The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-12-17

knew them well-"aren't you rather hard
on the old fellow? don't deny he's mean
ana hard, and perhaps cruel; it's SO easy to
be cruel to woman who can't strike back,
and don't derry that he processes more
than he prartises, but after all isn't that the
way he's made up? You can't make cheese
out of chalk if you want to, but suppose
chalk is of some use"
'Geod to set up for landmarks soft folks
won't drive where It's" and laugh echoed
the last speaker.
ARENAS Hough groaned and awoke. His
wife stood by his side.
"Had nightmare, havn't you?" she said,
for his groans had scared her from her rest
on the step.
go to bed! can't youP' he said, after
the domestic tiger fashion. Artemus had
seen himself as others saw him; but as yet
without result.
Oddly enough, Joe Packer had like ex-
perience that night, but not in sleep. He
sat late by the window of his office, instead
Of going home to bed, for the night was hot
and close, and his little room at the tavern
musty and torrid with the glare of long
days sun. His lamp was out, to avoid in
sect visitors, and his last smoke over, but
he was too lazy to move, and through the
closed blind came delicious watt of scent
ed night air; presently couple of loungers
stopped and leaned against the fence.
"Hot as mustard amt itP'' said one to
the other
'Awfull You don't catch me going home
to Mother Kings hunks tonight. Can't we
stretch on the grass som'ers?"
''Inside here l guess is as good as any
where. Grass is clean and short"
"Who lives here?"
Nobody It's Joe Packers Office IN he's
off home, or to some girl's house long ago."
So the two leapt the low rails and lay
down on the cool earth.
"Joe Packers great fellowp the last
speaker went on, " he's the greatest to talk
l ever see, but he never carries nothin'
through. You'd oughter hear my boy tell
about how he fused an buzzed about that
Bible class of his'n; they'd got to be jest so
punctuai and jest SO prepared, and for a
while twas all whewty-bang, but he got
tired ont after spell and now he's skerce
ever on time, an most always says, We'll l
hope you've all studied up, havn't had any
time this week, Pm sorry to say Gracious
grievous! they know well enough he's ben
off on an excursion with Lyddy Smith, or
a sleigh ride with Marann Adams, or a fish
in to the mill-pond, or on horse-trot to
Meanwhile. They larf in their sleeves | tell
We. Boys amt FOOLS"
Shouldn't think he was jest the Teller to
lecter 'em on habits and such like; he
smokes all day I've heered and studies by
! fits; bound to have a good time if things
cracks"
"He's accommodating / don't say but
what he's real clever, but he's lazy as mo-
lasses might be s'uthin' eff he had any grit"
''Sweet on the parsons gal; amt hep
"Bless you, he's sweet on 'em all! I'd bet
my head there amt ten girls in Stamford
but what he's made love to, as they call it,
and ha'n't an ldee of marryin' any one
on 'em."
''Fd like to see him tryin' it on with one
of mine, eff had 'em growed up?'
HES too cute for that, Jake. He picks
'em out where there ant no fathers nor no
big brothers to STAN up to him, and the
girls is fools, anyway. They don't know a
fraud like that Teller when they see him."
Joe Packer set his teeth; he would have
liked 10 picked that man up from the grass
and knock him down again. This was his
first impulse, but the coward-maker, con-
science, unbent his arm, and his angry face
softened; here he saw himself with other
mems eyes: futile fellow, self-indulgent,
lazy, cowardly, bent on his selfish pleasures
rather than the good of his fellows. Was
it true? He was honest to a certain extent,
and conscience opened his sight. But to
see himself with alien eyes was unpleasant
| to degree, all the more that he could not
| but acknowledge the truth of the aspect
they showed him.
| He listened no more; the seed had been
| sown this night once on rocky ground, once
| by the roadside. viii the Lord of the har-
vest find any increase therefron? Who
shall say?