Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-16
A SUMNER STORY.
Written for the DispascA.l
tCopyrisht, 1901, by the Authorai
CHAPTER I.

amusing little scene in front of the bag
caee-room in the Broad-street station IN
Philadelphia. Ii was case-unfortunate-
" rare-of the downtrodden American
public turning against ono Of the char
tered libertines who Cypress it, A small
crowd, gradually increasing, looked on
ready, It is TO be feared. to applaud tho
stronger side and laugh at tho weaker ono
without much regard 70 the moral issues
o. stake.
The chartered libcrtine was q tall and
heavily built baggage-master with viso-
rell cap and trucr ent moustache; his
opponents were two gentlemen in the garb
OF tourists. linen busters, IA fact-ot
whom one was short and digniiied ana the
other long limbed. with that sort of we'll
bred. lounging bearing which Is character
istic Of our university youth.
Tho small gentleman spoke IN staccato
tone and haughtiiy.
"Pve asked you" he said, five times to
check those trunks"
Baggage aster with amanner halt con-
temptous. half preoccupiedl: We'll,
make 1t half dozen, won't your"
Small gentleman (fercelv, with red
fs: .sa., "o"ni'a'd y'a' I'll punch your
The baggage-master raised his eye brows
and measured his antagonist witha glance.
The crowd snickercd and drew closer.
The affair promised well and might have
become actually interesting had not the
small gentleman's companion interfered:.
Look here. now" said he in concili-
ating tone. advancing TO the edge OF the
counter. Its your business to check bag
gage isn't itg Here are our tickets; we
can't take the train without our trunks.
and"---
"Dick. hold your tongue!" broke in the
small gentleman IN sharp, authoritative
voice.
The spectators snickered again, being
aroused at the revelation conveyed by the
speakers words, that so short and youth
full appearing a parsonage should be the
father of one so tall and serious. The bag
cage-naster Joined in the guifaw, therein
mistaking his clue entirely. For Dick. who
was on the point of falling back abashed,
suddenly underwent TRANSPORTATION. HIS
longing manner vanished n hthe and
muscular athlete he vaulted over the
counter and confronted the startled man
of trunks with so threatening and resolute
an air that he finched as from blow. But
Dick did not strike him: be pulled out MS
watch and said with perfect distlnctness.
but without swagger: Pll give you three
minutes 10 check those trunks"
The young fellows height and manifest
power checked the OUTLAW; his cool voice
minute TO spare.
THANK YOU" said Dick. taking the
checks and vaulting back over the
counter Though he was tho victor, he
was EN- Embarrassed at his position and at
the staring and applauding crowd, Come
on, dad !" he muttered, catching his little
fathers arm and huTrying him away. Iho
defeated baggage-master scowled after
the retreating PAIR and gave a contenptu-
Gus snort, as if to imply that he had only
been PLAYING with them, after all.
The small gentleman was silent until the
two had passed through the gate. linen
he glanced up ut Dick and remarked;
"Of course, you know you were wrong
legally"
The tone and manner of this speech graft
fed Dick exceedingly; there was nothing
either caressing or mandatory IN II. For
the first time IN their intercourse IT con-
ferred equality. But, morally, dad, you
know" ne replied, 1.-The fellow was
wrong"
"Of course he was. my boy" And as
they reached the parlor-car he added ::
Dick, you acted quite right. i spoke 200
rapidly TO you. IL seems so short time
SINCE you were o child. | forgot you had
become man. | shall remember 1t next
time"
He put out small soft hand, and Dick
clutched IL in his muscular fingers. m
always YOUR son. just INC dtiuo. OaNi. Nv
returned, and "a he spoke he felt so strong
an impulse OF affection towards his father
that he thought it must be unmanly. ard
lie blushed as he sprang up the steps OF
the car after the old gentleman
CHAPTER H.
II has ever been the delight Of nature to
enclose great things in small envelopes.
The oak is hidden in the acorn the vol
.. In &c
and the spirit of Titan was imprisoned
in the fiye-foot form of Colonel David
DenslOw. During the civil war he gained
the reputation of being the brayest man
IN has battalion; but when. at later
period, he would cross his short legs and,
with portentious look on his smooth.
rosy face, mOiestly recall at request GER
tain of his exploits, such persons among
his listeners az were not acquainted with
his character were prone to smile. But q
sense of humor was not one of Colonel
Densows endowments and he resented
their bilarity.
Once. when he was sitting on the plat
form at political mass meeting, an oppo-
nent thrust himself forward and, towering
above Colonel Denslow. was lll-adviscd
enough to say something to the effect that
pigmies, though perched on pyramids. are
pigmies still. The audience manifested an
amiabe enjoyment al the sarcasm; but III
became wildly uproarious when the Colo
mel. whose rudy image had become quite
white during the mans harangue, arose at
the conclusion of 1t and neatly knocked
him down. Z" i felt no personal amnesty
against him." the gallant gentleman alter
wards declared, but il seemed expedienl
TO vindicate the honor Of the army"
After laying aside the sword he gained
fame as o learned and successful lawyer,
ready and eloquent, able and willing
-. t..ls ~ la
both of which fields his talents and hi.
pugnacity had won hun tho respect OF
his associates. 1t was only IN the draw
,ng-room or IN the presence of women any-
where that he lamented bitterly his lack
of inches.
Yet ne had had his success in this di-
rection. Very early in life, before either
the battlefield or the bsr had made hin
famous, he had met young lady who was
70 his thinking. the sweetest girl on earth.
For year his love for her was dream OF
ecstacy, an anguish of doubt; but when
at length he learned TO interpret the shy
light IN her blue eyes as the dawn ol
maiden affection he rejoiced with great
Joy and felt convinced that no human To-
lcity could outmeasure his.
There was, however. an obstacle In his
way-her father. Old General Fortescue
was veteran OF the Mexican war aud held
the opinion that. although there might be
decent-enough fellows who were not OIL
GERS o. the regular army, yet none but
army officers. graduates from West Point
could be seriously regarded as suitors fol
his daughters hand. he liked little Da
vid pattcd him on the back. and thought
him likely youth: but as soon as he begaI
70 suspect that David had the pre-
sumption to aspire to Ruth. then he en-
trenched himself behind impenetrable for
tifications of reserve. " It's absurd. nv
love--utterly preposterous! ," he remarked
70 his daughter In sympathetic tone, i'm
s plying that he never for moment doubt
ed that she shared his own repugnapce Il
the idea. Not that David means an
hsrm-I shouldn't wish you to suppos
that. He looks too high better thar
looking too low. OF course, but we mus
draw the line. The boy needs taking dow,
speg or two to suit his size"
David in the Bible was small. You know
papa" Ruth observed, but he conquered
Goliath for ell that"
The General was thrown into confusion
for o moment, but quickly recovered him
self. quite true. my love-" he replied
but you will remember that David was
soldier from the beginningl"
II thought be was shepherd" sait
HbRuth.
Nonsense. my love - exclaimed the al,