The Irish standard., 1896-05-30


in many day when the cravings Of
hunger possessed me. There WAS . res
!. taurailt, famous far and near. q gas1
tronornic Mecca to which many pill,
grims journeyed joyously, under whose
roof was determined to dine. Often
had I surveyed It's glories from the
pavement without, providing about the
place in fascination at the picture OF
good cheer visible through it's windows.
Now I was privileged to enter, strong
in the con seriousness that a roll Of bills,
rtill OF goodly size in spite Of the pay
inents made from it, nestled in my
pocket. Let It be confessed, how
ever, that as, stepped through the
doorway my hand was clutched about
the money, as If in fear that it might
4 vanish. Not until I had dined and the
account had oeen liquidated did the
dread Of an awakening from so pleas
ant dream disappear. The. remem.'
bra1ice of that solitary feast will be
always with me; for it brought the
first convincing proof that the old
period of stress was at an end.
A,suburban train bore me to Merton
early in the evening. I went at once
to my employers room. Before leaving
" the city I had secured timetables Of
the road on which we were to make our
tourney, and had found that a through
express stopped at the town at ten
o'clock. Lamar was we'll pleased with
this bit of information. He had not
quilted his quarters in my absence, he
said, and none of the hotel servants,
except the somnolent porter who adj
mitted us. had had a glimpse of his
face, for he had kept out of sight
when food and drink were brought to
his room. A little before ten o'clock
Isettlcd our reckoning. and we left the
hotel by side door, reaching the sta"
ton just as the train rolled up to the
platform. My companion chose coach
in which there were few passengers
and, picking out a dark corner, buried
his face in his upturned coat collar
and pretended to sleep. One of his
hands was clasped about the strap of
his little valise, and not once in the
course of the journey did he loosen his
grip upon it. ~ Z
: There was weary ride Of several
hours, and then an equally weary wait
at junction at which we were to take
a train over = branch line; but long
before the lazy folk-if there were
any sluggards in that workaday region
were stirring, our travel by rail had
been completed. We left the cars at
BASKERVILLE, the station nearest Rod
neytown, which was separated from the
railway by a ten-n1ile stretch of conn-
try. AS it happened Sam Carpenter, the
owner Of a livery stable near by, who
usually supplied conveyances to. per-
sons desiring to reach the village, was
an acquaintance of my boyhood days.
With him 1 was soon in friendly dis
course. --' - -.
s'I've got patient with me, SAM
said I, sand he wants to breathe pure
sea-breezes. I'm taking him down to
the old place. He needs good air and
quiet
s'WaA, he won't gitmuch else,1 guess
said the man, with all the contempt of
j. the railroad town for a place less blest.
.Want a steady nag, don't ye? Take
q boy along, or drive yerself?''
'sNever mind about the boy; l know
3, the way" answered. It'll see that the
team gets back to you this afternoon"
A little later drove up to the station
where Lamar had been awaiting me.
He climbed into the buggy with an
agility which was surprising, consider
ing his appearance of illness, and settled
down beside nue. with the valise still in
in his hands. I offered to stow it away
with my sole piece of luggage back OF
the seat, but he shook his head.
eft is my preference to keep it" said
be. at is not BURDEN
The morning was fresh and clear, and
as we drove along the charm of it
gained possession of my senses. I for
got the fatigue of the night in stutfy