The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-03-15
nothing to be done but to return the
wish rIIafullI and oo ont

nothing to be done but to return the
wish ruefully and go out.
Now there is something wrong"
said Mr.. Hicks to himself, as he stood
the pavement outside MIR. Burslem's
door. my two best customers, and no
can it be?a Young Jones was here
two months back and got forty pound
odd in orders. And /, Joseph Hicks.
the chief traveller to Hooker & Smoker.
am told that there's nothing for me!
'.My good man, "too, forsooth! 81 Unjust
try Mr.. Cole
He entered Mr.. Coles shop. Mr..
Cole was not there, but appeared in q
few minutes. Mr.. Hicks went through
his formula. Mr.. Cole replied imme-
diately: "Notto-day, Hooker & Smoker.
I'm supplied"
"suppliedr' almost shrieked MI.
Hicks.
Eyes, suppliedH" said Mr.. Cole, but
not a syllable more
Mr.. Hicks was now fairly reused.
Suddenly, the recollection of his tale in
the Commercial Room on the preceding
evening flashed before him. Could some
of the young fellows have been playing
him a trick similar in nature to that
which he had played so many years be-
fore on young Brownsmith? Sitting
his anger and modification as best he
could he strobe on to the shop of his last
customer, Mr.. Ironstone.
siNothing to day, Hooker & Snooker,"
said Mr.. Ironstone before Mr.. Hicks
could put the question.
s.Mr. Ironstone," said the astonished
Hicks, in an almost pathetic tone of APP
peal, evil you tell me if any n has
been before me, and has done the bust
ness which hitherto Hooker & Smoker
have performed for you?"
s.Hooker & Smoker still do our bust
ness said Mr.. Ironstone.
'.Well, but l represent EN-" said Mr..
Hicks.
..Come, GOMEZ said the dealer, sooth-
ingly. as if he was speaking to a child;
don't take up my time, there's a good
fellow. I've told you that 1 have no or
ders, so go away quietly, or l shall be
obliged to call your keeper"
"My what? My keeper!r' roared Mr..
Hicks. "What do you mean, sir?"
Surely you don't think Tn a lunatic?'
II dent think it; I'm sure of it,
knoW it," replied Mr.. I%ronstone, and
coming round the counter he gently took
Mr.. 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, and he felt that with a little
more he would actually be out of his
mind. Then he strobe back to the inn,
resolved to make a terrible example Of
the plotters that evening.
He was very moody and silent at
dinner, and the young fellows saw that
something had gone wrong with him, as
he scowled terribly Owe his food. and
only answered, with fierce grunts the
questions put to him. Afterwards, when.
according to custom, the chairs were
drawn round the fire and the best part
of the day begun, Mr.. Hicks rose
majestically and assuming his usual
position in front of the fire, prefaced his
thunders with a loud 'Ahemr'
"Gentlemen, it is with regret, strongly
mixed with disgust, that 1 am forced to
address you upon a certain subject-upon
a subject which is as d~isagreeable to me
| as it must be. humiliating to such of you
as are concerned. In short, some of you,
taking a mean advantage of my attempt
to amuse you st night, ave been play
ing me a under and trick"
The gentlemen thus addressed took
their pipes from their mouths and gazed
at Mr.. Hicks with amazement.
He continued: 1.-The day for that sort
of thing has gone by, and it ill becomes
members of an honored profession to in
dulge in tricks of which a schoolboy
would be ashamed. To be plain with
you, gentlemen, l have been passed of
in the town as a ~lunatic, and consequent.
ly have found the doors of my most i'm.
portant customers shut against me-"
In spite of the serious mannerin which
Mr.. Hicks spoke, there was a very per
ceptible Singer on the faces of the young
men around him, which he was not slow
to observe.
Il see nothing to laugh at in it, gen
tlemen," he continued, suppressing witt
difficulty his rising wrath; sin fact, there
are some of you who will probably have
very good reasons for regrettin' it wher
I tell you that unless l find out which o.
you is the offender l shall write to you
respective governors, with a view of hav
ing the matter thoroughly gone into"
One and all declared that they were
utterly ignorant of the matter, and with
such energetic protestations against thu
~iniquity Of the trick, that Mr.. Hicks wa
forced to believe them.
Perhaps the fttle old gentleman
who was writing at the side-table las
night knows something about it," sug
gested one of the accused.
MI. Hicks rang the bell for the waiter
Waiter" he said, sis the gentleman
who came in here from the coffe-roon
last night in the 'ouse?"
"Mr. Brownsmith, sir-O no. sir; h
went away this mornin' and he give M
this note to give to you, not before thi
evenin'," replied the waiter.
"Mr. Brownsmith! Is that his name?
cried Hicks, in a faint voice.
Eyes, SIR" answered the waiter. III
owns half the town, sir, and was her
looking arter his property"
MI. Hicks opened the note and rea'
as follows:
my DEA SIR: You were good enough
some forty years ago, to play me a trick whic
might have ruined any other man for life, o
at least have retarded his progress very SER
forgave you for 1t, more especially rs l hav
had no opportunity of repaying you. We ar
at last quits. You are beyond the reach Q
actual harm now, as | presume you have featt
cred your nest pretty comfortably in fort
years; but as a man is never too old to learn
lesson, l hope by the return trick have playe
you this morning, that you have learned one
lam, sir, your obedient servant,
B-ROwNSMITH."
Chambers Journal.