Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-04-27

a Pleasant story OF People Now on
Earth.
From Tinsley's Magazine.l


Earth.
From Tinsley's Magazinel
The Phelans had baby. Tom sent
me telegram announcing what he called
the happy event for hai known him
since we were both ut school, where he
was generally called the Fat Boy" aud
many of the fellows entertained the root
ed idea that he was lineal descendant Of
the "fat boy" whom Charles Dickens has
immortalized in "Pickwick."
Tom Phelan was not only fat boy,
but, in accordance with the promise of
his youth, he became n fat young man.
with a mellow face like an over-ripe pear,
and an amply proportional person. In
deed, it was because of that genial, hap
py look, that Mary O'Rourke fell in love
with and married him. For this suffi-
cient reason Tom thought her the wisest
woman of her generation, and quite be-
lieved in his inner consciousness that nRa
ture had endowed her with rare and al
mirable taste.
Twelve months ago l had acted as
Toms best man he had asked me to
stand by him to the last, and did. l
saw him thro' the painful ceremony, dur
ing which he was stared n in the keenest
way by all the brides female friaNds, in
Guiding eight charming bridesmaids, not
one OF whom during the time vouchsafed
me n glance for by comparison with the
bridegroom l was an uninteresting man,
who had not the heart, the courage, the
good taste or the sense to take any wo-
man for better or worse therefore, in
the presence of this noble specimen Of
humanity the bridegroom, was insight
fcant.
If ever n man was uncomfortable in his
life, Tom Phelan WIS, under the uninter-
rupted gaze of these fair creatures, and
of the crowds of the brides relations as
semblcd for the occasion, in all their
strength and glory, Inside the walls of
st. Brides church, Dublin.
AT the breakfast some one made long
speech, in which so many magnificent
things were said with so much grandilo-
quence that the bride began to weep
and poor Tom, who thought it his duty
to hTfmonize i'll all things with the feel
ings of his new-made wife, was about to
allow himself to be overcome, and she'd o,
few tears also when he caught the stern
and reproachfttl gaze of his newly made
mother-in-law, and that one glauce de-
cded the matter and stayed his emotion
Immediately.
saw him thro' it all, poor fellow, as I
H4nnised. / was true to my trust, and
mt the last moment, whilst the carriage
which was to convey him and his bride
away, waited, ! extracted few grains of
rice, which had lodged themselves in his
left eye, and picked up his best hat, which
had been rudely knocked off his hend by
the hSDw Of an old slipper from some
friendly, but awkward hand
So, as commenced by stating they
now had baby, and they made us much
fuss and excitement over The fact us if it
had been the most wonderful, instead of
the most natural thing in life. The day
after receiving the telegram had letter
from Tom, i'll which he described the in
FAINT as the finest baby his sisters, his
cousins, his aunts-and, collectively, their
names are legion-had ever seen. 1t WAS
boy, and nothing would please him but
that l should, fortnight after the re-
ceipt of his letter cross the channel, and
stand godfather to his first born.
No doubt lie considered he paid me a
compliment for he seemed to lay great
stress on the fact of my being requested
to stand i'll such n position to the first
born" and gave me to understand the
honor would not be SO great, if were,
i'll the coming time, asked to hold the
same position toward other little types of
humanity, that, in the course of years he
fully expected-nay, hoped-would pre-
sent themselves.
I would do anything to oblige IN old
friend like Tom Phelan, even to getting
seasick so l crossed over to Kingston,
suffering that malady lin all it's horrors,
during which ame i did not exactly bless
this young Phelan ON whose account l
had undertaken the journey.
My friend was waiting for me on the
pier, his round, ruddy face beaming with
happiness, and Drumming over with
smiles / felt at that moment that he
must be complete contrast to myself,
for NAL de mer always made me look the
color of an unripe lemon, and certainly
did not improve my temper.
"Well, my boy" he said, Selling my
hand, and jerking my arm up and down
MS if he had mistaken it for pump-han-
die, show are you p
Every bad. We have had rough
night, replied as briefly as i could,
whilst / watched two porters disputing
for the possession Of my portmanteau.
] suppose that Tom saw that l was yet
suffering from the effects of my voyage,
and WAS somewhat out of sorts, for he
did'nOt speak to me for some time. When
hSlid, ii was in tone OF reproach.
&"Fritz, you have not asked me how he
u.s." he said.
"He-whom?' inquired rather mys-
titled.
"Your little godson."
"Oh, of course how stupid 1 am I
beg your pardon, my dear fellow how is
he? All right, / hope" Gf the fond pa
rent had only heard my fervent prayers
for his heir, n few hours ago ! Thought
to myself, feeling for the first time in my
life, bit of hypocrite.)
''He is wonderful big infant, they tell
me-" said the affectionate parent, with IN
air OF pride, and some assumption Of iu-
difference.
SIS he ?" 1 asked, with what | hoped
was tone expressive of interest.
Tom was so good natured that lie had
already forgiven Inc my want OF thought.