The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-09-01

we'll made Those are the principal points,
with your liability to rheumatism"
"That's right-Aing my misfortunes in
my face. Remind me of my i'll health
of my pain and suffering. It's like you.
Don't let me forget them, not on any ac-
count"
90, papa!'
There, don't begin to cry and whimper.
I suppose you mean well, and are good
girl, after all. Got any money, Madge 2"
'sNot much,'' she faltered, trembling
II haven't had drain worth speaking
about for more than week. You have
kept me on short allowance long enough, [
think, Madge.'
'But see how ill you have been, papa.
You know the doctor said you were to
drink scarcely anything"
"Confound the doctor! What does he
know about it? Besides, I'm well again
now-well as ever. [ really must run out
and get three pen 'orth. Lend us sixpence,
Madge" He always said 'lend." By no.
chance did he ever employ the word ''give"
in pecuniary negotiations.
After many promises and much whining
and persuasion, he wormed the coveted
sixpence from his daughters slender purse.
She knew he had no other money, and that
it would be impossible for him to hurt
himself on that amount.
"I'l try this overcoat for the first time"
he said, as he put it on. ayes, you are
right; it is very comfortable, and will last
me for ages. I'm not hard to please in
matters of dress"
"Do come back to tea, papa" were her
parting words at the door. "The weather
is very rough, and you are not yet strong
enough to stay out late. Do come back to
tea,"
"Of course, of course. How far do you
think I can travel with sixpence-a paltry
sixpence?'' he inquired, sarcastically.
Between two and three o'clock in the
morning, he staggered home, drenched
with rain, and alas intoxicated.
Madge was accustomed to the spectacle.
In silence and without reproach she led
him to his ROOM Suddenly she missed
his coat 1t was the old story. He had
pawned it. She asked him for the ticket,
and found that it was also sold for mere
song. The coat she had worked so hard
to pay for!
The poor grief-stricken girl, in the re-
tirement of her own room, threw herself
by her bedside and wept in anguish to that
other Father who had promised how, one
day, He will surely wipe away all tears
from the eyes of those that mourn.
The individual who bought the "dupli-
cate from the drunken old man, probably
lost or forgot it altogether, as the coat re-
mained undisturbed in the store-room of
Messrs. Bate and Grindwell, pawnbrokers,
for over the statutory twelve months. 1t
then became an "unredeemed pledge" and
as such was labelled, hung up, and dangled
before the public as a remarkable proof of
the manner in which the disinterested ven
dors were prepared to forego all personal
profit for the general veal. The coat was
fingered and thumbed and twitched, and
tried on, and turned over by some dozens
of persons before one ShoFtmiles, a cab
man, took fancy to it and eventually be-
came its owner. And now it began to see
service He wore it hard, did Shortmiles
What with snow, and rain, and frost, and
sunshine, its original color grew many
shades deeper. Beer stained it, tobacco
smoke impregnated it, cold pork CREASED it.
1t saw a great deal of outdoor life in Lon
don, and acquired an impudent, reckless
appearance. Its big bone buttons seemed
to stare in awful astonishment at those
mean persons who presumed to offer its
master less than double his legal fare.
When Shortmiles tossed coin in the palm
of his hand, and inquired of victim =
"What dyer call this? What's this for ?"
the big bone buttons seemed ready to burst
from their places with surprise, indignation
and reproach. The victim could imagine
them saying: cay, what do you call it
What is it for? That's what we want to
know. Yah-shabbyr'
1t happened one day that Shortmiles,
feeling himself insulted by the remarks of
rival cabman anent the symmetry and
attractiveness of his features individually
and collectively, including a definite opin-
ion respecting the lowest market value of
his face if put up to auction by cheap
Jack in the neighborhood of the New Cut,
leaped from his vehicle and challenged his
tormentor to personal combat The gaunt-
let was at once picked up, and the battle
began.
How furiously it raged-how women
screamed, "Shame! why don't you part
'em !" and men replied, "Get out why
don't you leave 'em alone ?''-how state
ly policeman, with slow and measured step,
approached the scene, forced his way
through the crowd, and said ''Now then,
stop this ere; show us your badges, both
on yer''-how the two combatants were
summoned before the magistrate and fined
and how they ultimately shook hands
and swore eternal friendship-are not all
these things matters of trihing concern, in
comparison with the following fact? When
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