St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1890-10-23

ciates. Sometimes they disappeared
for weeks at a time, when Casey
would steal his meals from the wharf
1aborers at lunch time, or go hungry.
His recO1lections of a time when he
ALWAYS had plenty to eat and a COM
Portable bed, were growing dim, and
might have disappeared entirely had
he not been taken one day long
distance from the waterfront with
one of his young companions, and
man he had frequently seen but never
operated with Casey felt proud of
his company; he knew 1nstlnctively
that his sphere of usefulness was
about to be enlarged, and grander
opportunities afforded him for the
display of those talents for which he
was Justly renowned. After deal
of walking over hills, the trio stopped
near some large grounds lnclos1ng a
handsome house and stable. The
man first approached and applied for
work at the kitchen door. He took
the servants refusal coolly, and
made leisurely observations before
he reIoined his confederates. Then
the boy with Casey at his heels, went
something to eat He got it and
made his observations also. Casey
was curiously affected by what he
saw. He, too. appeared to be max
ing observations, and all the way
back to the waterfront was so pre-
occupied in mind that he narrowly
escaped being run over half q dozen
times; carelessness which earned
him several hearty kicks from the
man.
In view of Casey's career, it is
probable that his subsequent actions
were as much prompted by a desire
to revenge those kicks and other
Sights and insults, as by any worthier
motive.
Late that night the same trio
walked to the big house over the
hills.
Before they started out the man
and boy ate big supper and had
plenty to drink, but Casey went
hungry.
1t was so dark and foggy that
Casey had some trouble to recall the
exact lay of the ground, after the
boy had entered the house through a
window and the man through the
kitchen door opened by the boy.
Casey was cold, sore from the kick
ing, and hungry. He had been doing
some hard thinking, and when every
thing was quiet in the direction of
the house, he suddenly arrived at a
conclusion, which may be attributed,
according as you Judge Casey, to
quickcned conscience, or n desire for
food, shelter, and such tokens of re-
gard as are not expressed by hob
nailed shoes. He stole softly around
to the carriage doors of the barn and
found small entrance cut out OF the
bottom Then Casey knew he had
not been dreaming that afternoon,
as he was half afraid might be the
case He found his way-easily
enough now-tO the cOachman's
room upstairs. When that amazed
man had responded to Casev's per-
sistcnt Juggling at the bedclothes,
and made a light, he was a little
frightened to identify his awakener
as the runt he supposed he had
drowned; there was no m1staklng
that curious marking over the eyes
Casey had little difficulty in urging
the coachman to q quiet inspection
of the kitchen door and window, and
then waited cOntentedly when the
coachman as quietly departed for
help When it came-two officers
Casey signaled his companions inside
the house with yelping which had
the suggestion of joke in it; and
when his companions ran plump into
the officers arms and were nicely
handcuffed together, the joke seemed
to strike Casey with fresh force, for
his barking was Enthusiastically joyful,
and it broke into very hysteria of
mirth when the aroused houselleeper
caught him in her arms and eX-
claimed: Lord love us; it's RollO!'
Casey's hard experience in fighting
for life on the waterfront gives him
an advantage in warfare which he
turns to sweet purposes. He not
only frequently thrashes his brothers
and sisters for the slightest lapses
from conduct denoting a proper
pride of birth, but occasionally whips
his father and mother if he notices
any inclination on their part to
neglect those marks of respect due to
his own unselhsh and noble per-
formance-[ Edward w. Townsend
in the San Francisco ArgOnaut.