Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-02-02


like the leaning tower of Pisa, she
fingered moment, and then swoop
ed down upon her diminutive bat
gallant attendant. For an instant
she was seen TO balance in mid air,
held aloft by Pilchsrd's enormous
strength, then he was seen to totter,
and unable to swing her gracefully
TO one side, he collapsed and went
to earth, followed by his burden of
800 pounds.
The Gisntess, her fall being
broken by the unfortunate Sam, was
assisted to her feet little the worse
for her fall; only then did Pilchard
become visible, and was found to be
unconscious. Such is the homage
paid to the brave, that while only a
few followed the Giautess into the
ladies' apartments, the crowd follow
| ed the unconcious hero. who soon
recovered in the bar-room, having
suffered no other injury than being
momentarily deprived Of breath, and
Uncle Abe put out the liquor for all
the crowd, and Sam was the lion of
| the hour.
Joe felt little out of place play
ing the big brother among the WON
en- in the parIor, aud made his es
capped as soon az possible to the bar.
| room, where he was congratulated
by everyone en- the arrival of his
| pretty sister, and was pressed to
drink so often that only the lucky
Intervention Of the dinner bell saved
him from a fate somewhat similar to
that at Jacky's. Besides, his head
being still b2ndaged, recalled the
fight with Bunce, and many were
the maledictions poured on the head
of that reckless Individual.
And that pleasant autumn after
noon Joe and Sam and the women
went down the long street to the big,
white house on the left, and loitered
up the gravel walk, and paused
awhile at the door, and went in and
looked At everything over and over
again, from the kitchen upstairs to
the green steps IN the cellar.
Somehow Joe didn't feel at all at
home. Everything WAS new-the
house was new; the furniture aud
filings were new; and Molly was
new and looking out Of the upper
window 10 the little deserted cabin
over on the yellow hilE, he felt that
somehow he wasn't the same Joe
Honkyns that used to live there with
Sam Pllchard, who by the way did
not seem AT All new, but just the
same old Sam who, like the laws of
the Modes aud Persians, was uu-
altrrable
There are times in our lives when
the transition of few days is like
the lapse of years; when we eau
stand, as it were, aIoof, and scrutln.
Ize our former selves as person
apart. These seem to be the plat
forms we meet in the ascent of a
long stairway, where we can pause
for breath, look back at the journey
performed, aud gather strength for
the effort to come. 1t was just such
a moment TO Joe, but maybe he did
not think of 1t at the time, for he
was not long left to reflection. Sam
was already busily engaged in max
ing some radical changes In the ar
rsngement Of the furniture.
"Well | never! The kitchen up
stairs and in the front room!" ex
claimed Molly with merry laugh.
Aud the parlor overlooking that
ugly hill" put in the big woman.
"Was there ever such management"
"Aud the bed in the dark closet"
"And that lovely picture behind
the stove piper
"And the cupboard wrong side
upW
But here Joe broke in with: II
made a kitchen out of this front
room, Molly, because thought you
might like to look out and see the
sunshine, and the people, and every
thing that was pleasant; because
YOU see, = woman passes part of
her life here, aud | would like it
pleasant for you, and not back out
of the way aud lonesome like as in
most houses. Aud the pretty pic
ture-I thought you might like to
look AZ il when 1t was gloomy out
side. Let it spoil, you shall have
another one" but here Molly
stopped him with a kiss and called
him a dear good fellow, better than
anybody eIse's brother; aud Joe was
80 confused that he wished he had
not spoken at all.
"Tell zee wotw exclaimed Sam,
'you wummen tell us 'ow Zee wants
the place fixed, an wen fix uu, au'
then do Zee - out for a spell, an
stop 10 tea, an when zee comes back
it will be fine as the Queens palace.
But stop a bit" turning to the