The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-01-15


When the vendor arrived at his post
'lic street was clcanly swept. The
shop windows were still covered with
;',cir shutters, and only Il few wagons
went ra;t'ing by. The vendor wh;stlcd
checr.uily to himself
All os IL sudden the sound of MANY
feet attracted his attention.
Confused cries of Catch him! Catch
HIM. broke upon his ears
He turned and saw IL crowd of pco-
Pie Some had canes and some broo,ns.
Here "i3 Il !nan with the fire shovel,
there one ncurishing the ton-s Some
were without hats some were strur-
Gii;l;: i.to their coats.
catch him. Catch him. was the
cry o. uli
"Gcntlc.lcn, gentlemen" cried the
vendor. spreading out his arms. But
o"c OF his own adicctivcs, whining by
his ears, warned him that cxpostula-
ton was vain. lie seized his pack and
ran.
Catch him. Catch him.. cried all
the towaspeoplc.
Down the narrow streets he dodred.
throw the broad streets he flew, pclted
from behind, painting for breath. But
the vendor was still man of resource.
lie had now got fairly out of town.
He spicd vacant marshy plot close by
tho road. Into it he flew, and set his
goods before him in the manner of n
stockadc, until only his head appeared
above the top thereof
The vendors conduct fairly took
away the breath of the townspeoplc.
How strangely he looked pccring over
his adjcctivcs.
"Gcntcmcn,' he said, II am Il peace
able man. In what have | offcndcd?"
There was Il confused murmur and
then one man stood forth to act as
spokesman for the rest. lie was an
erect gentleman and prim also, al
though at present somewhat rutflcG by
his late cXcrtions.
You have made Il jabbcring goose of
my daughter" said the gentleman
And of miner
And of mine" shouted voices from
the crowd-and the vendor was obliged
to dodge down behind his s,ockadc to
avoid the adiectivcs that descended
upon him.
The gentleman waited for him TO ap-
pear
And Il gibbcrilg maniac OF my SON."
he continued.
Here the uproar was SO great that
the prim gentleman seized Il broom
and waved the townspcoplc into order.
The vendor, leaning his head upon
his hand, observed the enemy with his
bright eyes.
''IIow much will you talsc?" said the
vendor, finally.
Take his head" said one voice
"Takc his money" said another.
"Tnlsc his pack" said a third.
Ills tongue" said a fourth, and all
the townspeoplc spoke at once.
The prim gentleman lost his temper
He laid about HIM with his broom But
for every blow he gave he got one in
return.
The vendor saw his chance. He
seized the whole stockade with bot,.
his hands and hurled it at the enemy.
For Il moment the sky was darhcned.
Catch himl Catch him. cried the
townspeople. But their voices became
mutlied and they were bent to the very
earth; they were bcwiltlcred and
blinded by the shower of adjcctives.
1t was some time before the prim
gentleman, passing his hand across his
forehead, stumbled to an upright posi-
ton.
where am I at? Where am ate"
he said family.
AT his feet all manner of broken OBJ
jects, false and true, fair, fantastic,
sharp, blunt, curved. straight, short
and long, lay glittcring in the morning
sunlight. Around his neck he found a
twisted chain. Observation-Disclosures de-
licious daisy-papa," said the chain;
there's the sweetest ham for break
fastp'
The prim gentleman turned stifIly in
the direction of home, whittier indeed
the chain seemed to lead him Once
only he paused on the road
"Did we catch him?" he questioned
of neighbour.
did we?" said the ncighbor
did we?" cried another and another
and still another, as the question
passed on down the line of the return
ing citizens.
Not one could answer. but gay and
hooking laugh rang through the air.
The whole company looked up and
then down, and TO this side and to that
side, and even backward. Nothing
was to be seen.
ut is the wind blowing from the
west, said the priin gentleman. why,
breakfast hour is at hand" and so say
ing he fastened home.
AS to the adjective vendor. whittier
he went, and how, twas never known.
We know the wind was blowing from
the west, and we know that whether
by land or by water, whether on foot
or wing, the vendor was shifty man.
Margaret Newcomb, in Springfield
(Mass.) Republican
Judge Waxem's Proyerbs.