Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1895-05-25
STORY OF SHADROCH.

cheerless day in January, the 40.
train from New York had just paused
with snort of contempt at the littl,
New Jersey town of Rondeauville, anC
the commuters who alighted from il
tuned their trousers up above theiI
ankles and buttoned up their overcoats
snugly across the dreary eXpanse of
fields and ill-payed streets beyond
which shone the cheerful lights of
their homes. Among these passengers
was tall, spare man. with a serious
face and long goatee, who wore a
rather seedy ulster and carried large
market basket on his arm. He sighed
wearily as he bent his steps towards
the interesting example of own-your-
own-home architecture in which he
lived, and as he assembled the steps
the wind moaned sadly through the
wooden tiligree work that adorned
the porch, while the hall windows,
bright with colored papers pasted
over the panes in imitation of stained
once inside his snug, warm study.
where fire was blazing on the hearth
and the light was shining eheerfully
from a lamp with red hoopskirts over
1t, the commutOr deposited his basket
on the table and sank. with sigh of
relief, into the big leather easy chair.
The room was filled with implements
of his craft and so great was the var
iety Of articles displayed that but
few laymen would have been able to
guess what trade it was that claimed
this Sad-faced mans labor.
A dlsJointed stove-pipe stood in cor
ner by the fireplace, bits of fresh or
auge and banana peel rested on the
table, the mantel-piece had for its
principal ornament a stuffed yellow
dog that had evidently seen much
hard service. and dozen wooden
mannikens. bearing such labels as
'Mother-in-Law," Plumber" '.vassar
Girl" Young Husband" and .Office
Boy sat in serious row on an old
hOrse-hair sofa.
The sad faced man was William
Walnut the well-knOwn professional
and as he opened his basket
and took from it a number of packages
containing jokes. poems. ballads, short
stories and other literary wares. he nj
tered a sephulchral groan of despair.
for these were the unstable goods
winch had been returned to him that
day from the various newspapers and /
publishing offices which he had visit
ed in the course of his regular weekly [
trip to the city.
Inc door opened and a graceful |
woman with a sad, care-worn face +
came toward him with outstretched I
arms: MY dear one" she cried, ten 1
ierly. YOU look disheartened: was I
FOUR trip to the city failure?-
Alas, Jane" responded her husband
With something like a sob in his
'olce although | tramped the street
Il the great town all day with my has
,et on my arm, | met nothing but dis
appointment on every hand. and
ave come back as heavily laded as I
vent and infinitely more depressed in
plrits. 1t seems 10 me thar the de-
1and for jokes. poems. mother-in-law
iyls, stove-pipe pastorals and banana
eel fantasies has ceased forever ana
really do not see how we are going
get through the winter
William said his wife. bra yelv
there was gentleman here TODAY
mo wishes to buy-I scarcely dare
ell you Of it, but l feel that there is
othing else to be done. 1t will break
he children's hearts"
surely. Jane" cried the husband.
you do not mean that you think Of
arting with our faithful Shadrachg"
Il do rejoined his wife. firmly but
IDLY. This gentleman was passing
nc house and saw Shadrach sitting
customary place in the fence cor
er, eating his monday shayings. To /
" surprise he came in and offered
buy him for 800 explaining that he
as In need of good family goat with
ing gray whiskers and that he hal
OF seen any one among the many
'hich he had looked at which could
1mpare in point of quaint beauty. {
cen sense of humor and dOcility with
lr own dearly beloved beast" s
w hat does he want him for?" de-
landed William. suspiciOusly. II !
oppose he is rival humorist-''
NO. william | am sure you are !
istaken. for he wore a beautiful suit
black broadcloth and cluster dia- {
ond pin. In fact. he told me him /
If that he was the proprietor of that
z factory whose tall chimneys can 4
seen from our room" :
The following morning the stranger
'peared and. the bargain having been !
ade. the faithful Shadrach was drag
ID, in spite Of his resistance. through !
ne front gate while the children ;
ung to him with sobs and cries and
e mother watched them tearfully 4
ON the porch
Poor Shadrach," exclaimed William II,
at afternoon, II really don't see how !
shall be able to get along without =
m. What the compass is to the !,
ariner. the cold deck TO the pOker
ark. the dyed mustache to the bunco Z
nerer the goat is to the American =
ke-maker. He is the corner stone Of ?
r national humor. You may trace <
influence in the pages of every
mic newspaper in the land. and If
whiskered tribe were to become
tinct is that the whole profession
un-making would disappear from
face Of the earth. like the reputa- 7
m Of police captain in the fierce
llte light Of the LeXOw investlga-
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