The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-01-03


shuffied to his place on the bootblack's '
bench he was startled by shouts of: {
Here he is nowr' Tom, you're in {
luckr' There's a week of solid bliss ;
ahead of your' and other remarks of I
similar purport.
The sot looked about him defiantly;
he had been the subject of very rough ;
Jokes in that bar-room. He stared in
quiringly at the bar-keeper, who always
spoke with authority when he spoke at
all.
They mean it, Tom" said the bar
keeper. THE New York fashion of
New Years calls is to be taken up here
to-morrow-Arthray' wife started it
and the fellows here think twill be fun
to keep the women and the men who
are to call on 'em, awake all through
to night, so they'll all feel good and
stale tomorrow.
Il don't want to get into the lock-
up" said Tom, shutting again toward
the bootblack' S bench and looking much
disappointed.
There's no danger of that, Tom"
explained one of the opponents of New
Years innovations from New York.
'All the bells of Thornton are always
rung at midnight of the last of the year,
but the racket sometimes ends pretty
soon, because the ringers get tired and
haven't anything to brace EN- up. Now,
Just see how lovely we've arranged the
whole thing; the old school-house is
right in the middle of the town. its bell
is the. easiest of the whole lot to ring.
| and yet It's jingle Is SO 1nIernaffv 1ouC
y that nobody can help hearin' it. We've
y got the keys; you take EN-, 90 in just
- before twelve, lock yourself in so no
u body can get at you, take life easy unit
e. the other bells shut up, and then begir
o. and ring, first with one hand then with
the other, straight through till day
u light. Wen lend you horse blanket tc
@ keep you warm, and give you pint o
whisky to keep you company, and, il
y you see the job through, you shall have
free rum at the bar here all day to-mor
S row and for week afterward-eh
Teetis?"
d. "Fact," replied the bar-keeper. "ThC
boys are to pay the score"
TN do it, =" said Tom, eff you'll see
is me through from now till midnight.
80, no, laughed the expounder OF
the conspiracy, ''or you won't be fit tC
do the job
Tom curled up resignedly on hi.
bench; eight hours would be Ions
time to wait but then he would have
J. pint-a pint at time-of his favorit,
substitute for food and clothing. Soor
he was aroused, however, by some ont
saying:
lie "Teetis, you forgot to give Tom hi
-, letter"
u u by the shillelah of St. Patrick, so
II did - exclaimed the bar-keeper, hastil,
Is taking small envelope from behinC
Of the bar where it had rested against
fe bottle labeled "Old Tom Gin.
: "What cowardly trick are they play
h ing on me nown' thought Tom to him
-" self, as he slowly rose to his feet. Again
'd he appealed, with his eyes to the bar
ty keeper, and that official responded
re Its no joke, Tom. One of the post
n. office clerks said he put it in our DO,
~ because he heard you came here oftene
= than anywhere else"
e, Tom slowly extended his hand ant
I'd took the letter.
is Better hire room an lock yoursel
III In fore you open it suggested On
p lounger. ''P'raps IT 8 from the S6cre
o. tary NV the Treasury, an got chez
| in it for interest on your registere,
i, bonds"
of ''More likely it's from a tailor tina
ID trusted Tom when the hummer wor
at good clothes,' said another.
O. The envelope was thin enough TO
Tom to read through it the name, Mrs
Is Oscar Arbitrary" in remarkably uniform
ID letters. As he read, some one re
ot marked:
w Like enough it's from some woman
r who's taken with his style, an want
r. him to make love to her"
Id Tom began to lay the letter on tn
Ia bar; but as the speaker ended the re
< mark, the drunkard changed his min,
10 and placed the missive between hi
st teeth-then he picked up a chair an
to felled his tormentOr to the floor Their
was dead silence for a moment, such a
,is usually follows any manifestation c
honorable feeling in a bar-room; mean
T. while, Tom went to a basin in a corner
Nv washed his hands, took the envelop
., from its somewhat inappropriate pos
in ton, and left the room.
III What could Mrs. Arthray want {
r. him? He supposed she had forgotte
be MIN long ago. NOJ undu lie udu lOrgOl
IS ten her; he never saw her in the stree
where she always passed him withou
III cognition--without realizing keenl
he for moment how wide and deep wa
er the gulf that separated him from tn
St friends of his youth; for had not tina
nv glorious woman's hand often made hi
no coat-sleeve feel a little fuller than usus
in the old days-had not his voice an
re. hers blended in the church choir-ha,
as not he and she taken part in many a
er innocent village frAlic? Some of hi
pt early acquaintance had grown sad an
he old, but she seemed to have discovers
w. the secret of perpetual youth. Could
id be that-enrSging thoughtP-that no,
lie sne, VINO had once been his companion
e. wanted him for some mental service OF
IN the morrow, some service such as h
re was often called on to do for other PEG
m pie?
he He went to the stable-loft, and brokt
s the envelopes it contained merely care
rs bearing the lady's name and the line
of AT Home, January 1; from ten a. m
IS to ten p. m"
70 "Great Heayensr' exclaimed Tom