The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1895-06-28

iOuCp prayer where tile comic ACTOR sent
for the landlord, after a hearty meal,
and asked him what he would do III
case a stranger, after ordering and eat
ing his dinner, should declare his in
ability to pay. do, sirY' cried the
host: II should kick him across the
street Landlord. said the low come
dian, and it always told-"Landlord,'
he used to rise up slowly rs he spoke,
and solemnly draw aside his coat-tails,
turning his face in the direction of the
street. door-slandlord, Ill trouble YOU
l used to play the landlord.
1t struck half past three; the dead
gnawing of hunger was followed by 4
sharp pain, irritating and much more
unpleasant. The crowd of those who
entered had been followed by the
crowd of those who came out, and the
heaven of hungry men was nearly
empty again. / gazed still upon the
turkeys and the hares, but with a lack
luster eye, for | was nearly fainting.
Presently there came down the street
an elderly gentleman. bearing before
him, like Il Lord Mayor. in a French
tale. his enormous abdomen; he had
white hair, white eyebrows. white
whiskers. and Il purple face. He walk
ed very slowly, us if the eXertion might
prove apoplectic. and leaned upon u
thick stick. AS he passed the shop he
looked in at the window and wagged
his head. At that moment l %groanel
snyoluntarily. He turned round and
surveyed me. / suppose l presented a
strange appearance, leaning against the
post, with STOPPING figure and tightly
buttoned coat. He had ..g projecting
eyes flushed with red veins. which gave
him a wolfishzeXpression.
young man." he said. not benignanI-
ly at all, but severely, ''you look i'll.
Have you been drinling!"
l shook my head.
81 am only hungry" I said, telling
the truth because l was too far gone to
hide it. 81 I'M only hungry; that is the.
matter with me-"
He planted his stick Oh the ground,
supporting both his hands upon the
gold head and wagging his head again
from side to side with Il granting sound
in his Throat like the saving of bones.
Grunt!! Here's Il pretty fellow for
your Grunt! Hungry, and he looks
miserable Grunt! 'Hungry and he
groans." Grunt! ''Hungry-the most
enviable position a man can be in-anl
he dares to repine at his lott Grunl!
"\Nhat are the lower classes coming to
next, l wonder? Aren't you a model
of everything that is u%ngrateful and"
-grunt!!-sand flying in the face of
Providence? He lives in a land of
%victuals. London is q gigantic caravan.
full of the most splendid things, the
most glorious things to eat and drink;
it only wants an Appetite; and he's got
that. and he laments!'
"What is the use of an appetite if
you have no money to satisfy it with?'
Grunt! ''Is it a small appetite, as Il
rule, or is it Il large Appellee
Large" I replied. "It is an awk-
ward thing for a poor beggar Ike me
to have such Il devil of Il twist. | was
born with it. Very awkward just
now"
Come with me. young man. he
grunted. go before me. Don't talk.
because that may interfere with the
further growth of your appetite. Walk
slowly, and keep your mouth shut
close"
He came behind me. walking with
his chuckle and grunt.
$50. What Il fine young fellow it is!.'
Grunt. "What oom for the develop
ment of the Alderman's Arch! Whar
a backbone for the support Of a stom-
ach! What shoulders for a dinner
table, and what legs to put under il!
Heavens! what Il diner might be made
of this boy if he only had money!
Grunt! youth and appetite-health
and h~unger-and all thrown away up
on a pauper! What a thing, what u
thing! This way, young man."
Turning down 4 court leading out Of
Bucklersbury, he guided me to Il door,
a little black portal, at which he stop
ped; then STOPPING to 4 keyhOle OF small
Ter SIZE than was generally used i'll
those days. he seemed to me to blow in
to it with his mouth; this was absurd.
| of course, but it seemed so to NE. The
door opened. He led the way into 4
passage, which, when the door shut be-
hind us. as it did of its own accord,
was pitch dark. We went up some
| stairs, and on the first landing the old
gentleman. who was wheeling and
putting tremendously, opened another
door and led me into Il room. 1t vas
a large room. respondent with the
light of at least forty wax candles. The
center was occupied by a large dining
table laid for a single person. Outside
it was broad daylight. for it was o
yet 4 o'clock.
EST down. young man sit down."
puffed my host. sOh. dear! oh dear,
Sit down! do ]! l wish | was as hungry
as YOU
| sat down in the nearest chair. and
looked around the room. The first thing
I remarked was that | could not sce
the door by which we had been admit
ted. The room was octagonal. and oa