Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-17

him away, and folks used to gather round
and bet on us: think, maybe, I'd stuck TO
it, however, IL 1t hadn't been for temper
ance chap who stopped one day and lee
tured the crowd about ii from the opposite
side of the street. He called me Pilgrim,
and said the little horse was Rollin or
some such name, and kept on shouting out
that / was to fight him for a heavenly
crown. After that they called us 'Rolly
and the Pilgrim, fighting for the crown
1t riled me, that did, and a the very next
house at which he pulled up, l got down
and said I'd come for two of Scotch. That
was the beginning. 1t took me years TO
break myself of the habit.
But there" he continued, 1T has always
been the same. / hadn't been a fortnight
in my first situation before my employer
gave me a goose weighing eighteen pounds
Christmas present"
We'll, that couldn't have done you any
HARM 1 remarked. That was lucky
enough"
so the other clerks said at the time"
he replied; 1.-THE old gentleman mad never
been known &c give anything away before
in his life. He's taken q fancy to you,
they said; you are a lucky beggarr -
He sighed heavily. 1 felt there vas a
story attached.
What did you do with it?' I asked
THAT was the trouble" he returned; 81
did not know what to do with it. 1t was 10
o'clock on Christmas eve. just as l was
leaving. that he gave 1t to me. 'Tiddling
Brothers have sent me a goose, Bicycles
he said to me. as helped him on with his
great coat Very kind of 'em. but 1 don't
want it myself; you can have it
"Of course / thanked MIN, and was very
grateful. He wished me a merry Nmas
and went out. 1 tied the thing up in
brown paper, and took 1T under my arm
1t was fine bird, but heavy.
II carried it in this way for some dis
lance, because 1 was excited and didn't
care how l carried it; but as 1 cooled, /
began to reflect how ridiculous 1 must
look. One or two boys evidently noticed
the same thing. / stopped under lamp
post and tried to tie 1t up again. had a
bag and an umbrella with me at the same
time, and the first thing l did was TO drop
the goose into the gutter, which is just
what 1 might have eXpec ted to do, at
tempting to handle four separate articles
and three yards of string with one pair of
hands. L picked up about a quart of mud
with that goose, and got the greater part
of it over my hands and clothes and a fair
quantity over the brown paper, and then it
began to rain.
II bundled everything up into my arm
and made for the nearest pub. where /
thought 1 would ask for a piece more
string. and make a neat job of 1t.
The bar was crowded. / pushed my way
to the counter and flung the goose down in
front of me. The men nearest stopped
talking to look at it; and a young fellow
standing next to me said:
"'Well, you've killed it dare say i did
seem bit excited.
Il had intended making another effort to
light sort. 1 had a pint of ale-for / was
feeling somewhat tir vi and hot-scraped as
much of the mud off the bird as l could,
made fresh parcel of it and came out.
"Cros5 ing the road a happy idea occurred
to me. / thought 1 would rattle 1t. At once
1 set to work to find a house where there
might seem to be likely lot. 1t cost me
three or four whiskies-for 1 felt / didn't
want any more beer which Is q thing
which easily up5ets me-but at length l
found Just the crowd / wanted-a quiet,
domestic looking set in a homely little
place off the Goswell road.
II explained my views to the landlord.
He said he had no objection; he supposed
1 would stand drinks round afterwards.
/ said / should be delighted to do so, and
showed him the bird.
1t looks a bit poorly he said. He was
a Devonshire man.
"'Oh, that's nothing I explained. L
happened to drop 1t. That will all wash
or
1T smells a bit queer, too he said.
That's mud I answered; you know