The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-05-08
CHAPTER TX

there, more than half ashamed of his sur
roundings but too amiably irresolute, as
usual, to impcril by absence from this an
nual gathering his old reputation for good
fellowship.
'Aw, the gentleman he is, isn't hep
And him straight from Oxford college too"
What's that they're saying Oxford col
lego? Och, no; not that at all. "
But the fine English tongue at him,
anyway. It's just pleasure to hear him
spake, Smooth as oil and sweet aston
ishin. Bill KisSeck-I say, Bill, there
why didn't you put up the young masther
for the chair?"
law, lave me alone, " answered Kisseck,
with contemptuOus toss of the head.
Him and mes same as brothers."
"Bill's proud uncommon of the masther
and middlin jealous too. Aw, well, who's
wonderin at it?'
Its bit free them chaps are maxim,
whispered Kisseck to Christian. Then ris-
.ng to his feet with gravity, Gentlemen,
- said, what dye say to Misther Chris
tiau Mylres Balladhoo for the elber u.aii
yanderS"
"Hooraal Hooraar' Kisseck resumed
his seat with lofty glance of patronage
at the men about him which said aeplsiu-
ly us words themselves, Il told We to ave
it all to me"
Proud, dye say? Look at him." whis-
pered Davy Cain. The Jolly Herrings
was perhaps the most ludicrous and incon.
gruous house of entertainment Of which
history records any veracious record. 1t
was avery gargoyle on the fair fabric of the
earth, except that it served the opposite
uses of attracting rather than banishing
the evil spirits about it, Thirty-fve years
ago it was to be found near the bottom of
the narrow, grabbed little thoroughfare
that winds and twists and descends to that
part of the quay which overlooks the ruins
Of the castle. The gloomy pothouse was
entered by little porch. Two steps down
led you into a room that was half parlor
and half bar, and where only the fumes of
tobacco smoke We're usually visible, Two
more steps led you to an inner and much
larger room that was practically kitchen,
living room and room of special entertain
mcnt This was the apartment in which
the herring supper was always given.
What n paradox the place wasl All that
belonged to the room itself was of the
rudcst and meanest kind The floor was
paved with stones, the walls were sparsely
plastered, the ceiling was the bare wood
hewn straight from the tree. But over
these indications of poverty there was an
extraordinary display of curious wealth.
The little window behind Christian in his
"clber chair" was glazed with a rich
piece Of stained glass that had the Madon-
ma and Child for subject The elbow chair
itself was of old oak deeply carved and
bound with clamps of engraved brass.
| Bill Kisseck, who by virtue of his office sat
at the opposite end of the table, occupied q
small settee covered with gorgeous Grim
son velvet
On the mantepiece We're huddled in lux
urious confusion sundry brass censers,
medieval lamps and an ivory crucitlx. On
the wall, and beside a piece of marble
carved with medallion, hung skate
that had been cut open to dry A pair OF
! bellows lay on an antique chest in the in
| gle Into the mouth of the censers a bun
die of pipe lights had been mcthodically
arranged A ponderous silver watch hung
round the arms Of the crucifix, and a fry
window that was consecrated to the Ma
donna
Such was the kitchen and stateroom o.
the Jolly Mornings, and no apartment evel
! spoke more plainly to those who had ear:
| to hear of the character and habits of it:
owners. The house was kept by woman
who was thin, wrinkled and blear eyed
and by man who was equally thin ant
no less wrinklcd, but had quick suspicion.
eyes and few spiky gray hairs about the
chin that resembled the whiskers Of a cat
| AS husband and wife this couple held thu
little pothouse, but long years after thu
events now being narrated it was discov
cred that husband and wife had both beer
women
What sport What noisy laughter
What singing and rollicking cheers Thu
men stood neither on the order of theil
coming nor their going, their sitting mol
their standing They wore their caps o.
not as pleased them, they sang or talked a!
suited them, they laughed or sneeZed, they
sulked OF snarlcd, were noisy or silent pre-
cisely as the whim of the individual pre-
scribed the indi iduai rule Of manners
The chair at the Jolly Herrings was posi-
tion of more distinction than duty, and i
was numbered among Christians VIRTUES
that he had never attempted to exercise al
arbitrary control over the liberties of FIRE,
born Manxmen Jest or jeer, fun or fight
were alike free of the gathering where h
presided, but everything had TO be in con
science and reason, for Christian drew tn
line rigidly at marline spikes and Delaying
pins
Tommy Bill beg was there, and fin
scorn sat on his face The reason of thi
was that, as a mistaken tribute to music
Jenny Balladhoo had also been invited
and was sitting with his fiddle directly il
front of the harbor master, though tina
worthy disdained to take notice of the hu
initiating proximity Danny Fayle wa
there The lad sat quietly and meekly OIL
form near the door
The supper was lifted direct on to tn
table from the pans and boilers that sim
mered on the hearth First came the brotl
well loaded with barley and cabbage bu
not destitute of the flavor of two Sleeps
heads Then the suet pudding, round as
well fed salmon and as long as 20 poun,
cod After this came three legs of boile,
mutton and a square block of roast beef
Last of all the frying pan was taken from
the niche Of the Madonna and two o
three dozen Of fresh herrings were made L
frizzle and crackle and bark and sputte
over the fire.
Away went the dishes, away went tn