Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-05-27


cuff, a sort o thing as a mans got to have
some day or another In got it bad,
an no mistake. suppose In got ii
about as bad as a mon ever had 1t. But
Lord bless thee, Willy-yum, it's sick
ness as wo't kill nobody. But it wo't do
for me to be a lyin' here all AFTERNOON a
dom nothin. ! mote go whum empty
handed. I'll tax some flowers vi me. y
Herewith Mr.. Bowker arose, and ty-
ing the sleeves of his coat loosely about
his neck, strayed along the lanes, and got
together in the course of the next hour, a
presentable nosegay of late May early
dog-roses, and white fox-gloves. These,
backed by dozen or so prodigious ferns,
he bound about with rushes from the
brook. and then set out for home. Love 5
purposed offering was some three feet in
/ height, and wide and dense enough to
screen the bearer from recognition from
the side on which he carried it. Ii is the
Black Country fashion to do everything
ON large scale, and Mr.. Bowker might
have passed. behind his bouquet, as one
of the supernumeraries in the army which
marched against Macbeth from Birnam
Wood. Straying up to Dead Mans Lane,
/ he climbed Jacobs Ladder, and passed
merrily Stevenson's Hills, encountering
here and there a friend and friendly sa-
lutte. The nosegay made it evident to
the meanest observer that the bearer was
"goin' a courtin, and William endured
a good deal of more or less pointed chatt
as he took his homeward way. This was
inevitable, and he was, OF course, pre-
pared for it, and generally gave a good
deal better than he got.
Hello, Willy-yum,' said one. par
example, "a cove I'D think as yo took
the second o June for May Day.
why, so did, responded William
cheerfully, IAN In been getherin some
green stuff for yo' to play the fule in.
This was quite home-thrust of wit
after the manner of the district. They
who looked on the brief tournament
guHawcd right joyfully.
"Yo' had him theer, Willy-yum,'
quoth one youth, approyingly.
"Not me, returned Willy-yum com
placcntly. Il wouldn't have him no.
wheer, not at gift
Leaving the discomdted foe behind,
Mr. Bowkcr pursued his way, and was
encountered in the region of Scott's Hole
by a certain retail bone-dealcr and mer-
chant in >cap-iron. The retail dealer
had humorous eve and moist, full
mouth, and bore other evidence in his
quantity carved countcnance Of the power
Of comic perception.
Afternoon, Willy-yum,' said the re-
tail dealer
Afternoon, Samyouwell, returned
Mr. Bowker. with droll-eycd and expect
am; gravity
Com to plant them pretty things in
the back garden, Willy-yum: asked the
retail dealer, with a show OF friendly IN
tercst.
No, said Mr. BowkcT placidly; 81
,ethered EN- to see how many fulcs I'D
AK me what | got en- for
Afternoon, Willy-yum, said the r-
tail dealer.
Afternoon, Samyouwcll,' returned
Mr.. Bowker, and lit a fresh pipe with
feelings of strong sclf-approval.
Mr.. Bowker lived in Paradise street,
and had manifold opportunities for con-
ference with the object of his desires, who
lived next door, and was, indeed, no other
than the daughter of the retail merchant
of bone and iron. The genial war Of
wits and words in which these two in
dulged made no sort of difference in their
friendship, unless, indeed, it tended to
cement II. Paradise street, in William
day, was something of a Slum, and the
fields which lay in front of his house,
where the railway station now stands,
were frowzy and neglected, and produced
no other crop than one Of brick-bats and
hulking ends of timber. Here and there
broken and deserted shed, built for
some forgotten purpose, went It's way to
ruin slowly, and added to the general
desolation. Beyond those frowzy fields
rose the gaunt frames and tall chlmneys
of many coal-mines, and down the hill,
on the Oldbury road the everlasting
furnaces gave the summer evening sky an
angry glare. You could hear their roar
and the dead thud of the steam hammer
on any quiet night, and sometimes the
clank of iron bars and pigs, as the boats
beside the wharf were loaded, as though
some great devilish Prometheus were
bound there, breathing smoke and fire
against imprisoning Jove, and shaking
the chains that held him.
Etiquette reigns everywhere-even in
the Black Country Mr.. Bowker dressed
for the presentation of his nosegay. First
of all he rolled his shirt-sleeves to his
shoulders and blacked his boots. Then
he took copious bath under the pump in
the yard, in view of his inamorata, who
bade him gracious good-evening from
her bedroom window, and was there
plainly visible in her bodice, in the act of
removing her curl-papers. His bath COM
pleted. William lay by the scrubbing
brush and the yellow soap, and hung the
jack towel upon the rack behind the
kitchen door-for he was lonely man at
home as yet, and had in all things to shift
completely tor himself. Then putting on
= false front with a pair Of wonderful
collars which fastened with string be-
hind and obscured his ears, and donning