Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1888-12-25
"M-ms. ,ir' s,op-.,Op What, 'irs
he stsmmsred. In amsrement.

H-Wfs ~ ofcf-'tef "e-sf 49,
he s,smmsred. In smsrement.
"s,op chat. you young villain } You
know veil enough what Stand there
right before my eyes ever since pa, my
face 10 here. knocking down that stock
ss II l, didn', Coz, me anything! Leave
|, alone. I tell you!"
"Ths-,hsts the way Il come on the
ticker. sir I can't help u eli" !"
"You can't help ~" thundered the
commodore. "Young hishwaymsn
Tskius the money ou, Of my poke, aud
the bread ou, Of my-gnpdehildrn's
mouths"
"That's the way !, come on the tick"
again began the astounded John. staring
hslple..ly around 10 ques, Of explanation
or encouragement.
lie found neither Every eye he met
vas bent upon him s,srnly. and even Mr..
Jack Sou,her. Who often tossed him
dime or . cigarette OF 90, 81, coolly
blowing smoke rings q, the chandelier,
aud gazing up through them IS he re-
marked
"Good thing that somebody is going
to take ,hs, boy in hand. High time.
Real .Oarc. Of ell thi. trouble-in fac,
general panic ,brOushoa, the country
(pufi1-csused by-thst boy"
Johnny g.p.d and swallowed. sppsr.
emily. large egg. In order ,ha, be might
once more rei,ers,e feebly-
That's the -sy !, oop'si oa the
hekeri'
Ticker be hanged" said Kenyon.
That boy hs. deliberately planned to
ruin me ,hi. whole month No use
denying IL and playing Oft this ticker
dodge, "a. too studied, by Georg.
whs, else did be 20 on. day after day.
uyias to e, m. into u. 4. fOrs Al.
-ay. putting IL up and putting II up. i
20 to laneh-eome b.ek-he has pa, !,
While I vas away. ! 20 ou, into the
from, Office aud burr Norton few min.
a,s.-eome bsek-,,ill putting !, up
Ba, observe. gentlemen No sooner do
I take the bait, bat he begins putting q
do,sa Nothing then will stop ihs, boy
from putting dO'ea till he has cleaned
me out I"
There vas general murmur Of indis.
nation, aud por,ly old Treasurer s1,Ion.
over In the doorway, said testify
"s,ill worse in my case Still worse
Thing. thu, he h. never noticed a. all
tbs. have stood s,ill on ths, board FOE
-e.ks-you'd think he had forgotten ell
.bovt ihsm-'orso,ien them Li,,le
devil Jus, let me buy some Of them
that !, enough Down be come. on
them like . thousand Of brick"
"rh., boy. ih., boy. 'ir." rosred the
commodore. "Hi, brain fairly teens
-iih plot. TO make besgar Of u. all.
tie s the mos, dangerous character on
State Street"
lie looked IL. There be stood. forlorn-
ly .nufiling. Ia hi. poor. little patched
sleeve. Insisting TO the last, With srimy
tears
I'll didn't do Il. That. the way Il,
come on the ticker"
"The boy" said the professor, 10 bis
-.ish,ie.t tone, aud fixing bis eye mean.
insly on . dark. earele. figure leaning
ia the doorway. "the boy n In league
-iih Brock -
The gravity Of the whole Office ".
shaken by some hidden sisniheanes 10
this declaration. and twenty pairs Of
mirth .eoneealing eyes turned toward the
dark aud careless figure in the doorway.
~ conspir.ey!" ven, on the pro.
f...or. "Broek says ,hs, A,ehi.on n
going do-n. Laughs ., u. for believing
in it-,ell, Us no, TO buy IL. Are We TO
Be dictated to by Brock ? No, much.
We buy IL. Down she comes. There
stands Brock and there stands Johnny.
The only ,~o men In this office ,hs, Al,
no, busted on ,hi. marks, -
Choru. Of "True." "Sure enough =
"Pa, EN- on, =
"wsll." burst out the commodore.
rising and pulling big envelope from
hi. pocket, and writing on !, s be spoke
-"well. ~e can't get rid OF BrOek-
lucky little re-, We've 20, to pa, up
-i,h him somehow. l suppose. Ba, as
for this boy. he. 70, to be discharged.
Ot some boy ~ho doesn't conspire With
the customers
The commodore finished writing. drop
ped .oms,hins into the envelope. handed
Il to the professor. snd began TO Wind up
hi. neck In bis muiilsr.
81 amt been eonsfhn' with 40 Gus.
toners" bswled Johnny, who, under
the accumulation Of his wrongs. had
emerged frvm the snuffiing stage into .
hsh,ing mood. aud stood glo~erins ct
the fatal envelope, {. IL passed from
hand TO hand.
"Comr. qai, that, eAuo,-top ad'
vised Mr.. Jack Sou,her. quietly. adding
hi. signature las, TO the discharge. aud
handing |, back to the commodore. "foa
can take your bad luck With the res, OF
US"
Johnny ~.gsed bis FURNISHED ,OPkno'
vieiously.
81 'sin'i been con.frin' With custom.
er. That. the way IL come on the
ticker! What's the matter With yer ,
"Hsre. young man J" said the eommo-
dore, la . terrible tone and holding oai
the envelope. "Ill teach you to knOek
Navigation down three pOIn,s q, time
You're discharged |"
Johnny turned pale. as the enveloP,
VAS thrus, into bis hands. and he had
jus, begun to below Justify
"Tll jes' 70 and tell Colonel Jerome
You amt the boss Of me'-when q
musical clinking in the fst envelops
attracted his attention. He looked do~r
st the writing. peeped into the inside
and then lifted his head With such Z
pretty. sheepish smile . warmed ,h'
cookies Of those generous hearts.
"Merry Christmas to Johnny, From
the Customers." Was the inscription OF
the sn,slOpe.
Well, it Vas but the kindly j.s, OF I
group Of fortune.broken men WHOSE
Christmas I've brought, down on them NJ
gii,s bu, perils. cares and dissPpOin'
ments.
Yet. ms,hink', therein liss . deep