Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-03-29


You're going to do nothing of the
kind, then, said Stephen. sternly and
shortly, for he fancied he knew his
man. you're going to do as hanged
| please. You'll make your sister
wretched. and perhaps Kill your father
if you go home without warning, and as
you are. l don't know what you've
done, but your father won't so much as
| speak or hear your name. He II forgive
you. you may be sure of that; but it's
but right to tell you he's not the man
he was two years ago"
..Ah, l suppose I've brought his gray
hairs with sorrow to the grave. Well,
all l can say is he shouldn't have
treated me as if was baby. without q
will of my own. l should like to know
any chap of spirit who'd stand being
treated as if he'd stopped growing at six
years old. should rather like him to
see me now. l think he'd wish he'd
treated me bit different when he had
the chance to. Not the man he was
It's pot and kettle there. No more am
l." He stuck his fists into his pockets,
tried to look defiant, and failed.
'Come, Dick" said Stephen, a little
disguised and contemptuous, but, for
Patience's sake, not unkindly; this
won't do at all. l see you're in
trouble; and if it, only for your fathers
sake. must do my best to pull you out
again. I'm not the man to preach
never fear. Here's my hand. Make
q clean breast of things; clutch hold,
and I'll pull"
Il know you're not bad sort, Har-
low, for all you look so confounded
dourishing. 'Tis enough to make a
trooper swear like an angel to see you
and to see me; and it was always had
the headpiece, not YOU. Well, It's a
mighty queer world. Sometimes l
think I'll hang myself; and l would
too. if wasn't sure somebody would
come by and cut me down. Somebody
always spoils whatever / want to do"
What's to be done with q fellow
like this?' Stephen asked himself. But
he only asked Dick, "Well?"
1can't even remember what the old
rumpus was about" said he. ''Twas
either about a horse or a girl; but
then everything's a horse or a gilL
Anyhow. meant to be my own master,
Is who wouldn't? So joined a circus
company at Manchester, and took
new name. As long as I'd my pockets
full twas all right: but when they run
out, there was q row. think it was
about girl or q horse anyhow, I'd
had enough Of the circus, and got
place as postboy at house on the
North Road"
"And which happened that time,
horse or girl?"
.'Oh, sure enough, it was horse that
time They said lamed him through
being drunk; of course twas lie. for
the brute was going at hand-galop
when was thrown. But there was
pair of baronets in the chaise; and, be-
ing as drunk as owls themselves, they
said it was me-
.And then?"
'.Well. nobody can put it against me
I haven't tried. Talk of father! If
he'd been through what have, instead
of living at home at ease, he'd have
some call to talk of gray hairs l forget
what came next-whether twas wash
ing bottles, or whether twas gypsying.
l think twas gypsying: and got on
well enough at that if there hadn't been
something about a horse. No-the
horse got into the bottles; it was the
girl that time. You wouldn't think, to
look at me, I've been in quod? have,
though. No; you needn't look like
that. Inever 60 after mischief. It's
always mischief comes after me. If
was on Crusoe's island should be in
somebody else's scrape. If ever I'm
hanged twill be in somebody else's
Shoes
'And after the gypsying?" Stephen
chose to ignore the Jail.
..Then went to sea"
Anyhow. there are no girls or horses
there"
mo. But somehow or other twas
all one as if there were. You can't call
it my fault, l suppose, that the coaster
ran on the sands. They said it was. Of
course; that was another of their lies.
But what's the good of going through
the whole confounded things all over
again? I've been twenty things forty,
for aught know. And by somebody's
confounded fault or another they've all
gone wrong. can't even have forty
winks in a wood, where nobody comes,
but somebody else tumbles over me. l
can't drink glass of ale but what it
makes somebody else drunk, and then
l get the blame"
..But that red jacket"
cay. That's the Kings. He gave
me a guinea, too; but that's gone"
"Dick, listen to me. You can't 60 to
your father as you are"
II must, though-as am. Needs
must when the devil drives
Then you must pull the reins out Of
his hands. won't say it's all your
fault, but at this moment he hasn't
penny he can call his own. Patience
believes in you still; don't believe in
you-much; but can't believe you're
such a scamp that you'd come back to
quarter yourself on him Just when you
ought to be putting your shoulder tc
the wheel. Come, be man. sup,
pose you belong to the regiment whose
drums l heard to-day. As you are .
soldier. be good one. Write Patience
Q letter which your father shall read al
the right time; and the minute one can
get your discharge I'll see to it, and put
you IN tne way OF WORK unuer my own
eye. For your fathers and your sis
ter's sake there's nothing too much
can do for YOU"
Dick hung his head and again turned
sullen.
NO" said he; Il suppose you want
me to = and get killed. No such luck
for you, nor for me. I'm going to see
Patience. She won't want Inc to be
killed She is a good girl; and there
may be one good horse somewhere, as
we'll"
You shall do what's right-there.
In 60 back with you to Manchester.
Who ought one TO see about your dis
charge? They won't want to keep. 1
suppose, respectable yeoman's only
son, that enlisted out OF some stupid
folly and wants tn ha free anJ cap NOW