Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1885-11-26
LEEING DAVE.
ANDREW Picken IN Inter Ocean

! some VINO, Dy Jnolf precOclty o. Uaient IN
this department OF genius, discover at once
that nature has designed them for achiev-
ing the most brilliant honors Of invention;
and this was the case with the subject OF
our memoir, who, in the days Of his obscur.
ity, was known only by the simple but
unanimously awarded title Of "Lseing
Davie."
Davies parents lived in Storey street, in
the well-aired town OF Paisley They were
i very creditable people and had n numerous
family, none OF whom, however, showed any
distinctive parts, save only DAVE.
1t answered Davies purpose never to do
the things that he was desired to do and TO
| do various other things that he was strictly
enjoined not to do, but let the case 10 ever
so bad, Davie was sure to get himself out Of
IL by one or more good, well-told lies 1t was
his stepmother who suffered most In these
cases. Sometimes in her zeal for truth, she
let out expressions Of perfect horror at
Davie, calling him an inveterate and no
torious liar; but this only served 10 make
matters worse for her. The tables would
be completely turned against her by the
lads inveterate skill and the fathers par
TALLY, until the cry of my motherless chill
dren" became the watchward which always
ended in restoring Davie into favor and
throwing all the wrath Of the father against
the hapless and simple-hesrted mother.
Davie was actually awkward at the truth.
When it was necessary TO tell a few words
OF truth to make a lie tell the better he
hesitated and stammerel and blushed, so
that you could not help suspecting him and
the truth itself, but when he had got on TO
the main lie, for which he had gone through
this painful preparation, he told it with
such pleasure and with such face that the
whole showed that he was born TO despise
the inconvenient trammels OF verify and to
revel in the upper regions OF pure invention
One day Davie who was now 10, was sent
by his stspmother with q message to
friend at the farther end of the town. 1t
was war time, and volunteering and re-
cruiting presented too many temptations for
Davie 10 resist so he never thought of his
message or Of returning home till late that
afternoon.
1t drew toward evening, and still no APP
pearance Of Davie. Mr.. Petsrkin being in
par ticularly favorable humor to-nig- all
Davies tricks and lies were laid before him
by his wife, and the two joined in b, artily
abusing the luckless lad.
Now there was quartered in town a re-
markably handsome officer, who created a
great sensation among the women; and
there was also in the town an uncommonly
pretty woman, Mrs Templeton, who Pc
culiarly favored this Capt Palmer. When
ever, therefore, husband and wife were on
such terms as to gossip comfortably to-
gethsr, pleasanter subject could not be
started than the scandslous conduct OF
Mrs. Templeton and Capt Palmer; and
now to this very topic Mr.. Peterkin and his
wife had agreeably diverged.
When Davie was within a few PAGES Of
OF his fathers door he applied to his
wits, as formerly, TO get hira out Of the
scrape. But the greatest geniuses win
sometimes break down, and Davie found
himself at fault He had tried his fancy
ON all the subjects that were worthy Of
his powers. He had got into the room
where his father and mother were sitting,
without a single thought occurring to him
10 account for his days employment. But
as he slipped into the room the names Of
Capt Palmer and Mrs. Tempeton struck
his ear, and he had the whole thing ready; !
and not only so, but his fancy being now
awake, q train of ideas darted into his |
head, all the way from the seat Of war,
that wouli almost have filled a newspaper. |
"You unmanageable rascalY' said his !
father looking around, where have you
been all day. Give an account of yourself
this instant"
80 will, father" said Davie modsstly; |
Il would have been home langsyne, but | /.
could not get out of the crowd"
What crowd, you lying villainp
"The crowd at the Gross about the news |
what news have you brought nowl !
None of your stories, Dave, this time; it |
won't do
"Then you have not heard the new sirl |
The mails not in yet, but an English rider |
Arvsr,
news that there has been great battle |
abroad and 30, 600 o the French killed, be- |
sides Gen. Bonyparty himself
"Davier cried his father cooking his /
ear, sis that really for fackP
Its as true as death, sir. | saw the .
rider at the towns house, ami there's a
great crowd waiting for the mail But
would bae gotten home weel enough only
for the business about Mrs Templeton."
Mrs Templeton.' cried father and
mother together. What of herr What is
the story about, Daviel"
aye have ma heard, then, thai she run ar
wi Capt Palmer this morning in chaise
and four, anil
There, now guieman, told your cried
Mrs. Peterkin. 20, the wanton wretch!
But what more, Davie:'
Il thought you had heard of it, said
Davie, quietly; but there was Mr.. Temple
ton him elf in another chG!se-and.four after
them; forbye VIII Craig, tie towns officer
mounted behind wi his red coat and the
twa dragons riding before, an all flying
like Jehu"
But who told you these particulars, Da-
vie" said his father. IL should like to know
your authority
at was Deacon Dote," answered Davie,
readily 81 "a u him at ha ('pps. Ia
asked kindly for you and mother"
deacon Dote is a spon,ible, sensible
man, and IL must be an undoubted fackn
said Mr.. Peterkin solemuly. This is a most
worl!'
1t happened TO be club night, and the hour
was now az hanl so Mr.. Peterkin, know
ing that a mans importance in his club was
in proportion to the news he brouyh rose
instantly from the table, impatient to be
first with the Intelligence Never did n
man change his coat and brush his hair
over the bald places with greater pleasure
than did Mr.. Peterkin this night Iii, wife
and he were in perfect fondnes3 and cor
dillity from delight in their social morsel
Of scandal.
We leave the readers Imagination TO con-
ceivo Mr. P5terkins pleasure on failing
that he was the sole Learer Of and referee
upon this news, so refreshing 20 the weary
spirits Of country club. He was somo-
what damped on finding that the English
rilar's inrAIlipanca about tha ,,raat battI, |