The Osceola times., 1884-09-20

town, and he's a mani" he snarled. 81
don't know anything about your daugh-
ter-she's not my sort. You'd better
go over to Daniels. Guess they can
give you all the information you want"
She looked at him in doubt and won
der. In all her life her exquisite delica-
cy and femininity had warded off from
her;such roughness rs this. A murmur of
indignation beganIn the room; but it was
silenced by one sweeping glance of sig
niiicance from the bright blue eyes of a
man who came forward and bsnt his
stately head TO the old lady with per-
feet Creole grace.
THAT suggestion is not bad one;
our friend here is uncultured and un-
mannerly, but he means well-wc will
take it for granted that he means we'll.
Madam, will you accept my escort to seek
out your daughter? II may be an un
dertaking of time-life in this section is
busy and hustling-people are self-cen-
tired, and pay little attention to their
neighbors-the faculties of perception
and observation become diminished
- As he led his charge away, the
pleasant cadence of his soft, Southern
tone died away in the safe generalizing
of platitudes, uttered with the intent of
soothing while he gained time.
Every man in the drug store breathed
freer, satisfied of thisissue of this diff
cult and painful matter, since George
Lock'es tact and ingenuity would direct
its arrangement. But one young fellow
walked briskly to the.pestmaster, rub.
bing his broad hands in very agony of
indignation and disgust. His iaunty at
tire, astute, slim German face, and slid
ing step made up an anomalous ensem-
Bile. This was Barney Heiman, the
butcher. He exercised shrewd bus
mess faculty, and was always amply in
funds; his unfailing generosity with
these resources gave him an assured
standing among men, and might have
secured him position in the heterogene-
GUS social life of the town had he cared
for such distinction. Moreover, his very
soul was instinct with the innate chiv-
airy that strikes root deeper than that
learned at court.
"Sec here, Doctor Lucas !" he said:
T'm peacefiil-minded, and all that but |
Just can't stand no such o'n'ry way of
taIkin' TO lady-and an old lady, too /!
I'd have taken hand myself, but why,
TO talk to lady, it just breaks me all up.
But I'd just's soon tell man what |
think of him-even if it's not very com
plimentary-as would to lasso critter.
And think it's mighty rough for you TO
abuse and talk hard to an old lady about
her daughter that she can't help about,
and you got half a dozen half-starve1
kids runnin' around up here in Chihua.
hua, without any schoolin', and learnin'
TO steal and fiji the dancc-houses be-
lieve man can be man, if he's gam.
bler-if he ain't tin-horn gambler !
and I think man can stand way up in
town and still want jumpin' on the
worst kind And wouldn'; stop much
at doin' it y
Barney's trade met with approval
more particularly that clause referring
to tho hapless half-caste children Doctor
Lucas had ignored since his marriage
Such storm of reproach asailed Doc,
tor Lucas as made him bend his craven
head. Matters might have become Sc
rious for him but for the reaction Of
laughter over Bob Nugent's tipsy Gictum
Bob was gentleman, drunk or sober
commonly drunk, poor fellow land he
voiced his scorn of the druggist"
"'S not werth thrashin', Ba'ney? Doc
yo' d'sherve duckin' N tailin' pond; n
I'd give t T. yo' fl wasn't drunk"
George Locke, timing his free step tc
the careful tread of that tiny figure be.
side him, swiftly revolved in his mind
the situation, and deter mined to con.
duct bis charge to hotel, assumed to be
Daniels" where he could, by collusion
with the people, defend her from unde'
sirable information, at least until she
should he strengthened by nights rest
What, then, was his dismay when the
dainty footsteps paused on the broad
sidewalk before door whose streaming
light made distinct the sign before the
building-"Daniel's." She dropped his
arm, and went straight in at the wide
door.
Isis Daniels tavern? Have
come into the wrong pace?"
She looked about at the unwonted sur
roundings-ticrs Of barrels, long shelves
of TASKS and bottles Some young men
were lounging in large cane arn-chairs
and another. coatless, came forward from
tall desk.
what place of business do you keep
the old lady asked, politely.
He was dark, boysh-looking young
fellow, until one noticed the thoughtful
brow and gray eyes, that belied his
smooth cheeks and pleasure-loving
mouth. He flushed as he answered
very gently:
"We are hauor-dealers."
The little old woman staggered slight
ly, almost as if the winey fumes began TO
affect her. Then she turned, with GER