The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-01-07

a dead silence.
This is strange. What no gentle
man sent the message? / fear you are
modest. But as | am desirous of hay
ing an answer | will request of you in
dividually to give me n reply.
Then, beginning at the end nearest the
door, our friend put the query:
May | ask are you, sir, the gentleman
who sent the messagel'
But, no; apparently no one had sent
the message--at least they all denied
having done so.
We'll, at all events, as had the pleas
urc of sending polite message to
the gentlemen in the public room,
and as am not in the habit of dsown-
ing my words, propose that you shall
at once leave this room and the hotel
We'll, what then!'
The words were only uttered in n
whisper by one of the party, but they
were apparently audible enough.
What then? Why, | shall in that
case be under the painful necessity of
taking the gentleman who refuses to
leave upon my shoulder and carting him
out into the road before the hotel door
a moments pause And that there may
be no delay, and that you may see ] am
thoroughly in earnest, | propose com
mencing with the only gentleman whose
still voice have heard.
And then, with quiet dash, our
friend dexterously seized on both the
hands of the speaker in question. and
twisted the fellow over his shoulder, and
was bearing him from the apartment,
when he was met by fine young fellow
at the door.
4 'Ah, Mr. Jones, permit me to pass
you. Iou find me i'll the act of eXpelling
some unruly members from your moth
er's premises.
e.. All right, sir, and I'll protect your
rear.
1t must not be supposed that the gen
tleman thus rudely handled made no
sign, or went off altogether without re-
sistance. On the contrary, he did ven
ture, by one very decided struggle, to
demonstrate, but only one.
BY a sudden and peculiar wrench on
the part Of his captor, groan was ex-
tracted from his manly bosom, which
spoke volumes, and he made no second
effort until he was finally deposited on
his mother earth-to-wit in the centre
of the dusty high road of Watlcy.
Il don't understand it all sir, said
young Mr.. Jones, on Franks return, but
I've no doubt its all right as you do 1t.
Oh, its perfectly correct, and altogeth-
er proper | assure you. These thirsty
gentlemen have been amusing themselves
by breaking the furniture and effects
see auctoneer's catalogues-of my eX-
cellent friend, the Kings Head
oh, that's it, is it! Well, out you
60
Yes, gentlemen, out you go-unless,
indeed, any one would prefer to fulfill
his obliging promise and knock my
head against the wall
But no gentleman seeming that way
inclined they all silently and sulkily filed
past the two good-looking young mer
who stood by the door, the sailor giving
each a goodnatured, contemptuous sa
lutte as he passed,
When the last of the cowardly lot haC
left the premises. as it was already dusk
the worthy Mrs. Jones closed the Outel
door, and then, with many expressions
of thanks and some of admiration, en-
treated her young guest to allow her t.
open bottle of certain highly valued
wine.
by all manner of means, my worth!
friend, and we three will drink toeth
good health of the gentlemen from Bir
mingham
You would hardly think it possible
L now,' said the good dame, as they sa
enjoying the joke, that any dozen o
creatures calling themselves men coul'
/ allow themselves to be crowed over, oi
; rather kicked out-for you are not on
of the growing sort, think, sir--by on
' single man.
Il don't know that, my dear Mrs
l Jones. | have known men brave fror
} numbers, and cowardly also from mum
bers. shouldn't wonder that more thai
I one of our friends outside, threatenc
singly, would have shown fight
THE nasty, dirty wretches! They sha'
never darken my doors again,
We'll, no, they are not desirable LOT
- But you will be surprised to hear tina
= one of them, the person | seated in tn
u road, is an old and particular friend c
! mine.
la! Captain, what can you meant?
Mrs. Jones always promoted Sub -Lie'
e tenant Frark Curtis in moments OF NOR
e than unusual excitement.
9 We'll, I'll tell you. half thought
knew his sullen face when looked {
o him. When | once had him in my gri
g | was sure of it, and you may quite d
d pend on one thing. We have not g
} rid of him, whatever may be the ca
e with the Others. Singular, too, as yc
? may think, he is not only by no means
II cur, but is beside really gentleman, u
II terly without principle and shameless
e fallen, it is true, but still by birth al
n education a gentleman. see your C
riosity is excited; if you'll come out in
u TIE open air and take the wine into yol
+ I tie conservatory, III tell you all abo
3 IT.