Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-02-01


Huddled up in corner sat Reuben
Bates. his knees drawn up to his chin In
| conse auence OF the limited area OF his
prison. and surrounded by jam-po $. dust
pans, black lead brushes, and bottles OF
| the latter there were three or four
''emptie' lying by his side, and h. was I'm
the very act of drinking off another when
his term OF incarceration came to close.
The bottles were OF the atent glass STOP
per description, so he had easily managed
to open them with his fingers.
"Liz, '" he remarked. looking up solemn
ly from his semi-recumbent ! OsitiOn on
the 4 oor-'LiL. I've 'eerd some dredful
revelashuns! My hoods all runnin' cold
down my back" and he took another pu II
at the bottle and shook III head mourn
fully.
'.Oh, you wretch" cried Elizabeth.
''rhe BEERS all runnin down the front
of you, you mean thing: get up and come
out of that cupboard instantly, or I'll call
the master
Reuben rose suddenly. and with diff
Guilty assumed an upright post on, then,
staggering out into the kitchen. he took
advantage of the first support which pre-
scented itself to his hay vision. This
happened TO be unfortunately, a clothes
horse on which some Of the weeks
II nor the washing was capable of offering
sufficient resistance to an unsteady body
of nearly fifteen stone weight, the conse-
Quence was inevitable. Reuben, clothes
horse and all the numer us articles it
supp ported came to the ground with
crash
There he lay, apparently quite satisfied
with his new quarters Shirts, pillow
cases, and sheets lay scattered around
him In every direction, and, hav ne
appropriated some of them TO lay his
head upon, he once more found
his speech.
"Lizbuth, don't fee well. My nerves
is shook I've 'eerd some dreadful reve-
lashuns.'
'Reuhen Bates" cried Elizabeth, IF
you don get up out of that and behave
yourself this very minnit | II take this ere
broom 'andle To y0u."-and, by way of
giving force TO her words she dealt him a
couple ~ sound blows with the weaIO on in
question. which had the effect OF inducing
Rueben o struggle to his feet. NOW put
these ere things tidy on the 'orse, she
continued, IeIceiving the good effect OF
phi, steal torce. 81 ut them all up at once!
There, that will do Now. pick u your
at and turn out''-a and she pointed TO
the door with the broom-handle. loft
you go now! If III abuth 'Awkins is soft
which she don't deny-she ain so soft
as 10 keep company with a disgrace. A
disgrace. RUDE dye ear Yah. I'd
sooner 60 and get drowned than stand by
and be called that. You ought 10 he
asha ed of Yourself that you ought! 'Ow
am to make good the masters beer wot
you've been and swiZzled? Oh, you
wretch. 10 you call yourself u an? a
monkey wouldn't a one such tricks"
! Reuben stood humbly tNirling his hat
| round. and swayed unsteadly upon his
feet as he looked down abashpd. As he
: afterwards remarked to one of his mates
'''e hadn't adj such acketingever in his
lifetime, and o ed e d never ave an
other.
Lii. y he said penitently at last. when
: she stop ed Tor want OF breath, "won {
yer forgive me-just this once? 1t never
>ha'nt appen again. There's two shil-
lings. " he added, placing the money upon
; the table; that will pay for the beer |
: shouldn't ave gone for to do it. Liz. but
= for them dreadful reveashuns wot |
'eerd -
''Wot dleadful revelashuns?"
'Oh it makes my air all stand on end
! when | comes to think on EN-" he replied.
81 thought as how | should ave ad con
vulsion. as lat the in that cupboard i
eer every word. That there young fell
: Ter. he been and bowed up somebody or
= something, he has First e says as he
mus, leave England; then. after a bit o.
4 talk about his mother, and 'ow he can I
never wish 'em goodbye. she guy him
some money 'eerd it chink. n would
! Mt say what he ad done but he was in
! trouble. Then the newsboys in the street
= began 10 holer. an | eerd 'em a
t singing t. =, ynamite explosion ,
G oh, goodness. how my boo cid run
= cold Supp sin e was dynamiter
and 'ad so e of it about i'm in is pockets,
4 and i'm standin' there, close To the
kitchn re, as might bloNed us all into
= hatom, in minute Presently, when the
2 street was quiet again, she sek-sel she.
: very low, but ust as | could ear FER, is
it that Jack - an e makes no answer.
Then 'eered EN- go on side, and, stretch
in out my and in my hagOny, ! feels a
bottle. | DIR nks LII drinks out O.
: fcelin faint; then goes for another. oh,
{ Ii to he shut up IN a cupboard with a
9 bloodthirsty dynamlter in the room, God
{ no more estate to spill yer blood than |
= would to empty dustbns is wot never
thought to 'appen to me wen | come ERE,
a and 'ope 1t won't never more"
| "Rube." sa d Iii abeth cuie ly. ''did
you ear 'er call i'm 10y is ole Nance
\ NO. Liz; she only called him Jack"
'Will you promise me something, RUDE,
| II forgive yer for forgetting yerself?"
''promiNe you? Yes, that / will-any-
Q think yer like TO ask!''
Then never say a word, not to one
: mortal soul RUDE, of wot YOU 'eerd to-
: night. II you do Rube, l shall lose my
! sitiwation.
IL promise you, I :" said Reuben
: Bates; ii never won't let on-don' { You
be Altered And do you forgive me. Ii ,p'
/ a. es. of course | do. There, that will
4 do she exclaimed. as he sealed the recon
V citation with rapturous embrace. ERE.
| take your two shillin's, lube; you are
z welcoI to the beer II make that all
v right. Now you be OF: and don I you for
get wot you We promised. or you'll never
e be more 70 'LiLbuth 'Awkins no more
than-than dust cap she concluded,
as IL somewhat at loss for a suitable
$ simile. NOW of you 20.
l Reuuen retired. and, as he endeavored
TO find his way home somewhat unsteadi-
L