The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1879-09-02

down, persuaslyely, ana stretching out
a brawny hand.
mo"
'But tell You the cold comes in
lively" surveying the crack, half filed
by the magazine stuffed into it, leaving
open a mere mouse-bole. "I'm not as
comfortable here as / was over by the
stove"
"Why don't you go back then?"
charitably suggested. "It wastn't nee
essary for you to come here, to begin
with"
Another pause. A fresh charge
II say. amt you cold?'
Throat all right.
"Yes."
A cessation Of hostilities. Truce soon
broken.
'I say. hadn't you better let me put
down that Window"
"No."
A breathing space, a vigorous hitch
to the coat-collar, longing look to-
ward the fiery dragon of iron and coal.
"And you amt afraid?'
ono"
"H H.h-h-m-you call yourself strong
/ minded, now don't your
~ would be sorry to call myself
weakminded.
"Speak, don't you?"
"Yes."
MAKE lectures?"
"Yes."
Get paid pretty well?"
yes
Ever talk any?'
"Yes."
"You don't say Dye mind telling
a fellow whether You ever speak more'n
one word at a timer"
THAT depends upon circumstances, 4"
| judicially pronounced. "At present
prefer not TO talk at all.
At which he stared, pondered, looked
at me, at the air-hole, rubbed his side
whiskers. pondered again for enlight.
enment-got il.
Meaning me? oh; you..neednt I apol-
| ogiZe. L can take hint as well as an
other fellow. i never put in where
amt wanted, il know It, No. .
Where might you hang out your shin
gle? / said where might your home
/ be?"
philadelphia.
philadelphia You don't see much
Of il, / reckon?"
"No."
"Old folks living?"
Silence.
II said l hoped your pa was lively
yet, insinuatIngly.
"Nol"
"You don't mean to say he's dead?"
A nod-in despair.
"Shol Well It's natural. People
do die. Ma at homer"
yes
Ever travel round with you?"
mo"
Never? And she Amt afraid to
have yO1 travel around alone? No? l
reckon. then, you're a chip of the old
block. Got snap to her, has she?"
/ am too busy about the much-dis-
cussed window TO make reply.
II asked whether your ma was like
you? Has she got go TO her?"
am not done with the window and
my dumbness.
We'll. we'll let the old lady drep.-
You don't like my talking about her, /
reckon-from the color OF ..your face. --
Got a temper, haven't you?"
yes"
81 thought so. Got it from your pa
or map"
Got it from being compelled 10 see
ard hear such people as you," j defn-
cd.
More rumination, side whiskels
again rubbed, situation faced boldly.
brothers and sisters like youp
Maybe you haven't any. How many
brothers and sister might you have?'
81 might have fifty" growled /,
"but haven't"
mo? Lost some?"
A relapse again into n silence last
verging on imbecility.
Don't like to talk about your fami-
ly, mebbe. Some people don't.
don't mind. Lieve talk about my
people as not. Got any objection to
my asking how old You are?"
"None in the world"
A new and prolonged pause.
lyon haven't told me"
"You haven't asked me-"
More meditation, this time resulting
in no enlightenment.
81 did, but don't mind asking You
again. How old are you?"
"Old enough 10 mind my own busi-
ness and TO tell other people to mind
theirs. You will really do me a favor,
my friend, by asking me no more ques-
tions."
The irrepressible seemingly settled
in a profound reverie, and thought
my purgatory was ended. Vain thought
He came mp the next round smiling.
"Lecturing's your trade, amt IL
You make your bread and butter by II.
don't you?"
My tired head nodded what served
for answer.
well. now. all's grist that comes d
your mill, then? One fellows stamps
are as goods ano,her's hey2"
was forced 10 admit il.
well, now, growing emphatic ant
dragging out some greasy looking bill
and currency. ''look here you'll nevei
lecture in our town. It's TO darneS
small. But I'd like TO hear what yoT
can do when your steam's mp.
! thought I'd get free blowout, but
, reckon you weren't born yesterday
got your eye-teeth cut. There's a dol
lar; will that pay you for good squar'
talk and oil the fixens2'
/ make IN manifest 10 him that /
|, won't hold my peace once more
What not for a dollar2 Well
! then, It's pretty steep. but I don
mind Just for once going two dollars.
Not even for ten dollars can / b,
wound mp and made 10 go, and his for
, bearance ~ exhausted.
"You don't mind my telling you tina
think You are pretty considerabl,
much on the make. l never did Sc
your beat You won't be sOciable, an,
, Won won't make a square iradel You'r
not the woman for my stamps" put
ting back his unwashed currency. .
wouldn't talk 10 you if-well, ia a
/, lief talk 90 a stone wall. Perhap
! you'd like your own company
I And as did not contradict him h
, gathered himself mp, overcoat and all
1 aud replanted himself for a slow roas
! by the fiery dragon Of stove.
But. evidently, he bore me NJ