The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-01-28
"I think that she met him last night

hcu uuOcIStduQ LudI OlSJAuCtAy forbid her to go to Mrs. Somerset's again." said the banker, angrily, Cor else where she is likely to meet that young jackanapes. He has quite turned the girls head. We shall have her defying her own father next" :"
 Now, MT. Edward O'Brien was a young relative of Mrs. Tidywaite, who had come from London to Dublin to study medicine. Although he had distinguished himself at the hospitals, he was still on the threshold of his profession, and, as his private means were small, he was hardly an eligible son. in- law for the senior partner in Tidywaite, Chink x Bullen. More over, he was an earnest Nationalist and thorough-going Radical, and in those characters doubly obnoxious to MT. Tidywaite. When, therefore, the banker was apprised that an attach ment had grown up between his daughter Winifred and the young doctor, he promptly ordered the lat ter out of the house and requested that the subject should never be mentioned again.
 On the morning after the above con- versation MT. Tidywaite, accompanied by Mir. Chink, his partner, and a formidable body of their employees, was duly sworn in as a special consta- ble. He had his first taste of active service on the following Sunday, when, after he had duly rendezvoused at Albany street barracks at II Q. m., he was marched through the mud and the fog, perspiring and breathless, to Cavendish Square, and there "held in reserve" till about 5 p. m. The mob, to do them justice, did not appear overawed by the spectacle; on the contrary, they occupied themselves throughout the above period with facetious comment on the appearance of the specials" individually and col actively. Mir. Tidywaite, although he had contrived to get into the rear rank, care in for his share of this fun, and he went home with the rudiments of a bad cold, an unpleasant stiffness in the legs, and an aggravated sense of grievance against the lower orders gen. erally but, fortunately, with nothing worse. A week or two later, however, his fortitude and sense of duty were put to sharper test. He received a notice that, in view of a threatening demonstration being organized at the other side of London, the regular con- stables on duty in his district would be withdrawn in the evening, and spe- cial constables, in pairs, would replace them on their beats. The beat assigned to MT. Tidywaite included Portland Square, Duchess Place, and several ad- joining streets in the West End.
 The day duly arrived, and dread ful day it was. Heavy snow in the morning was succeeded by a genial drizzle as the day were on. The cold which MT. Tidywaite bad caught in Cavendish Square had now assumed portentous dimensions, and settled on his chest. His rheumatism was also troublesome. At the last moment Mrs. Tidywaite was anxious for medical certificate, but, unluckily, did not think of it till too late, and she was about to help her husband get ready for his work when they were informed that a police superintendent desired to see MT. Tidywaite.
 W just called, sir" said the officer,' "to warn you to keep a sharp lookout on No. 9 Portland square. It is the duke of Dublin's house. He is the president of the Irish Landlords An cient Rights Maintenance League, you know, sir"
 "Ah, certainly. You are not antic- ipating any attack on the dukes house, I hope?" inquired MT. Tidy waite, rather anxiously.
 "No; but we have standing instruc- tions to look after the residences of gentlemen in the dukes position, and we know that the dynamiters are very active again just now"
 "Dear me, how dreadful. And can you tell me who will be with me on my beat?"
 "The Hon. Guy Wyldfire, sir-Lord Littlebrain's youngest son. You will find him very pleasant young gen tleman, l think. Good night, sir. Sorry you have such a nasty evening. "
 This interview did not raise MT. Tidywaite's spirits. On the contrary, it filled him with uneasiness. It was his rule never to keep firearms in the house, but he wished now that he had had pistol that he could put into his pocket to supplement the protec- tion of his truncheon. AS it was he could muster no more deadly weapon than pair of handcuffs, which he had purchased shortly after being sworn in, as likely to be of service in the event of his having to effect an arrest. These he now slowed away in one of his deepest pockets, while Mrs. Tidy waite assisted him in his other prep arations, wrapping good length of stout flannel around his knee-the