St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-05-17
L
HIRAM HIGGINs's CONVERT.
lax SHARP in Detroit Free Press.

OLuc0 Oh CleTk III d uAuSg uou III Tie
city. He was a great theorist, was
Hiram, and although he was a model
clerk and very deferential to old Skin
ner, the head of the firm, he did not
think that this world was at all well
managed. He was a socialist and one
of the chief spokesman at their meet
ings. He even spoke at the outdoor
gatherings on the London streets on
Sundays and his n object in life was
the making of converts to his theories.
He sometimes held animated discus
sions on socialism in the third class
compartments in which he came and
went to his place of daily drudgery,
when he could find listeners.
One evening on his way home he got
into the usual argument and quite de-
molished all that was brought up
against his theory. He thought the
wealth of this country should be divid-
ed up. Why should any man come to
the office in the city at 10 and leave at
a and have 100000 a year while he
worked hard at his desk from 9 to 6
for only e2 a weekq He had old Skin
ner in his mind, although he mention
ed no names. On one listener only
did he seem to make any impression.
He was evidently N of the unem-
ployed who was in hard luck. His
clothing was ragged and bad, and it
was quite plain that he was ready for
the great divide whenever Mr.. Higgins
or anyone else could bring it along.
He interrupted Higgins's talk with
such remarks as, GEAR, ear" "Bloom-
in right We are," ''Never spoke a truer
word than that" "Starve 'em bloomin'
we'll, ""Right, say l." etc.
One by n Higgins's auditors got
out at their different stations, until
Higgins and his convert were left
alone.
81 am very much oblig'd to ye, l
am" he remarked, "fur the way We
laid into them blokes. [ get off at the
next stop. I'd like to hear the end o.
that argument, l would. Perhaps ye
wouldn't come with a pore man to his
diggin's and have a sup o. bitter? |
like to ear We talk, | do"
"Well," said Hiram, much fattered,
81 wouldn't mind a pint of bitter with
a friend. Although we have only
known each other less than half an
hour, yet l think we may call each
other friends. All the world should
be friends"
"Right ye are, me- mate and ERE we
are"
They got out and walked together in
the direction the convert indicated.
Higgins gave himself entirely up to
his guidance, while he himself talked
INCREASINGLY and found his travelling
companion q good listener.
"And arn't We ashamed to be seen a
walking along the streets with q seedy
bloke like me, mateq An you a nice
dressed gentleman"
"rm nc gentleman, my FRIEND" said
Higgins, "and l am proud to be seen
with you. l work hard for what | get,
and little enough it is 1 can tell YOU"
"Too blooming little, says l." replied
the convert; 'but think on a pore
bloke like me, 90 carn't find no work
to do"
"It's hard" sighed Hiram, every
hard"
"But it does me good, it does, to
ear a gent like you argify."
"Im glad to hear you say that. l
like to meet inquiring minds. And by
the way, I'm going to speak at the
open air meeting next Sunday at Ham,
mersmith. | would like to have you
"T1l come. 1 likes open-air meet
ings, l does"
The two walked along through a
mass of disreputable lanes and narrow
streets until they were near the river.
Here they turned into a "no thorough
fare" and from that into a court and
then up a dark stairway.
"Mind yer feet" said the convert as
he led the way. FFthis ERE BLOOMING
stairs bad, it is"
They entered a small, dark room
the top, and Higgins could see
that the one dusky window looked
over the river.
"Ill strike a glim," said the convert,
and he lit a bit of spluttering candle
that showed dimly one broken-backed
chair and a rough table on which stood
an empty beer mug and the remains of
bread and cheese on a cracked
plate.
"Sit down there" said the convert.
And Higgins sat down. The convert
put the candle down on the table and
glared across at his guest.
"Now," he began, "talkin's your lay
workin's mine. What you're a
of I be a practicin' of. AM
the oddsq Where's the differ
They puts the irons on me an
puts me in quod, they does"
"Have you been put in jail9 2" cried
Indignantly. "Why didn't
you let the secretary know, and we
have helped you with the fund.-"
"No, you wouldn't; cause why. You
as does the talkin' looks down on us as
does the practicin'."
ooh MT of oil ~ oria1 EInnInS IT |
assure you that"
"But l says ye does, 1 do. Now,
blokes has n argument an some
has another. Talks yours, here's
NINE"
The convert took from his pocket a
short implement loaded with lead at
5he end, and with this he raped omi-
or the table.
"You argify an a man answers We. l
give him one on his mob, an e never
says a word back, e don't. You says
brothers, an SO says L. Now,
brother, l says divide"
"What's that z"
81 said divide, L say. Why should
you have a watch, when l amt got
You works fur 'em | says
BAH AM what's more, 1 says di-
81 don't understand you"
"Then your eds thick, says 1. Come
IF with that coat and put it on this
ere table," The convert raped again
With his bludgeon and Higgins took off
lis coat.
"Now, my mate, off goes my coat.
Now off with that 'ere veskut. Leave
hat ERE watch where it is. Now off
NJ
est"
I.Then Won are a thief.n said Hin-