The record-union., 1891-07-04

anu uOWn some uOZen- cOuntleS, a1lj seen
the inside of most of their jailS, and now,
as Christmas drew near, had drifted to-
wards York; not that he had any particu-
1 lar reason for getting there but because
/ it lay in his way north, and he happened
! to be making in that direction; why. not
even he himself knew, for north, south
! east and west were alike to him. He had
/ had a run Of bad luck lately. Once or
/ twice he found casual welcome and
slept under cover; but he had a rooted
! objection TO its concOmitants, and chose
rather the cold and exposure OF the open
air. He had scarcely tasted food for a
week, and had almost forgotten the feel
/ of a copper coin; for somehow the near
approach of the. festival of peace and good
will seemed to have shut up mems pocll-
cts, and sharp refusals and scornfuI si-
4 lence We're all he got from those of whom
/ heaslled help.
The afternoon was closing as he found
himself in the long, Struggling Village Of
Marston, footsore and done up. The
lights Of the grocer's shop threw broad
band OF brightness across the road, and
| Jim could see a man in a white apron
! busily piling up a pyramid of loaves
which boy had just brought in crisp
and hot from the ,bakehopse. The sight
was too much for the fainishedl fellow,
and he pushed his way into the shop.
Now, then, what is it2s'' cried the shop
man, as he scanned Jim's tattered ap-
pearance.
"Will ye give me yam av them little
uns, guy nor? Pm nigh clemmed;" and
he nodded towards the bread pile.
NO., certainly not. l never give to
| beggarS or tramps."
''I've not tasted bite nor sup this blessed
day, God knows"
Cant help that Come, get out of the
sho0, do you hear? or I'll set the consta-
BILE onto you. The likes of you ought not
to be allowed to go about the country.
| Come, off with youl'
So the social outcast went forth into the
night hungry and insulted, and the sleek
! tradesman rubbed his hands and stack ed
his loaves, cOngratulating himself the
while on his refusal to countenance a
worthless vagabond, who, regarded from
the lofty standpoint of political economy,
had no right to live on the earth. And
| yet Mr.. Jonathan Binner was wont TO
pose on political platforms as the heaven
sent champion of the masses. Then, in
deed, his sympathy flowed out in such
a mighty torrent towards the universal
brotherhood Of man that there was not so
much as a drop left to give crust or
even a civil word to a starving tramp at
! his door.
Three times did Jim try his luck down
the length of the village street, with no
better success; and then he gave it up
! bitterly, left the houses of his fellow
creatures behind him and faced the bleak
open country again. He dragged himself
along for a few weary miles, then open
ing a gate crawled into a ruined
cowshed and flung himself down upon
some bracken and straw litter in the fur
! thest corner and doZed off, When he
woke up the moon had risen, and was
shining in through the chinks in the
roof, and Jim could see the country side
was white with snow. He shiyered and
Iy1,.i .iClh fS1
and tried to sleep again and forget the
cold and his hunger. He had almost
| succeeded, when the sound of voices
came to him on the still night air, and a
minute later three men entered the shed
Curse the coldp' growled one as he
drew back just within the shadow.
| Course him, you mean" said another.
as he leaned a thick cudgel against the
wall and began to blow upon his numbed
| fingers.
''Ill do more than curse him when th'
time comes," answered the first speaker
"Ay, he'd best not have taken us i
hand. Says he, when with the rest Of t.
! beaks he sentenced Tim and jeff: The
| poaching rascals shall be stopped if
| have to do it single handedn"
well, he'll be single handed tonight
anyways, for he's no groom VII him. So
be can try what he's good for wiz three
oy us; Ell, Jack?"
He'll find it tough job, I'm think
ing"
'Is t. wire right, Bob?'
Surely! His mare steps high; but
I'ye lowed for it, and she'll catch beauti-
fully. It's past Il now; he oughtn't to be
| long"
'.Histl mate; there's wheels. Now
| fort. Come on"
The three men went out quickly, and
| jim, following to the door, saw them
| leap into the road and hide in the hedge
on the opposite side; then he stole down
to the gate, out of mere curiosity, to
watch what their game was. In few
minutes the ring of hoofs grew louder,
and a high-wheeled dog cart, spinning
round corner, came rapidly down the
lane. 1t was occupied by one figure only,
| the red glow of whose cigar cleaned in
| the frosty air; and just as the scent of it
reached Jim he saw the horse suddenly
! plunge and stagger forward. The wire
/ snare had done its work, the animal fell
! heavily, and the driver, thrown off his
! balance by the shock, shot out on the
snow. Before he could rise the men were
upon him, but somehow he managed to
! shake them clear and struggle to his feet.
lie faced them boldly and met their rush
| with a right and left-hander which sent
one to the ground, but the other two
| closed III upon him.
Jim looked on with languid interest.
Evidently it was some magistrate way
| laid by three men who had a score to
settle against him. 1t was no business of
/ his, anyway, and though three to one
was hardly fair, he was not going to in
tertere. The gentleman fought we'll,
! whoever he was, and again sent an assail-
ant backward with a well-got in blow.
But the odds We're too heavy, and the
cudgels told. He began to stagger and
J give ground, and blow on the head beat
! him down.
Give it him, lads, if we swing fort"
cried the tallest OF the three villains,
jumping upon him, mad and blind with
rage.
a ray of moonlight fell upon the up
| turned face Of the fallen man. It was
that of the gentleman who, five years
ago, had talked with Jim in the lane! In
an instant he was over the gate and at the
men like a tiger-cat, and SO sudden
was his onset that they gave ground;
| then, seeing he was alone, they rushed at
| him with oathS and threats. Weak from
want of food and half dead with cold,
poor Jim had never chance. For few
seconds he held up doggedly against the
| shower of blows; then feeling he was done
| for, stopped suddenly, flung his arms
| round the SenSelesS squire, and, with one
! last effort. managed TO roll into the deep
ditch, keeping himself uppermost. The
| brutes jumped down and stroYe to make
him loose his hold of their victim; but
| stunned and blinded with blood he clung
| fiercely to Hugh Boynton, sheltering his
| body with his own.
The world began to spin round-an-
other and another heavy blow--a CHM
! ing of far-otf bells-a hollow buzzing-
and then-blacll night for ever,
Next morning they were found to-
gether in the trampled, bIood-smeared
/ ditch-one living, the other dead
Hugh Boynton often wonders, as he