Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1880-03-13
In HARD STRAITS.


Mine o'clock sor. an the hot wather
an is il the rest of the bacon ye'd be af-
Their havin' for breakfast!
"Will it not be too much, Bridget"
"Sorra bit, sOr.'
Every WELL"
Aud with half grOan, |, Basil Hath
away, sprang out of bed, proceeded to
array myself in unexceptiOnal costume
-trOwsers, vest and frOck-cOat. My on
ly ones. alas! an accommodating rela-
tive some twenty doors off had taken
charge of shabbier garments one by one,
kindly advancing sundry moneys there
on.
Three of us were in the same plight
old schOOl-fellOws and old chums, now
thrown together i'm manhood by the ca
price OF Dame Fortune, and lighting
shoulder to shoulder the battle OF life In
the great city.
AS dressed, one of the trio, Hal Ire
vOr. came bounding by three at time
the worm eaten stairs. He was fresh
from morning lecture at the hospital,
and hungry as hunter, thought with
a shudder. heard his cheerful greet
ing of Jack HOrnsey, hard at work since
daylight on Coke on LittletOn.'
well, old bOOkwOrm, ready for break
fast? Where is the eaptain?'
1.-The captainr' How the old title.
bestowed in honor Of my three years
seniority. set me dreaming. was reused
by the dali thuds of poker hammering
violently at the intervening wall.
All right shouted. Ring for the
bacon"
lii minute there were three OF us
gazing with rueful looks at the break
fast arrangement. A loaf of stale bread
piece of butter the size of walnut
and three tiny rashers, that either could
put away with ease.
rs that all, Bridget"
Every line of the girls honest Irish
face was eloquent with sympathy.
Not bit more, sOr.'
Hal laughed.
Turn your pockets, lads. There is my
last cOin."
And he produced an exceedingly shiny
sixpenee.
Jack after much rummaging, show
ed a quantity of fluff and brace buttons
L had threepence half-penny in cOppers
"Odd man out for the bacon" quOth
Hal.
No; divide it between you" said /, a
man has been rash enough to invite NE
to dinner. Hand over the loaf"
Jack gave me one keen glance.
think he suspected the piOuS falsehOOd
Hal-bless the bOy-was perfectly un.
conscious, as happy as though we had
not a care. The frugal meal had just
been disposed of, when we heard great
putting and blowing on the third floor
That had but one possible meaning "a
creditor.
Whose turn nOw?" asked Jack lacon
ically.
Ii was an ancient arrangement now
that on the advent of dun only one of u:
should receive him, the others being il
the adjacent bed room.
''YOur own" cried Hal, as we decamp
ed, leaving the door ajar to watch tn,
course of events. Il wish you joy, Jack
it is old BlundersOn snOrting like {
grampuS as usual"
Old BiunderSOn was general prOvi
sion merchant, who had let himself b(
be-guiled i'm supplying miscellaneOu:
goods until his bills really frightened
me. He was the exception that proved
the Old rule, Laugh and grow fat" as
crusty, ill-cOnditiOned a wretch as evel
read one particular portion of the Lord:
Prayer backward. A modern Falstaff
minus the wit, always ascending slowly
resting at each stair.
We were safe for about five minutes
Jack employed them in preparing fOl
his reception, and we watched proceed
ings with amused curiosity.
The first was to produces huge tObac
co pouch, taking from it about half al
ounce of tobacco. From this he filled {
large clay pipe-Jack's meerschaum ha(
preceded our clothes to the pawnbrOker's
--depOsiting the remainder carefully
upon the table.
An alarming sacrifcep' murmured
Jack. shaking his head over it with Il re
gretful sigh.
The next grasp was to grasp the fire
shovel and tOngs.
weapons of Offense," whispered Har-
~. He meditates assault and battery
Hal stopped abruptly in sheer amaze
ment. Jack was deliberately removing
live Goals from the fire to the shovel, upon
these he swept his cherished tobacco
Then he placed the shovel upon the bot
tom lodges of two chairs at the further
corner Of the room. threw himself int
the one nearest the fire and cOmplacent
ly lighted his long clay pipe.
Of course the room filled fast will
smoke and most pungent OdOr.
''Old BlundersOn hates tobacco as
certain parsonage hates holy waterp
grinned Hal.
bad policy though, to irritate him.
grumbled |.
BY this time our enemy was i'm thu
doorway gaspiDg for breath, and shak
ing great hairy fist at Jack by the way
OF filling the intervals till speech re
turned.
You abandoned young prOfigatew
Jack removed his pipe, nodded, and
quietly resumed it.
Where re-the-Other scamps?'
"0ne gone for the doctor, the other
and a jerk of the speakers thumI
toward the door behind which we stood
completed the sentence.
And BlundersOn made two unwieldy
steps towards us.
Better not" said Jack.
'Eh?"