The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-21

For a long while he lay staring at the
sky. for he abhorred blinds, and always
opened his window as far as possible from
the top. the nearest approach to breathing
that he could get indoors these sitting
summer nights.
1t would be ages before the slipshod ser
want chow could she sleep with those
pushing fingers OF the day at her eyelidsD
would shuttle down TO open doors and win
dows. and dabble with dustpans and
brooms; the same hands later on preparing
the coffee that nobody could drink. and
the rasher Of bacon that was clean when 10
went into the frying pan and black when
81 came out. If the missus were down they
might possibly get fewer blacks and more
bacon. but the missus was getting into an
old lady now. and had a knack OF doing
of when she quite intended to do other
wise.
The boys soul siczened at the prospect
OF the gruesome meal. at Billy-goat who
would come down unwashed and unkempt
10 turn up his nose at il. az the spoiled
younger brother who passed all mis- indoor
life in having rows with Billy-rows in
which he was invariably backed UP by the
mlssus.
Then Billy would cry-partly because
his muscles did not allow him TO try con-
illusions with the Benjamin Of the family
and. Benjamin would presume on Toms
neutral attitude towards both parties. and
very likely would insult him, and an aw-
full revulsion of feeling would come over
Tom as he saw the sorry figure they cut,
three able-bodied men all living in hatred
and bitterness Of spirit on one poor old
mother. and not doing a stroke Of work
to help themselves or her.
Tom thought Of all these things as he lay
in his hard bed (true thee earth was harder
but then 1t had smet sweeter) debating in
his mind whether he would read. or get
up for six mile walk in fifth rate Lon
don suburb. He glanced at the yellow
backed book near him, and turned his eyes
away.
He was sick of books He had been liv-
ang on them for months now. and he
would have given the whole lot OF them
for one clear. fresh page out Of Mature
such pages as he had turned contentedly
day by day for years, til at his mothers
bidding he had come home, because she
was sick, she said. and would like to see
him once more before she died.
His thoughts went clean out of the
shabby narrow room into an Australian
morning, clear, glorious, indescribably cN-
hilirating, and in ina gination he leaped
on one Of those horses, Bare-backed
and never hitherto ridden Of mau-that il
WdS MS TRADE 10 DfeAk IN, a trade he had
brought to the utmost perfection.
1T was his metier-the one thing ne
absolutely eXcelled in. and II nature must
take share of the credit in fasbioniug
him a lightweight. the other qualities
necessary TO the making of a successful
COW boy were his own, and in his hum
HE way he rejoiced IN and was proud
That had been the one good he had
learned that he had never forgotten
that had outlasted all the Latin and
and 9TH u.
been taught in those extravagant davs
OF his youth, when the poor old dad had
more horses in his stable than sons in
his house, and the youngest child of all
could ride we'll before II had strenRht 10
climb into the saddle
Those days were long over now, and
those gently-reared sons and daughters
were all out in the world, the girls an
married, some of the boys doing well.
others came home as neer do weels to live
on their mothers Scanty income But
Tom was not one of these latter. and his
present life was as grit between HIS tee H.
and he longed to go back to the old indie
pendent one from which he had been
For a few brief moments the poor boy
snlHeu the accustomed scents of his be-
Ioyed bush, felt the fiery leaps and bounds
OF the animal beneath him, was back
Jumped with equanimfty, and kept his
seat by what seemed a series of mira
cles. then the blue gum trees vanished,
lne glorious new world gave place to a
patch OF morning sky. and he found
himself once more face to face with the
problem how he should waste three hours
OF precious time. Suddenly a thought
struck him. We are apt to remember in
the morning the last thing Especially If
" be disagreeable) that we thought OF
overnight, and now he thought of some
expostulatory remarks that he had heard
the Missus, in the mildest of tones, adj
dress to Billy-gOat at bedtime
in till Saturday" she had sad " SYSSi
must try and make what is I'm the house
last till then.
Now Tom knew that Billy had way
Of waking up early, say al O'Clock, or
uereabouts, thirsty, and having an in
tense distaste for water, was In the habit
OF descending to the kitchen and there
quenching his thirst on beer, and 1t oc-
Cured to Tom that people who don't earn
dnything have no right TO fancies in their
meat and drink, and IN idea struck him as
has before been stated.
Partly dressing himself, as he stole down
stairs, and made his way to the kitchen
not neat country one the cheerist apart
ment in the whole house, and Invest ga
ted the cupboard in which the drinkabies
OF the house were to be found.
One side of the cupboard was filled alasi
with dead-heads, and in the proportion of
at least twelve to one of the small phalanx
or ruiz bottles on the other side.
Tom grtnned. and swiftly removed the
latter to a safe corner Of the coal cellar
then carried a considerable number Of
empty BOTTLES to the tap filled them with
water, carried them back to the cupboard
then, and there was the rub found himself
stumped for corks. Bottles. indeed there
were galore-but no corks anywhere to be
found.
Time passed. Billy-goat might be down
at any time, what was to be done? He
rubbed his head, and an idea, the second
that morning, came
A corkscrew was handy, he seized IT,
and rapidly returned to the coal cellar
Whereupon ensued popping of corks al
most as rapid as those drawn by Grip the
Raven in Barnaby Rudge. and he quickly
Ieappeared with a handful, that he cut IN
half and duly rammed into the bottles Of
water so tightly with the aid Of the walD
that they presented no appearance of being
tempered with, then hid himself behind a
door whence to watch the march OF events
He had not long to wait Whether in
that ill-built house Billy-goat had heard
sounds in the region where all his hopes
were centred ] know not, hut very soon
his slippered feet were heard on the stair
and he came shutting in blear-eyed the
little goatee beard, whence he derived his
name, all unkenpt, and with that curious
monkeyish look that had been stamped on
him ever since he was born and that
seemed to increase instead of lessen as he
grew into a middle-aged man.
He looked around suspiciously but the
scullery door told no tales, and satsfac-
ton illumined his wien face as he opened
the cupboard door. and saw inside the
plump bottles, tightly cOrked. that seemed