The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-12-11

oil You who have read Homer"
Barely one responded.
by the. Lo 4 Hairy, only onc,'
roared the General; @and perhaps ,
you are sham.ning. Ill test your
knowledge. Who was Penelope, tell ,
me that?"
A tall, English-appearing young fel-
low, who was the one admitting a
knowledge OF Homers works, answered.
SThc wife Of Ulysses
"And Telemachus p
"The child Of the Trojan hero"
"iou can drive?"
"Like Jehu"
"Good. Have you refercnces?'
"In my pocket"
@Bv Joye! / guess you'll do. And
that reminds me-who was Jove?"
1T has been insinuated that he was
heather god
The rest of you may 60" cried the
General. waving his hand in dismissal
to the disappointed crowd. "This is
the man for me-.
The General led the way to the
been brought in, and Avis sat care
lcS6ly looking IL over.
"Avis," cried the veteran, "this is my
new man, and l believe he's treasure.
What is your name-I forgot to ask it
before?"
"Tawmns.
Avis started suddenly at the sound
of the voice, and glanced at the new
arrival, the color coming and going in
her face.
Thomas. Very we'll, Thomas, you
may begin yonr duties by reading the
letters to me this morning
Thomas darted quick and expressive
glance at the Generals daughter, and
opened the correspondence
1t was miscellaneous lot. There
was dun from tho halter, likewise
one from the butcher, and long beg
ging letter from the Chairman of a
political committee; couple Of pithy
communications from an old army chum
of tho Generals; and, last OF all,
thick, square envelope, directed in
scrawling hand, and stamped with a
coat-of-arms. The General listened to
this communication in blank amaze
ment.
"What in the d-euce do hear?
Read that again. Thomas roared he.
Thomas looked for moment over
the top of the sheet at the Generals
daughter, who had grown rs red ms
rose. and read again:
! GEN. WINFIELD; Have l your permission
| to pay my addresses TO your daughter. l
made her acquaintance in Belgium year
ago and ind that time has only made her
| ima e dearer to me. My fortune II amp'c.
4 and can refer you to my solicitors, Mcssrs.
| Reale & Bealc, who wi answer any question
| you may like to.ask concerning me. Yours,
| hoping for speedy rely,
RArMoND T. GILFIL. in.
The General was black with passion.
Thomas
"Yes, sir"
DO you see the tongs yonder?'
"Plainly."
"Well, sir, pick that letter up with
those tongs and put it on the Goals in
the CRATE there; at once, sir!'
Thomas consigned the offending
missive to the flames. "Oll fool, he
muttered, as the letter blazed up in his
face. "a cantankerous old fool"
whats that?' roared the General.
"Cool, sir; the impudence of the
thing. you know; very COOL
"Oh, very we'll! Now then, Thomas ?"
u hear YOU"
"If this d-d Mr.. Giliil dares to
present himself at my door am not at
home to him"
"No?'
If he asks for Mss Avis, you are to
tell him TINT Miss Avis is out: and. ii
You will punctuate your statement bv
kicking him off the doorsteps, you'll
not only place me under great personal
obligations, but you will earn tenner
at the same time
| 4 week passed by.
The General was infatuated with his
new man, aud blessed the day that
Tibbs left his service to set up as an
ornament to society
Tibbs had been we'll enough in his
day, and on compulsion had been known
to read Homer, but Tibbs could not be
compared with Thomas. Besides in
some things Tibbs was coarse. He
had an elderly habit OF dropping of
to sleep ut unexpected times, and q
beastlv snore that was certainly very
trying to q person of the Generals
temperament. Thomas, on the contra
ry, was gentleman with a gentleman's 5
refined taste. Moreover, hc was a
scholar, and had Homer at his tongues
end, and he delighted in reciting whole
pages If the Odyssey to the enthusias-
tic old soldier, who, in listening to the
burning story Of the Hellenic wars,
seemed to fight his own battles over
again.
In the second week of Thomas adj
vent, the General was taken with an
attack of malaria, and if the new man"
had seemed treasure before. the
veteran found him invaluable now. No
son could have tended beloved father
more tenderly thap Thomas tended the
battered old soldier.
by gad," CALCULATED the patient, one
day, as he found himself convalescent
and sitting up once more i'll his favorite
chair by the fire, Thomas, don't m-
lerstand how a man with your attain
ments is contented TO occupy an in-
ferior position. BY CAD, sir, you are an
ornament to the best society, if you
could only realize it,
In my time, sir, l have mingled in
the best society,"" returned Thomas,
quietly.
Il believe you. by gad, do, and rs
sure as my name is Winfield, you shall
again"
The best society is so mething of a
bore at times"
There's nothing truer; still it's a
good thing for "A Ean to have an entree
III what the world is pleased to call
'aristocratie circles. l suppose you
lost your fortune and your friends for
sook you, as a natural consequence.
But you'll find friend in me, by gad
a friend in foul weather as we'll as fair.
There Is my hand Oh that. always
wanted son, and never had one; but
YOU shall be that son.
Thank You. appreciate your kind.
ness. Ny fortune, however, is still my
own, and it is not from poverty that
am in my present situation"
The General was III the act of spread
ing his handkerchief over his face, pre-.