The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1883-12-27
Joe Smudd's Experience.

joe SmuQd'S GXpeE1eAce'
Very many fights of stairs had to b
climbed-rickety, dirty, old, rot-eatel
stairs they were-before a visitor coult
reach the uppermost floor (there were n
elevators. those days., in the furthes
and smallest room of which Joe Smudd
: the cobbler, lived, toiled and rejoiced,
Joe was hard worker, yet while OF
his seat hsmmering out strips of leathe
fto proper tenuity and solidity, or ii
stretching seams, or in other employmen
of his craft. ne was never at loss for
tune to whistle or avcrse to sing; and
although he sought not work-neve
went out of his little room in search O
the was seldom without half o
whole dozen broken-down feet covering
to repair.
Of course they were neighbors wh'
patronized Joe Smudd, and for reason
that were good in themselves. The.
were: his obliging disposition, low prices
good work and promptness, and addee
to these, song sung in voice as clea
and as sweet as that of silver-tonguet
canary.
Joe Smudd was, so his neighbors said
a splendid singer" and it pleased hin
to hear them praise his cobbler worl
and his voice not that he thought him
self 6 better mechanic than hundred
who depended on their awl for living
and making what fortune favored then
with last.
Of course Joe Smudd was not pun
ste-. He dcspised playing on words
He was simply a sole-mender, and
sweeter and better singer than he knew.
It was, perhaps, well that he was moi
wise in this last particular.
But, just now, work was slack, anc
Christmas was ut hand.
To Joe Smudd the first fact was un
usual.
Az he sat on his bench and ponderec
and sang, he wondered what had hap
pened-why it was he had no shoes tt
patch up, no boots to heel and toe, nol
odd jobs to dc with welting and upper
and quarter, in-sole and out-sole.
Joe Smudd was not discouraged. MOI
he. He only wondered, that was all
Well, he rather liked it, for it gave him
the opportunity he had long been seek
ing, to study the words Of song he had
heard q few weeks before whistled and
sung by some unknown persona queer,
little old man with green goggles mounted
on his nose, and who, as he hazily and
huskily voiced the notes, looked steadily
iatn. Joe,s kind * face, and ychonsently
struck Thc aagginSs Wit, hiisSstssff I'M timc
to the rise and fall Of the notes.
And now, as ] oc ran his eyes over the
printed words and sang the time correct
" and swectly, he bethought him of the
little old man with his comical action,
and laughed.
It was Il low, round, good.natured
chuckle that wcllcd up from Joe Smudd's
throat when he recalled the action and
the figure of the singer. with his impor-
tant air.
When he had finished the last line OF
the song he mur1nurcd:
< tiWell, that's Il nice tune anyhow, and
tie words are almost as good as the air.
I'd like that old gentleman whom l first
heard sing it to listen to Inc, and tell me
whether it's all right"
: Hardly had Joe Smudd uttered these
words when, to his great surprise, the
lamp by which he had read the lines of
the song began gradually to grow dim
mer, and then, with Il squirt, so out, leav-
ing him in total darkness.
"Whcw!w cried Joe. "That's funny
funny for the lamp. 1t never did so be-
fore; ard I declare thought as it went
clean out saw the old gentleman with
goggles on his nose and his big stick in
bis hand standing there before mel"
"Did you, now" voice, to Joes
great CONSERVATION, cried. "Well, what
# you did, Joe Smudd? Ha! ha! Don't
YOU know that there's door to your
room, Il window to look out of, and a
chimney by which the smoke from your
little stove may ascend to the air? Ha.
ha! Joe Smudd, Joe Smudd, you don't
keep your door locked, do you, when
Tottsing? And, I'll tell you what, Joe,
it's Christmas, and you've grand voice,
and-how hauch money have you saved
from your LABOR since this time last year.
Tell me that, Moe Snludd. Hem! I
want to know it.. Dye hear"
And the little Old gentleman, at the
close of his oration. struck the bare floor
three Or four times With his big cane, as
if desirous Of giving double, and treble
emphasis to his words.
Joe Smudd. by this time, had forgot
L tf ,,tr lar - mi
that. too. in the dark. :
With cheerful laugh he answered:
"Well, sir I've just made thrcad-ends
meet. But I've waxed happy and ham
mered out a good living, including an
occasional pipe and pint, now and
then, OF beer. I've heelcd and toed it
fairly"
"Joe Smudd! Joe Smudd" almost
screamed the old man; land that's all
you've done with that voice of yours"
"That's what I've done, mcnding and
making as good us new, customers shoes.
And I'd be pleased to heel and sole yours
whenever YOU want them fixed, and l
won't charge YOU over much. Always
open for a job
"Bah, Pshaw. Boo-oo" cried the
visitor, in most extraordinary fashion,
raising his voice to a scream that en-
pressed wonderful amount Of contempt
and indignation. Come with me, Joe
Smudd.'
"You," replied the cobbler. why,
bless us, it's showing ike fury. and the
wind is whistling and dancing round
the corners of the streets, and driving the
snow in peoples faces, and binding
peoples eyes, and chilling peoples
blood"
cts Christmas Eve" yelled the old
man, as if in fury. And you want to
sit up here IN this little bit of n room.
Come with me, Joe. Dye hear? Come"
Now, Joe Smudd was as courageous as
any cobblcr in the town. but somehow he
was brought completely underthe will Of
the imperative visitor
He tried to dcmur-to summon up a
refusal, but it was Of no use. Joe
Smudd found himself rising from his seat,
and, as he stepped away from it, It oc-
CURED to him that he ought to have a
light.
Selling a box of matches he struck
one. 1t igniteil, and tlarcd up the mil
lionth part ola second-juSt long enough
for him to see what appeared to be pair
of goggles of immense size and head
covered with a shaggy cap, and when he
had lighted q second match, which also
instantly ceased to burn, he thought he
perceived, raised high over his head, q
huge stick-yery much like the one he