Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-04-16
w ltn MS documents.

!
proyed. bat he was obstinate Until hi,
son could he confronted with this evidence
he would not condemn him. Until that
time therefore,. the charge against Norah
would not be retractedl Nor would shs
listen to the voice of Love; nor would she
return to Mr.. Murridgs; nor would his
business get itself accomplished; nor would
his clients establish their royal noble, and
gentle descent. So that the impeachment Of
Dicks flight produced consequences of a very
VIDE and unexpected kind You stick lit
tie Din into piece of machinery; there is
the least possible jar which spreads through
all the wheels and pistons, and is felt even to
the foundations on which the machinery is
built For whole fortnight they lived in
this suspense Norah remaining with her
sister at the hospital
1t was reserved for Uncle Joseph to be the
humble Instrument by which this imped-
ment was to be removed. And it happened
in this way:
1t was his custom, in these long summer
evenings, to revisit by tie help of the omni
bus, some of the scenes stais former great
ness, a.ld especially certain well-known
tavern in Great Queen street. Here he knew
the manager and some of.the head walters
in fact, he knew by sight every waiter in
London and had nodding acquaintance
with hundreds of the gentry who every
morning, about ten o'clock assenlb on the
curbstone outside the great restaurants,
waiting to be taken on for the evening
Under their arms most of them carry the uni
form of their profession They are an inoffen-
sive folk, as may be gathered by any one who
will loiter for minute and listen to their
talk; they give no trouble; they never want
anybody's property; if you were to offer
them three acre allotments they would not
listen; they have never been known to
strike, to combine, to agitate, or to demon
strate; they never march in procession. and
have not, between them all, single banner
or bit of bun ting; they are, in the even
ing, always beautifully diessed for their
work; they are civil of speech, active and
Jealous; they have, one and all a curiously
cultivated taste in wine; and they are said
to have but one vice. This they share wi b
many landed gentlemen. 1t is a love for the
turf
Uncle Joseph, who had formerly been an
honored guest two or three nights in every
week, now sat humbly in the managers
room, reading the menus of the day. Alasl
They were no. for him-.hose gorgeous col
ored cards. inscribe with the names and
titles (all in French) of the most tooth some
and delightful dishes. 1t was sometling to
know that the banquets still went on.
though he was no longer seated a, the table
near the presiding officer, as richly decor
aed as German official; and, no dou It,
it was consolation to accept the hos ,1table
glass Of sherry, which was sometimes prof
Tered in the manager room
One evening, aoout ten days after D ok
IL
the tavern There were several beautiful
banquets going on, and he read the menus
with the soft regrets due 20 the happy past
1t was nearly nine when he got up 10 go
the hour when the active business of the
banquet is finished, and after the material,
the intellectual feast was to begin with the
speeches AlasI they would never hear him
speak again.
AS he passed from the managers room
into the hall. door on the first floor was
thrown open, and there came on such joy
Gus sound, mingling of many sounds in a
fine confusion such as the cliquetes of glasses
the laughter Of men who have drunk pie Ity
of wine, the shuff1ing of walters feet, the
noise of plates and the popping of corks, that
Uncle Joseph's knees trembled.
''Ah," he said, sit is blessing indeel o
He went away and presently found an
omnibus.
Every night about this time he was seized
with dreadful yearning for champagne
This evening it was a yearning which tor
tured him. The festive sound OF the revelry
was too much for the old man, and his hear5
felt like lead to think that there was no
more champagne to be had during the short
remainder of his history. When he got out
of his omnibus at Kings Gross, and began
to walk homeward, this yearning held him
and shook him SO that he trembled as he
walked. and people thought that he must be
suffering from senile weakness. 1t was not
,Lis; it was the yearning after champagne
which made his brain to reel and lis eyes to
swim Uncle Joseph had never married !;
the experience might have taught him that
the nassion of love in some OF lis iorms, Il !,
hen its object is absent, closely resembled
this craving of his for the divine drink
which sparkies in the cup and mounts to
mans BRAIN filling him with pride and joy,
and charity toward oil men. Gin and water
might stay the craving but as yet he was
quarter of an hour from his gin and water,
and though there were many public houses
on the way, Uncle Joseph had no money;
even gin and water was almost as unattain
able as champagne.
While be stopped, however. letting his
fancy revel in imaginary goblets, beakers,
cups and glasses, all full and brimming over,
and foaming and sparkling and trembling
he became con scious of face, the sight OF
which was so little in harmony with nj
thoughts that the cup was, SO to speak
dnshad from his lips and the beverage OF
the gods WAS spilled upon the ground.
The face, or rather the head, was in
second floor window of house on the other
side of the street; it was looking up and
down the street; a perfectly familiar face,
yet for while Uncle Joseph could not re-
member at all to whom it belonged, SO great
was the yearning within him for cham
payne Pres ntly, however, he regalned
some command over himself, and understo d
that the face belonged to none other tn to
Dick Murridge. 1t was twilight now, cut
the old, that is to say, some of the old have
long sight, and the gas below caught the
face Oh, there could be no doubt that it
WIS the face of Dick Murridge, The run
away
For by this time it was well known in
vague terms hat there was trouble about
some checks. and that Dick had run away,
and that Norah had quarreled with Mr..
Mulridge, and was staying with Calista
un Ter the pretext or pretense of a holiday.
This seemed a very remarkable discovery.
INCL. Joseph was, by nature. curious, in
quisitive into other peoples aft airs and of a
prying nature. Therefore he at once re-
solved to pursue this adventure further.
he house, he now perceived, was public
house-something better than the ordinary
q = 1,
trance. marked "Hotel." His wits were
now complete restored, and he was able
10 observe carefully the rosition of the win
dow which Dick Murridge was lifting.
As soon as he was quite certain On this poin
he boldly cred by the side door an
walked up stains.
Ten days Of hiding in his upper chamber
had begun 10 tell upon Dick Murri lge. So
great was the error instilled into him by
his instructor and protector, Of his fathers
venge nee and wrath, that he was AFRAID to
venture out, even after dark having con-
fused notion that every policeman in Loa-
don would have warrant for his arresi III
hi pocket, and that he would be taken u
on susp con. He stayed, therefore. all day
long in one room leading most dolefu
and misera lie exis ence, ordered by the
CONT to practice continually the
tricks and cozenage of the cards, which
were to advance him 10 that life Of per-
feet deli ght promised by the tempter Never
Ill 49,,