Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-04-04
My good man, too, for6ooth! 1 must

MY good man, too, for6ooth! / mus
try Mr.. Cole"
BE entered MIR. Coles shop. Mr.
Cole was not there, but appeared in {
few minutes. MIR. Hicks went throupl
his formula. Mr.. Cole replied immedi
ately: mot to-day, Hooker & Smoker
"Supplied!' almost shrieked Mr.
Hicks.
Eyes, supplied!" said Mr.. Cole, bu
not syllable more.
MIR. Hicks was now fairly reused
Suddenly, the recollection of his tale il
the commercial room on the preceding
evening flashed before him. Could some
of the young fellows have been plavine
him trick similar in nature to thai
which he had played so many years be
fore on young Brownsmith Stiflina
his anger and modification as best he
could, he strobe on to the shop of his
last customer, Mr.. Ironstone.
Nothing to-day, Hooker &Snooker. u
said Mr.. Ironstone, before Mr.. Hicks
could put the question.
MIR. Ironstone," said the astonished
Hicks, in m almost pathetic appeal.
twill you tell me if anyone has been be-
fore me and has done the business which
hitherto Hooker & Smoker have per.
formed for you?'
Hooker & Smoker still do our bust
ness" said Mr.. Ironstone.
"Well, but I represent EN-" said Mr..
Hicks.
"Come, come, said the dealer, sooth-
ingly, as if he were speaking to child:
don't take up my time; there's a good
fellow. I've told you that I have no or
ders, SO go away quietly, or I shall be
obliged to call your keeper"
"My what? My keeper!" roared Mr..
Hicks; what do you mean, sir? Surely
you don't think I'm a lunatic ?"
81 don't think it; I'm sure of it:
know it." replied Mr.. Ironstone. and
coming around the counter, he gently
took MIR. Hicks by the arm. led him
from the shop, and shut the door after
him.
Mr.. Hicks stood as one dazed for some
seconds. The buildings seemed to reel
around him, end he felt that with little
more he would actually be out of his
mind. Then he strobe back to the inn.
resolved to make terrible example OF
the plotters that evening.
He was very moody and silent at din
ner, and the young fellows saw that
something had gone wrong with him, as
he scrowled terribly over his food. and
only answered with fierce grunts the
questions put tohim. Afterward, when,
according to custom, the chairs. were
drawn round the fire and the best part of
the day begun, Mr.. Hicks rose males
ideally, and, assuming his usual position
u front OF the fire, prefaced his thun.
lers with loud ''Ahem!"
"Gentlemen, it is with regret. strong
Y mixed VITA disgust, that [ am forced
% address you upon certain subject
Upon subject which is as disaereeable
% me as it must be humiliating to such
II you as are concerned. In short, some
IT you, taking mean advantage Of my
lttempt to amuse you last night, have
'een playing me O uuder'an trick
The gentlemen thus addressed took
nelr pipes from their mouths and gazed |
t Mr.. Hicks with amazement.
He continued: "The day for that
ort OF thing has gone by, and it ill be-
ONES members of an honored profess
ION to indulge in tricks of which a
choolboy would be ashamed. To be
lain with you, gentlemen, I have been
assed of in the town as a lunatic. and
have found the doors OF nv
lost important customers shut against
le."
In spite of the serious manner in
hich Mr.. Hicks spoke there was very
Singer on the faces of the
Dung men around him, which he was
Of slow to observe.
IL see nothing to laugh at in it, gen.
emen." he continued, suppressing
lth difficulty his rising wrath; Sin
ct, there are some of you who will
robably have very good reasons for re-
rettin' it when I tell you that, unless I
ad out which is the offender, [ shall
rite to your respective governors with
view of having the matter thoroughly
)ne into"
One and all declared that they were
oroughly ignorant of the matter, and
IT'D such energetic protestations against (
q iniquity of the trick that Mr.. Hicks {
IS forced to believe them. {
" Perhaps the little old gentleman :,
no was writing at the side-table last .
ght knows something about it." sug-
'sted one Of the accused. E
Mr.. Hicks rang the bell for the waiter.
Waiter" he said, is the gentleman
no came in here from the cotfee-room !
st night in the 'ouse p" II
" Mr.. Brownsmith, sir-O, no, sir; he !
mt away this mornin'; and he give me {
is note to give to you, not before this
enin'," replied the waiter. s
Mr.. Brownsmith i? Is that bis {
met! cried Hicks, in faint voice.
" Yes, SIR" answered the waiter. "He .
ms half the town, sir, and was here {
2king after his property"
Mr.: Hicks opened the note and read
follows: {
my DEAR S1R-You we're good enough,
me forty years ago, to play me q trick which {
ght have ruined any other man for life, or /
least have retarded his progress very :
lously. l am not very vindictlve. but / p.
YER forgave you for it, more especially as / !,
We had no opportunity of repaying you. We t
at last quits. You are beyond the reach OF j
ual harm now, as presume you have feath- {
ID your nest pretty comfortably in forty
us; but as q man is never too old to learn
lesson, hope by the return trick l have
Iyed you this morning that YOU have learned