The Penn's Grove record., 1886-10-02


in the worlds great race for success,
had been, iguratively speaking, thrown
into the sea? But then why should a
single old laborer in a little primitive,
out-of-the-way nook like Chadbury por-
tray a figure concerning whose scientific
value he must be wholly ignorant?
Here his foot striking against a pros
trate stone arrested his attention. Alb
sently he gazed down at the impede
ment. Then he halted. He stopped.
He looked nearer, closer, longer. AT
what?
A fac smile Of the portrait of Prehis-
toric mar in his own hand.
'Great heavenl'' he exclaimed, tragic
ally aloud, like a stage hero. ''Am |
dreaming? Why, you young scoundrel,
what have you been doing?n suddenly
and explosively aware of the presence
of a small spectator with a big clasp
knife.
At the stern voice the small spectator
began to whisper.
"Please, sir, 1 haint a. doing moth
ing, L haint."
'Is this your work, too?" exhibiting
his seyen-pounds bargain as he spoke.
"Please, sir" with renewed sobbing,
granddaughter said he'd leather me if |
told. Granddaughter be mortal strong in
spite of his age. But / haint meanin'
harm sir, l haint, indeed. | didn't
think the ould bone on the chimbley
mother stirs the porrldge with was
worth so much"
"Nor L, either" grimly. Grand
father jeremiah Muggins, eh?"
Eyes sir, that's he, sir. I'm Tommy
Muggins, sir. And the schoolteacher,
he says"-the unquenchable pride of
genius struggling with terror-''he'd
says, I've a fine taste for fgger drawin'.
It's all out of my own head and naught
else"
II believe you. Look here, Master
Tommy, | conclude either schoolmaster
or parson has taught you where liars &c
TOP"
eyes, SIR" doubling up a fist into
each eye. "IIellen, fire and birthstone,
sir"
EXACTLY" unscrupulously adopting
for his own ends a theological doctrine
about which he entertained decided
opinions. Precisely. Hell, fire and
brimstone-without the t~reacle, with
which. / dare say, youare best %acquaint-
ed. Well, if at the present moment,
Master Muggins, you are not telling me
the truth--n
"But / be, sir, l be-" protested the
sobbing Tommy. "Why, grandfather
he'd a leather me if he knew. | did il
with g~randfeyther's big knife, and it's
meant for Granddaughter hisself, and it's
all out of my own head and naught else,
and the schOolmaster, he says, Eve a
fine taste for tigger drawin', and its
nothing but truth Pm tellin' and please,
sir, have you a saxpence with your" all
in a breath, the family resemblance to
his respected progenitor very strong in
the puckered, wien, astute visage.
"Not quite, my man. On the whole,
tie acquaintance of the MuggD ION
rage is u leetle too expensive a,-axurS
for q man of moderate means to indulge
in. Off with you! and confound you,
and your father, and your figure-draw'
ings, and your ~siXpence?'
Mr.. Carroll was alone. Tommy had
scampered down the declivity, fearsome
of whatever contingent this tremendous
day might yet have held in store for
HIM. Mr.. Carroll was alone: vowing
audible and incoherent vengeance.
1.-The old rascal The humbugging
old villainl To be trio ed in such a
manner by such q onel If it were not
that his age protects HIM, | would.
Certainly he will not escape scot free.
Certainly l shall not sit down tamely
and grin and bear! What a stupendous
knaYe-and what Il fool! Incredible
Yet to be the scarilied subject Of nice
little singing paragraphs in the daily
press, garnished by caustic illusions tC
Mr.. Pickwick and his little antiquarian
find-.n
At this feature Of the case he arrest
ed his downward race back to the cot
tage. AS he slowly retraced his steps,
his keen eyes caught the tlutter Of a
white gown far in advance. Suddenly,
hastily, and needless of sunstroke, this
impetuous young mar ran quickly down
he steep slope in the direction of the
retreating skirt. In five minutes he
had gained, a trifie breathless, the side
of S wner
"Miss Goringl" barring his handsome
young head. "Allow me to present &c
you with a perfectly unique specimen OF
the E.drly Age"
Sand do you think / would take as a
gift what was mine by right, if there
had been a shadow of justice III the
whole Transaction" After darting one
indignant glance up at him, the girI
moved hulTiedly on with averted eyes.
"Of the early age" with imperturba-
bic good humor, ''of Master Tommy
Muggins, grandson of our mutualf friend
jeremiah, who, with the ancestral pen
knife, has achieved a capital portrait
more after Gillray, perhaps, than DIT
Maurier-of that venerable imposter.
Miss Gormg, we have both been duped.
We have both suffered. We are com.
panions in misfortune. Arcadia has
got the better of science in an affair that,
seven ponds ten thrown away notwlth-
standing, | cannot regret, as it has been
the means of introducing me to Miss
Goring.o
There must surely have bee some
thing infectious in the boyish smile
with which she was regarded, for Miss
Goring struggled in vain to preserve the
glacial immobility of her countenance.
Miss Goring," as lie perceived this
break, ''need we be enemies any longeri
Cannot We" advancing to her with
impulsively outstretched palm-"cannot
we shake the hand of friendship oyel
our mistakes?" And Helen, softened,
surprised, off her guard fos a moment,
took it.
The Muggins bone reposes in the
study of Prof. Francis Carroll, +. r.. s.,
f. S. A., etc, and proves of immense
benefit on those occasions whel his
ardent temperament is apt to overcome
his soberer Judgment.
1t also plays the part of peacemakeI
in the few differences that must ineyita'
bly, ensue between that rising young
scientist and his wife, nee Goring.
Though on the whole, considering that
two fery-tempered people of diametric-
ally opposed opinions make up theiI
minds to enter matrimony together,
these are of fewer occurrences than
might have been expected.
"A San Jose, Cal, wife recently
gave her husband $500 on condition