New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-23

He babe the goodnight and wished them
Merry Christmas, closed the doors, locked tl"1 tight
and looked his property 1t was wor d being
proud of, make no mistake II was all any man need
wish for 1t well stocked and in prime condition.
The house. in the cellar Of which his smithy stood,
nly let in lodgings On the first floor raised Just
| lar nough above the street TO give his customers
iair PsSage out, there saloon and eating room
| BACK D. these were Billy's own rooms, two nice big
rooms We're his mother took 'of him and cooked
MS meas nd washed his clothes and aired his bed
only eood I'D mothers over this floor were
Two otheis IT, as | have said. I'm lodgngs-to whom.
WHO Knows Who knows to whom lodgings are
| let in this big covded city7
Billy hnished MS Nnner and drew up his chair and
one Tor his mother l. the stove and filed his huge
mug with beer and b. huge pipe with tobacco, and
talked 1t all over with his qother She fine
was Billys mother ana Nc drew straight, steady
rein over her big, burly, goI-natured boy She was
By's best friend. and he k,g IT, and when she told
him she would stand by and .lp him and save for
him and look out after him. BIZ reached forth hi,
brawny arm and drew her over on Is knee and danced
her up and down, smoothing back or gray hair and
kissing her oil cheeks If she were, baby
Then, when the clock struck nine ,be got nm 10
wash the dishes and Billy took his lanteA TO 20 down
| among his FORCES again not that he Id anything
particular TO do though there a inc when
Billy couldn't find something but the novelt9 Of own
ing business strong with him and he wanted
| 70 hammer Just for the fun Of hammerinG He
descended into the cellar through side door Nch
opened from the back hall upon short ladder. he
street doors were barred ard bolted lie set h,
lantern the ladder steps AID lit an oil lamp that
hung over his anvil picked up his lion and his ham
mer thrust the the Goals and laid the other on
his anvil, and blew away. Oh, what an arm
that was OF Billy's How n made the bellows bulge
and the wind VI the great chimney How the
black Goals Redeemed and namcd and blazcd How
The iron glowcd and whcn~l with the heat. and when
Billy drew his great hammer down upon It with a
hoarse grunt accompanying each blow as n to give
1t effectiveness. how the sparks scamDered about in
furious effort 10 escape
Billy hammerlng and Grunting al a great ratio
and the forge fire was throwing upon the ceiling fan
tastlc Examinations and eau ing a thousand still more
fantastic shadows. when. wholly without preliminary
warning greeting. Bllv felt slight touch on his
arm. It a slight touch. a. said. but cold one.
a very cold one indeed. Bllly turned swiftly around
with his hammer in one hand and his edhot iron in
the Other Standing almost beside him with the glare
Of the fire working curlou-ly veird effect upon one
half OF him while the other half almost hidden In
the dense shadow beyond, was tail. spare, angular
man with queer little snappy eyes that flashed Ike
diamonds I'm the light of the forge. His hand was
stretched in a friendly way and bland smile
stretched across his face following the lines OF his
wide, extended lips.
aha he said, cheery, how dye do2 But l
forgot You don't know M and | don't know you.
Awkward, Ell! But fixed, soon fixed. My
names wrangler, and your Ser, what. by the way,
is yours2-
~warlock,7 said BLY, laying down his iron and
his hammer, and gazing amiaby at the stranger,
Billy Warlock7
"Warlock" Mr. Wraneler repeated. Exactly.
Well then, Warlock, Wrangler Wrangler. WarOck.
And now the formalltlcs have been observed | don't
know how 1t IS with you, Warlock. but I'm great
stckler for lie fOrmalities Pom my life, consider
them the web upon which the social fabric hangs to-
gether They're not TO be dispensed with upon any
count whatsoever While abroad recently, the
American Minister and / were walking along the
Mall together An he suddenly said my dear
Wrangler. here comes the Prince. OF course you
know him. Now, IL 50 happened that II. H. H. and
had never met. didn't have time 10 reply, for
Just as / about TO speak The Prince stopped us
and, after greeting the Minister, utterly regardless of
the formallties he told me that he hoped he saw me
we'll gave him a look Warlock. my boy, that he
viii never forget and coldy replying, sir. have not
the pleasure OF your acquaintance | walked on
That afternoon the Minister sent an apology, but
for which dammc II I'd have spoken 10 him
again"
during this speech 10 which Billy listened with
great attention and little awe. he examined Mr.
Wranglcr carefully Mr. Wranglcr's cloths were
tremendously seedy. In the degree of their worm
ness his hat was match for his coat. and his coat
match for his trousers and his trousers match for
his boots Although the weather desperately cold,
and heavy Christmas snsw had fallen, he had on