The Penn's Grove record., 1893-05-12

" nODltf v u tHuthsh A's
The lream the kiss OF chiloren brinRA
Nov England Mngszine-
"SUFFERIN' NATE"
Nate Presto was, as he himself was
wont to declare, 9TH most patent
an Iong-sufferin' man on airth." IL
was Mates way to be patient ana
.long-suffering, just as it is some men's
way to 'tiy of the hooks" ana lose
their tempers on the slightest provo
cation. Perhaps the latter way Is
more convenient, as saving one vast
amount of lacerated feelings n loss
of pride, but Mates way had h adj
vantage Of costing it's owner fewer
post-mortem regrets and FEWER
trends. True it is that Mates friends
we're won't to impose on him much as
other people did, but he didn't mind
that-at least, they thought ne
didn't And 1t was this suppositlon
that led some Of them into b
quent difficulty.
Nate was one OF the principal
characters and most important feat
ures OF Manganese, where he lived.
To be a principal character necessi-
tates the possession of much spare
time, and Nate had this essential
qualification nearly every day In the
week. When he didn't have 1T, he
was at work, but this did not happen
often. Nate was like Rip Van
Winklc-always ready to take a drink.
or to lend a hand for the benefit of
some one else, but prone to shirk Ia
hor which might benefit himself and
his family. So Mr.. Presto sewed
dresses and things, which was quite
convenient for Nate, as it gave him
more time to indulge his fancy 10Y
eating.
Mates loatiDg-places were the En-
change and lied Front saloons These
places were most convenient, being
provided with plenty of chairs, n
being the places most affected by
citizens likely TO set 'em up. Here
/ Nate did most of his suffering, OF
whatever kind. 1t came mostly in
the form of jokes, practical and OF
mouth, leycled at him by his fellow
citizens, and In these he took a sort
of mournful pleasure, as being an in
dication OF his popularity. 1t Is a
well-establishcd fact that an unpopu-
lar man is seldom troubled by jokers.
Like most OF his kind, Hate had a
dog mot a yellow ole, however. but a
spanieD to assist him in ltofing, and
IL was Curly whose misfortunes led te
Mates final reformation.
Daa affornnnn Nc Nnfa Unc lQ1tIu
holding forth to some of his croaies
from his seat in the Exchange there
was a slight commotion on the street
outside, and they went to the door to
ascertain the cause. 1t vas Curly.
He had stopped in at tho Red Front
to look for Nate, and some OF the
crowd down there had proceeded to
have fun with him by tying u tin-can
to his tail. lie was o coming up
the street somewhat rapidly
than usual. and heading for the Ex-
change, as a possible place OF refuge.
Nate picked him up and carried him
inside, where he removed the can.
Then he sat quite still for a few mo-
ments, pettiug Curly, and quite un-
conscious Of tho laughing mob in the
saloon, cracking fool-iokes at his and
2urlY's expense.
Suddenly he arose, and, without a
glance at any one. strobe out OF the
door. The crowd followed. wonder
ing what he intended doing. Nate
stopped a minute iii front of the bar.
ber-shop to speak to Jim Calkias
"Got a gun, Jim?"
Eyes"
'Gimme 1t, rr a few minutes"
'.What ye goin' U do, Mater"
"Jim," answered Nate, slowly, but
working his nails In and out Of his
palms very fast. ''Tm goin' down t
lick tn brute th't put that can on tn
pup-an' / want t be fixed t. shoot
back ef he makes a gun-play."
Jim handed him the desired six
shooter. and he went. on down the
street to the Red Front.
The jokers had gone inside, and
were laughing as they waited at the
bar for drinks
'Hullo, Mattel" called No.ey Price,
xho was buying" 'Bring tn dog,
an come an have a drink. Door he
drink, too? / see I'm rushin' tn cap
les now"
OF course all the men laughed up
r~oariously, but they stopped short at
sight OF Mates upllfted hand and
blazing eyes.
'Hol' on, Nosey," said Nate quietly;
II want t. know, first place, who tied
that there can on tn pups tail?"
The knot of drinkers at the bar
looked at each other half-amusedly
for a second or two, and then one
asked, laughlngly:
"WhX, Mater"
"Because," answered Nate, II jes'
come down yerc t. r'mark th't I'm
patient an long-sufrerin' myself.
but,
Another laugh interrupted him
and then he went IN:
But l don't perpose no brute is
goin' t tease that dog O. mine, none
whatever. TIL man th't done it is a
dirty. sneaking coward, an l en- LICK
'tm"
They saw he was In earnest. and
did not laugh. Bill Kiley, q big raw
boned, Manifested ''bad" man from
ilIBH IlneS, WIN suODu dt tIe iuTllleT
end OF the bar, stepped forward.
"Wh-what did We saY?" he asked,
surprlsedly. "W'Y YOU half-growed
sniveler-"
They were not quite sure how 1t
happened; none OF them had ever
seen Nate lift his hand against a fell
How man, and they were totally un-
prepared for whaG happened. In
scarce fifteen seconds, Nate, bleeding
hut triumphant, sat astride his an
tagonist, enthusiast cally humping
him on the head with the butt of the
Iprostrate K~iley'sown revolver-which
the latter had dropped somehow early