Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-04-21

stepped 20 the doorway of the bank, and,
telling the cashier in a slightly excited
tone that Cap Heater had got in, he
started after Julius. When he arrived
at his back door Julius was already
there, with his glasses Jared down
across the end of his nose and his hat
very far back upon his head, shaking
Absalom by the hand and talking with
such superhuman volubility that little
could be extracted from the stream
save such shining and broken frag-
ments as. brilliant" slick, my
latest-born specimen" bright" '.glo-
rious," ':rainbows," ''nabobs," ''hon-
eysucklcs," and other like ineXplicable
shreds. Ether was sitting on the door
step crying and laughing, and Absa-
lom was being shaken helplessly about
by Julius.
"Well, my boy" said Joel, as he
came painting up. this is rich! Give
us your hand! why, your big as an
OK! what was the matter that you
never come home to see your friends?"
Absalom sat down in the doorway
by Ether with rueful sigh. Thought
l wouldn't come home but once" he
| said. land take it with double-quick
and a charge. It's equal to takin' a
fort; father-in-law here is as terrible to
me as an army with bannersn'
They all laughed, and Ether caught
him about the neck and kissed him.
Come into the house." said Joel.
leading the way. 1.-The wife's out
calm somewhere, guess. Most al
ways on the wing now days. Set
down, set down; make yourself at
home Heater. Come in Popp, come
in and take seat. Ether, go down to
the irc-boX and bring us up two or
three bottles of that Milwaukee beer,
won't you?''
Joel painted good deal. When
| ure-coN cred bottles Joel broke out
Now, Ether. fly round and kill the
fattcd calf! Get us up n dinner that
won't leave rag on the bush! Here,
| Heater. wash the dust out of your
| throat with some of this"
Ether fingered little. but when Alb
SALON. declined, saying he never drank
| any thing stronger than water, she
| trippcd mcrrily into the kitchen and
began TO tlutter and sing about the
| dinner.
well, don't suppose it's the best
plan in the world to be guzzlin' this
stuff, SAID Joel, but it cools a man
off, you know. Here, Popp, fill up
your tumbler again. l don't indulge
in this very often, Heater, only occa-
siopally when I'm hot, you know"
Julius drank several glasses, talking
| volubly most of the time, and when the
| bottles were exhausted he departed,
| still talking volubly, and went down
| the street on kind of rickety hop skip
| and jump, with mis- tall hat on the back
| of his head and twirling his cane. He
| halted every one that he met in his ella
| ton, regardless of occupation or ac-
| quaintanceship, and striking an atti-
tudc told them with great gusto of the
unexpected arrival of, "my son-in-
law, Captain Heater, one of the slick
est and most brilliant specimens that
the war afforded, sir" and upon his
he literally dumbfoundcd the remain
| der of the Popps with the latitude of
his pancgyric and the glitter of his adj
1 jectivcs.
Harry Whitney, coming from school
at the noon hour, heard of Absalom' $
arrival, and hurried up into the office
| of Bower IL Woodlnan. John Earl
ing was writing busily. "Who do you
| think has come home?" he said, ex-
cited out of his usual rather lettering
drawl. John Earring looked up Won
deringly.
"Gucss!" said Harry.
| John Earring tapped the table with
his penholder and shook his head.
old Abb" cried Harry, slapping him
on the shoulder. John Earling sprang
up. put on his hat, and the two went
away toward Joel Whitney's at ire
mcndous pace. Absalom and Joel
were standing in the yard talking when
they came up. Joel was telling him,
with good deal of flourish. of a new
house he intended building on some
lots over on the knoll, and AbsalOm
was listening in a not very interested
lis that him?" whispered Harry.
doubtfully, as they went in at the gate.
Eyes" said John Earring, and the
two ran forward and caught the be-
| wildered Absalom by either hand, with
delighted cries and ordinations. The
soldier looked at them in n curious
half frightened way. ''W-w-what" he
stammered, ''it amt the kids?'
"YeS. it isr' cried the young fellows.
He held fast to their hands and
looked from one to the other. "B-
blamed if it ain'tr' he exclaimed, and
the first tears he had shed came into
his eyes. He held them off and locke ed
ut them and pulled them about, not
seeming to be able to stand still with
his emotions. why" he said, "only
little while ago was rolling you kids
around on the grass here and you
wasn't much bigger than my fists, and
now your most as big as L ami" ana
ever and anon, during the dinner al
which Mrs. Whitney graciously pre-
sided that day, Absalom ceased eating
to look atfectionately at the two young
men and mutter: BLAMED if it aim
| the kidsr'
A feast was made that night at the
residence of Mrs. Julius Popp, which
was attended by deal of good cheer
and seemingly enjoyed by all, save
perhaps with the sole reservation Of
Absalom, who suffered not little from
the superlative plaudits of the vain
glorious Julius.
t., al \ L.