San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-01-13

laughter, that's what l call a rare good
joke-doosed good! Pom my word, should
like to try it on tonight"
s'If were you, shouldn't" said the first
stranger, who seemed to be very timid
man.
why" asked Tommy. at could do no
harm"
Well said the gentleman, heSitating, Il
don't know so much about that-still it would
hardly be fair TO the ladies, would it, TO give
them such fright?"
But there are not any ladies at Barking
bourne Just now, replied Tommy. Its a
mans party-half a dozen Of us down for q
weeks shooting. Lady Noodles in town"
The first stranger thought for moment and
then shook his head.
II suppose, he said, I'm too old and ner-
vous now TO appreciate practical jokes such
as that. presume, however, that to young
fellow like you they're very amusing; but l
must say that don't like them"
well" said the second stranger, Il don't
know much about the right and the wrong OF
the affair, but do know that the young fell
low spoke of gained great deal of kud0
by his trick. 1t was talked Of among his
friends and acquaintance for months after"
II suppose, though" said the first stranger,
that the men he made ridiculous resent
ed itr'
''He didn't take that much to heart, ex-
pect," replied the second stranger.
Neither should l." put in Tommy; lin
fact, should rather like to make myself dis
agreeable to one or two of the men who are
to be at clearinghouse. I'd like awfully to
show them up"
Here the conversation ceased, but Tommy
sat for some time in silence, thinking over the
project, and the more he considered it the
more he liked it. Two or three of his fellow
guests at clearinghouse were superior and
supercilious persons. Tommy thought what
pleasure it would be to him to take them
down peg" and then the thing was so easily
managed! There would be no occasion to
bride even the page boy. His own servant
was to meet him at clearinghouse stat on,
and he might be his accompice, and Sam
Pipeclay was to be relied on
AS the train drew up at Rottenboro both
Tommy's fellow travellers rose to leave. Both
were, it appears, going the same journey
As they got out the one who had suggested
the joke asked, with a smile, if Tommy in
tended to carry it out.
Don't you fear" said Tommy; Its 700
good a chance to lose"
The second traveller said nothing, but the
shake he gave with his head showed that he
was strongly opposed to such little pleas
antries
A few minutes later and the train stopped
at Darklingbourne station. Sam Pipeclay
was there. On driving to the house Tommy
communicated in the greatest confidence his
design to Sam, who, without demur or criti-
cism-he was a military man and obeyed or
derS- unGertOOk to discharge his part.
Tommy Apes, on reaching DarklingbOurne,
found the other guests already assembled
there. ard as he glanced round at them he
thought Of his joke and almost laughed with
delight. What sight these very distin-
guished individuals would present when the
nerve shaking alarm bell sounded! There
was the greac and Right Hon. Ashby Babier
who was accustomed TO defy from a safe
distance) what he called the brutal and in
satiabe democracy"-hOw small he would
look under the shock There were Capt
Rammer-a lordly heavy dragoon-and Maj
PrOdmOre, of the Lanciers. both of them the
verieSt carpet knights, and both Of them ut
terlv detested by Lieut.. Apes, whose regiment
was not quite so smart as theirs. If they
showed the white feather, as Tommy firmly
believed they would, how delightful it would
be- As for Mr.. Jeremiah Mander, NJ. p,
late Conservative agent for DOltshre, and
Lord de Cellar, the cOnviVial peer, and the
two other nOnentties who formed the rest of
the company-wel all that could be said
was that Tommy apprehended no evil and
anticipated considerable amusement from
giving them bit Of fright.
Dinner was served little after 9. and it
was not finished till considerably after 10
DarkIingbourne was lamou, for its dinners,
and this one was fully up to the general rep
utation When it was disposed Of everybody
felt too comfortable to have any inclination
to anything except, perhaps, go to bed The
billiard room even was deserted, and all the
guests assembled in the library where they
read and talked and smoked. and some Of the
elder ones snOred Sir Charles was a ienient
host. who, unlike most hosts believed that
hat male guests enjoy most is to be allowed
to enjoy themselves.
As he felt that it was now time to begin
operations, Tommy Apes, who had been
chattering great deal all the evening. now
directed his talk To burglars and burgarieS
In lone country houses ths is always faS
Cnatng topic, and 50 before many minutes
Tommy, for the first time that evening, had
an interested audience. He told one or two
very exciting burglar stOries. In all his tales
"a gang of armed rufiians attacked lone
country house, and, when they were OPP
posed, they shot wildly about and left the
place a regular field of carnage. Then he
paused, and others took up the conversation
For my part said Sir Charles Noodle,
Il have always maintained that the house
holder has himself to blame for any burg
lary With proper precautions burglaries