Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-06-02
BILLY GREGG.

Reginald Burlington Tompkins lives
down Crystal palace way In the great mo
tropolis OF London. There IL no harm In
that, for many good and estimable people
live within sight OF the great glass house
the proximity of which seems TO make them
chary about throwing stones. Consequent
ly Tompkins was 10th to tell Billy Gregg
just what he thought of him.
Billy looked upon the wine when IL was
red lin Burgundy bottle) and white Qn
bottle of champagne). The color did not
matter TO Billy so long as the wine was
sound and old. Youth and age never get
along so hilariously as when the young
man about town and old wine from the oel-
lar meet.
way rejoicing, aided by the lampposts and
cautioned by the police, until one night
a new world burst upon him. The new
world was peopled principally by animated
nature-monkeys and balloons such as new
er were harbored by the Zoo; but the chief
inhabitants. besides Billy himself, were
snakes
When Billy emerged from this geological
horror. he determined to reform. He re-
solved TO proceed with caution. He did
not go so far as to abjure liquor altogether
he felt that was asking too much Of his
system-but he resolved to drink method
ically, and he began to drink secretly. which
is dangerous thing for man.
Tompkins called upon him In his cham
bers one day and saw at glance how
things were going. So he invited Billy to
Il Cot, .Iaxr 30
Monday In the virtuous precincts Of the
Crystal palace.
Tompkins was wise and said nothing Of
reform TO Gregg, but he prepared little
surprise for him.
Billy said that his nerves had somehow
gone wrong, and that he would be glad Of
day or two OF quiet with the grateful and
comforting sight Of the Crystal palace be-
fore his eyes.
Now, 1t happens that in the grounds of
the Crystal palace and in an unfrequented
part of them, for the crowd as a general
thing haunts The immediate vicinity of the
huge building itself, there is lake with
numerous islands and quiet shady walk
around its borders. This lake is situated
in wooded dell In the low grounds as far
as possible from the big building. 1t Is a
quiet spot of soothing natural beauty, but
art has added peculiar horror oft.
On the islands, and by the margin Of the
lake, and here and there in the water have
been placed huge reproductions in some
waterproof material of the antediluvian
animals which scientists, doubtless suffer
ing from the strong drinks of former days,
have imagined the earth to have been pop
ulated with No sane man believes that such
creatures ever existed on any planet called
into being by an allwise Providence.
The punishment fits the crime, and the
names are rs horrible as the animals them
selves. There is the anoplotherium, the
iguanadon. the palaeotheriurn and other
uncanny appellations
Long, giraifelike necks project up into
the air from great bloated bodies. Winged
sea serpents stand erect in the water. Huge
elephanthke creatures, with bodies like bal
looms and ears like wings of satan, Chamber
up over the islands. CHASTITY Nightmares
meet one at every turn along the walk that
fringes' the margin Of the lake. A ghost
haunted graveyard at midnight is cheer
full, enlivening spot compared with that
lake at any time I'm the "A hours.
On Saturday afternoon Tompkins warm
ly welcomed his friend Gregg and took
him down the shady paths that led to the
margin of the lake.
Gregg did not care much for country
walks. They were not In his line, but he
accompanied his friend uncomplainingly.
what | like about this" said Tomp
kins, sis the refreshing quiet and rest.
Five days out of the six In these parts Of
the grounds you meet nobody; nothing
meets the eye but the SYLVAN
Gregg pervously clutched his arm.