St. Landry democrat., 1882-01-14


look as II he doesn't care.
But Deniston is pleased and says: 81
thout it was all reel, you told it so hon
est loike. It's reel wonderful"
Then comes the youngest man in the
company-Gus x Van Rensler-Just
nineteen, with story of his life in Paris.
that amuses us greatly and draws loud
applause.
Deniston remarks: THAT would be
foine tale, lad, eff 'twarn't so indecent.
At this we all laugh still more. and
young Gus feels proud of his experience,
and swears the worst oath he knows that
it's every word true.
Next was heard Major Boon, the Old,
| est of us and the most distinguished
socially. "Old Boom,'' we called him.
because he was so ponderous and alto
gether such big gun. He gave hlm-
self out as the hero of tiger hight our
inc service in India. His success was
nearly assured when he threw in, un-
| luckily, an account of the Indian basket
| trick in choice style, but taken directly
from certain book of travels. Some
body recognized the stolen rhetoric, and
"Old BOOM sat down amid Kisses.
There were long stories and Short
broad stories and flat, until we were
fairly tired out and the contest ceased.
The committee asked an hour Tor clear
ing their Judgment and rendering an
impartial verdict. During that time we
sat smoking and sipping-this last an
exercise that no good Magian ever neg
lected.
Il tl,n ctn tn
had been told, and Deniston was enth'l-
siastic in praise Of several. He clapped
the boys on the back, and said:
s.Ho! dunno which of We deserves
the best, We war all so good. y .za.-
Phipps asked. condescendingly: "Why
don't you try your hand, Deniston?"
"Me?n says Deniston. ''Why, |
could niver think o soomat to say, and
l'ef did I couldn't say it. Here he
laughed at himself with the rest of us.
and added: ats wonderful to me hoo
a nun tells a good tale, all t folne
words, tt descriptions, the scenes that
max you laugh, and more wonderful =
them that max YOU cry. Weel, weel,
!: it's rect wonderful anyhoo, to a stupid
chap loike me. = -.
Hopkinson laid his slim hand on Den 5
big shoulder, as if to comfort a misfort-
une, and said, patronizingly: Never
mind, old fellow, there must be listen
ers, you know"
g Oh, YES; and soombody must do the
tradin, and t. hewin' O wood, as t were,
and t loike, while Others here Den
made a grand sweep of the hand, the
. arc of circle while others sails
, amoong t stars loike. y '' 49, .a.
We roared-we were always roaring
at poor Den; then we fell into hum OF
general talk, while Phipps brought out
some sketches that had been used for
the 1rumpcter There were battles and
!, railway disasters, the Courthouse at
:. Bunkerville and Vesuvius in eruption.
Somebody tossed pile of English scenes
, from the table over to Deniston, who sat
) little apart, smoking TRANQUILITY, and
) staring at the fire, one arm laid across
, the back of an empty chair.
"Here, Den, those things are familiar
: to YOU
ayes, there's Tower O. London = says
Deniston, laying the bunch of sketches
carelessly across the chair back. 'And
here's Devonshire-a lane-pratty too
an here's a bit O Yorkshire. Hoo
/ there be Yorkshire lass to t loife. y
, Den, under the slightest emotion, always
dropped into his broadcast Yorkshire dia
lect. ITO t loife,'' he repeated, laugh
5 ING. can here be Scarborough, SURF
eneaf. I was boorn near there-jus
noorth on t coast. Here be t coast too
t an the'' Deniston stopped, took his
pipe from his month. perused the pict
r ure thoughtfully and said: ct coast
an t. cliffs" Then, in low tone, he
, went on, can t sea birds sailin' anG
! swoopin' an goin' to their nests ooI
/ ageanst t. white rocks. There be t Sc:
--soomtimes blue an smooth an SOON
a times gray, an angry, but alwa' danger
4 ful-alwa'. Yet, thot beant t horror
: Noa, t sea be koind and gives dealt
that be gentle an loike goin' to sleep
b Noa, it be t. rocks as be cruel. Ely
think O strikin' loike bit O. flint dow
= t. face O. that greet white wall! Thinl
t q .it!'' Den shuddered and clinchins
his strong hand upon the chair let tn,
, picture slide down until it lay upon hi
f knees. f3s}G f .3#3
e There happened to be lull in thu
general talk and some of us had mott et
I'll Denis unwonted action. After few
: moments, and still looking into the fire
! he went on in dreamy .monoto nous way
> "There war four lads of us AMI a lat
: tie lass. / was t. youngest of EN- ant
Charlie here Den choked little an,
. drew one hand tremblingly across hi
!, mouth was t, oldest. The
5 war mt rich folk, feyther an moother
e but decent, an doin' their best by u
3 yoong uns. Soomtimes i t soome
a holidays we got leave to go DOT i fey
s theirs skiff. We war all boorn sailors
a a. tn lads be along thot coost. On
s broight day, I remember it weel, thi
:; sea'f-here he took up the picture
r was just blue an clear loike a preciou
r stone. t sun shone, t breeze was loigh