingly.
Cant answer for myself on such an occa-
sion," her husband responded. sThe -
Tavern" he said to the coachman; and kiss
ing his hand to his wife, in a few moments
was whirled out of sight.
CHAPTER II.
The Omitted Welshmen'' had finished their
dinner, and had made considerable progress
with their dessert. Each man wore attached
to his buttonhoe wonderful composition of
green and white satin and silver filigree,
which was supposed tby dint of making be-
lleve very much indeed) to represent the
Sleek" sacred to the occasion. A perfect
hurricane Of MS and ms and p's and is and
JOS flew about the room, only ceasing for q
few moments when the chairman rose to pro-
pose toast, or the bards at the far end of the
hall tuned their harps for some Cambrian
melody. Evan Jones was seated at the fes-
tive board, but, alas, no longer the spick-and-
span Evan Jones, who had but couple of
hours earlier left the Office of Messrs Berwick
d Brown. His carefully brushed hair was
now rough and disheveled, his face red, his
shirt front limp and crumpled, his utterauce
gentleman who has dned mot wisely, but
too WELL" Poor Evan had been by no means
immoderate in his rotations, but he had so
weakened himself by long fasting that the
little he had taken had an exaggerated effect
upon him, and he was rapidly becoming argu-
mentative, not to say pugnacious. 1t was an
article of faith with him, even in his sober
moments, that he was in some mysterious
way connected with the last of the Welsh
kings, and in his present elevated condition
this idea took possession of his mind with re-
doubled emphasis. He had more than once
commenced sentence beginning, Gas
'scendant of Llewellyn," but without getting
any farther. At the second failure his left
hand neighbor, to whom the observation was
addressed, replied profanely, so blow LEW
ellynP Evan Jones looked at him for mo-
ment with an expression of immeasurabIe
scorn and disgust, and then turned to his
right hand neighbor, "'S deshendent of
LleWellyn, pears to meas a 'scendant-of
and then stopped again.
:. Cwm nog lwyn bora dwmnath cwlyd
!limach ball." replied his rght-hand neigh
Dor.
"Owyllog lwmmo gwllog y dina nos" re-
marked another of the party.
"Cwlla gwyn dwylleth dym da cwi bala
llewelly caerloc," responded Jones, whose
tongue was loose enough in his native Welsh
and who would probably have continued in
the same strain for some time, had not the
chairman requested attention for the March
Of the Men of Harlech," which was about
to be given by the choir. Jones sat still dur
Ing the chorus, with head and hand keeping
tipsy time to the measure; but his soul waxed
hot within him under the influence of the
inspiring strains, and no sooner had they
ceased than he wildly got upon his legs, and
said, in loud, thick voice
"Mis'r Chairman, shay! IS humble
repsen' sive-I mean ancestor-I mean seem
ant-of Llewellyn, don't think this 'spic-
lous occasion--I say, don't think this 'spc-
ions 'casion-"
Here there were loud cries of "Orderp'
''Chairp "Sit DOWN. and Jones was pulled
violently down by the coat tails by one of his
neighbors. The gentlemanly looking man to
whom we have alluded in our first chapter
was Jones's Uts-G-rlS at the table. The scene
was SO ludcrous that he could not repress a
smile, which was observed by Evan, whose
choleric temper fired up instantly at the sup
posed affront.
what tn devil you 'grinning' at, look
Vou?"
"Did smile? really beg your pardon;
'ut am quite sure was not grinning, as
7ou call it,"
ssYou did, sir; you grinned, like-like
cat, sir; appeal to the gentlemen
present. You've Suited me, sir-'sulted me
grossly. Names Jones; very good name:
scendant of Llewellyn; and I 5mand 'sfac-
lion of a gen'lman."
MY name is Jones, too, though haven't
he honor of being descendant of Llewell-
IN. There is my card, sir; and if when YOU
come to your sober senses you desire to apol-
,gize for your unseemly behavior, shall be
happy to see you"
Evans right-hand neighbor thrust the
lard, which bore the inscription
Mr.. OWEN JONES,
SO Winslow Square,
Belgravia s. W.
nto Evans waistcoat pocket, and the owner,
y no means being DESTROYS of being involved
n an after-dinner brawl, moved away to an
'ther part OF the table. By dint of little
iumorlng, those around managed to soOthe
ne merry Evan into comparative tranquility,
md after few more desultorv observations