San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-08-11

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penny in his packet when he clapped us
in the stocks.
"Well, says Jack, she has our mon.
ey, as You may prove by searching us,
and if you have faith in him it's all as
one, and you may rest easy for your
reckoning being paid against his re-
turn"
The landlord went off, vowing he
would take the law of us if he were not
paid by the morning, and we, as soon
as we had shuffled ON our clothes, away
to hunt for Ned, thinking that maybe
he had made off with the money to
avoid paying half to the landlord, and
hoping always that, though he might
play the rogue with him, he would deal
honestly by us. But we could find no
trace of him. though we visited every
alehouse in the town, and so back we
go, crestfallen, to the Bell, to beg the
innkeeper to give us nights lodging
and crust of bread ON the speculation
that Ned would come back and settle
our accounts, but he would not listen to
our prayers, and so, hungry and thirsty,
and miserable beyond expression, we
were fain to make up with loft over
the stables, where, thanks to a good
store of sweet hay, we soon forgot our
troubles in sleep, but not before we had
concerted to get away in the morning be-
times to escape another day in the stocks.
Accordingly, before the break of day,
| afa L.
packing our effects in the cart in the
misty gray light, Jack Dawson goes into
the stable to harness our nag, while as
silently take down the heavy bar that
fastened the yard gate. But while Twas
yet fumbling at the bolts, and all of a
shake for fear of being caught in the
act, Jack Dawson comes to me, with
Moll holding of his hand, as she would
when our troubles were great, and says
in tone of despair:
"Give over, Kit. We are all undone
again. For our harness is stole, and
there's never another l can take in its
place.
While we were at this stumble, out
comes our landlord to make sport of u.s.
''Have you found your money yet,
friends?" says he, with sheer.
"No," says Jack savagely, "and our
money is not all that we have lost, for
some villain has filched our nag's har-
ness, and warrant you know who he
is"
why, to be sure" returns the other,
''the same friend may have taken it who
has gone astray with your other belong
ings; but, be that as it may, I'll answer
for it when your money is found your
harness will be forthcoming and not be-
fore.
"Come, MASTER" says l, ''have you
no more heart than to make merry at
the mischances of three poor wretches
such as we?'
AYE" says he, "when you can show
that you deserve better treatment.
"Done," says Jack "I'll show you
that as quickly as you please" With
that ne whips off his cap, and fiinging
it ON the ground cries: ''Off with your
jacket, man, and let us prove by such
means as heaven has given all which is
the honester of us two" And so he
squares himself up to fight, but the inn
keeper, though as big a man as he, be-
ing of spongy constitution, showed no
relish for this mode of argument, turned
his back on US with shake of the head,
saying he was very well satisfied of his
own honesty, and if we doubted it we
could seek what satisfaction the law
would give us, adding slyly, as he turn
ed at the door, that he could recommend
US magistrate of his acquaintance,
naming him who had set us in the stocks
at Tottenham Cross.
The very hint Of this put us again in
quake, and now, the snow beginning
to fall pretty heavily, we went into the
shed to cast about as to what ON earth
we should do next. There we sat, glum
and silent, watching idly the big flakes
of snow huttering down from the leaden
sky, for not one of us could imagine
way out of this hobble.
"Holy Mother :" cries Jack at length,
springing up in a passion, 1--WE cannot
sit here and starve of cold and hunger.
Cuddle up to my arm, Mol, and do you
bring your fiddle, Kit, and let us try
our luck a-begging in alehouses.
And so we trudged out into the driv-
ing snow, that blinded us as we walked,
bow our heads as we might, and tried
one alehouse after the other, but all to
no purpose, the parlors being empty be-
cause of the early hour and the snow
keeping folks within doors. Only, about
midday, some carriers, who had pulled
up at an inn, took pity ON us and gave
us mug of. penny ale and half loaf,
and that was all the food we had the
whole miserable day.
Then at dusk, wet footed and tagged
out in mind and body, we trudged back
to the Bell, thinking to get back into
the loft and bury ourselves in the sweet
hay for warmth and comfort. But COM
ing hither, we found our nag turned out
of the stable and the door locked, so