The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-11-25

But even sacred legacies can be, at
times, trying. Not that the major had
had the fact borne in upon him, as 1t
were, until the children were well
grown, Teddy had started to college
and joined the rabble, and Kittie had
shown decided and unblushing pref
erence for certain sophomore whom
he had caught on his way back from
stolen visit to Teddy's room sliding down
one of the pillars that supported his (the
'major's) porch, and whom he had there
after forbidden the premises.
Granted these children tried him, and
that he made them aware of the fact
by the use of language peculiar to the
major; for all that they felt that their
uncle loved them as dearly as they
loved him, and when Teddy preferred
his request, rash though It had been
considered at the first blush, they were
quite confident that he would not re-
fuse them so innocent and eminently
praiseworthy desire. They had talked
it over together so often, this sister and
this brother, that it had, by degrees,
because of the increasing familiarity Of
the idea, lost its first impossible aspect.
It did not occur to them that what they
had talked and dreamed over until it
had grown to seem almost thing ac-
complished might burst upon their
fond uncle with all the unexpectedness
of thunder clap out Of clear sky.
The very moment poor Teddy had
chosen was unpropitious; the major had
but Just discovered fresh traces of
collegiate usurpation upon the person
Of his beloved war horse, Sultan, and
his rage, in consequence, was at pro-
nounced pitch.
''Invite your college friends to eat q
Thanksgiving turkey, is it2-a Thanks
giving divili III tache them to give
thanks in my house! Would ye pour
wine for the murdherers Of your uncle,
and shtir sugar in it to their nlxing2
Tare an ours, but you're a cool-faced
lot, wild the chake of grinning
chimpanzeeI Invite the bloody beg
gars, say you-oh, no, yen notI 1 be-
lave I'll reserve the right to do what
invitations done In me own house, or
know the raison whyi And I'd rather
have the company of tramps dye
mind that-the poor, meeserable,
abused, misunderstood tramps, that
niver lift q finger to do anyone mean
turn, thorough, honest, daycint min,
that lave a citizen In pace, lave the
gates on their hinges, the shingles on
the roof''-here the majors anger
roars anain-"and the roof on the
housed No, sirl To perdition wild your
college monsthers-but ye may ask
livery tramp ye mate in the sthreet to
come and dine, wild Maj. McCalhgan-
say that he is their friend, and that
turkeys shall be roasted in honor Of
them-that the deserving hungry shall
be fid at the ixpinse of Maj. Mo
Calligan, and that bread and wather't
too good for the likes of'-here fol
lowed untranslatable, but unquestion'
ably. vigorous, Celtic epithets-'' college
companions
Poor childrenl Teddy's notion o:
doing the hospitable was nipped In the
bud, so green that there was no means
Of determining just how rich In hue OF
how beautiful a flower it might have
become: and Kittie's little dream Of I
period of bliss wherein most enchant
ing gown of peach blossom tintini
shared equal honors with the hgur
of tall and rather awkward you'll
known to the college world as ''Jin
Junior''-this delightful dream vanishe,
In the miserable dawn Of her uncle
tempestuous mood, and the wretche'
sun of day of disappointment shon
through mists Of big unshed tears.
''Uncle, you haven't forgotten you
proposition concerning Thanksgivin,
lin other words--to-morrow?"
"Eh, Teddy? Bless me soul, me boy,
what?''
f'To fetch pack o. tramps on Thanks
giving day to dine with you. I've met
thirteen In the interim sorry it's thir-
teen-such an unlucky number; but
since I told each one to fetch all the
scarecrows he could scare up along
with him, I wouldn't wonder-hello,
uncle, what's the matter?"
"Noth-nothing, Teddy-nothing me
boy!'' The laugh shouldn't be on him,
he'd be bound. What an ass-what q
long-eared, deep-mouthed, braying ass
he had been to give that boy Teddy
NGUOg IL OGdC40S Va SOuAOOS OOAOAG
who were his arch-enemies and es
pecia1 abominations) such grotesque
such an absurdly ridiculous hold upon
him!
Had you forgotten about it, upcle?"
Forgotten? Dye think me mfm'ry's
failin' me? Wen have regular faisi
turkey enough fer twinty, and oyster
dhrissing to confound the nativesl It's
Mai McCal1igan that can taich the be
nighted world the rale naming of hos
pitality. Faith, it shall be beautiful
shprid!''
And it was. The great oaken table
pulled cut to its last joint, with the
company napery covering its polished
surface, groaned with the burden i
bore. There was no half-heartednes:
about Maj McCalligan; the glitter O.
his best silver, the sparkle OF his fines
crystal, the glowing hues of the bright
est flowers from his hot house, the
aroma arising from well-cooked viandl
all these awaited in due time the
coming of the guests.
| By ones and twos and threes they
came-a motley crew-an unkempt, un
washed lot of hungry men, knocking
at the side door, knocking at the bacl
door, ringing at the front door-eacl
and all cordially welcomed by Maj. Nc
Calligan, who stood bowing (foreswear
ing, however, the shaking Of dirty paw
held out to him now and again), an,
seeming really to enjoy the revenge h'
felt confident Teddy, the rascal, ha'
thought to take upon him. 1t actual.
warmed the good old Irish heart within
him TO see the hungry, gaunt-eyed mel
put away the delectable provende
with which he had provided them, ant
the thought that for one hour at leas
these outcasts were appeasing thet
seldom-satisfied appetites and wer
drinking in, together with their fra
grant Mocha, a glimpse of life among
the lofty and refined, touched his hear
with the warm finger of self-satisfac
ton, and he beamed benignantly upol
his INDECENT guests.
The clatter Of dextrously-handlet
knives (Which weapons were favorit
conveyors of food from plate to mouth
and forks, the loud swoop and gurgl
caused by the swallowing of coffe
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