The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-12-19

palms and evergrecns, tho rare furniture.
the rich carpcting, the SOFT lights. was
never seen by the eye OF mortal man. Sweet
music like the birds and brooks make Stole
| through the apartment; from some unseen
hiding place.
Then the refreshments, All. boys, the
Refreshments, There Was a table as long
as Galveston island loaded down with en-.
aud Old Nick and | sat down and ate n
meal that would make Ward McAlistor
turn over IN his grave with envy. After
we were full the evil led me into one Of
his ante-roums and inquired about thu
health OF several Of our mutual friends on
earth. Then I asked him
where arc all tho peoples"
Never mind Tom" he said. They're
In bed now. I know you we're coming aud
sen, them all away SO that might have
the benefit OF your conversation all TO my
self for nnN,hour or two, I'm told. TEN.
| you're fine story teller aud as I'm THO
| Father Of Lies we might pass the tin,o
between now and the arrival OF the morn
ing trains swapping few yarns. Mud.
| III have nothing old from you, Tom"
with that We strolled out into the big
audience chamber. goins 10 the direction
OF the front door, he telling first one tale
and | another as we meandered The devil
!
90 It on purpose. was laying FOR him with
| the best story | over heard In all my life.
and knew IL would Jar him when I IL;
II so, had got the story from a stut,ee-
iug tobacco drummer named Fred Fcrgu-
son. and Il was just the all nrtdcst fu-pisss
story that was ever noattd since Lots
wife got sailed for being too fresh. 80
| when we had walked back nearly to the bis
door OF he'll began t.
"As I unWound my yarn Old Nick
| laushoa until the nickel plating on his tail
cracked and fell off, | grew more animated.
and he Jumped against the ceiling and
popped his hoofs together until the air was
| filled with chunks of thunder and links NJ
chain lightning. Whom reached the climax
| Satan turned a triple SONS rsault, fell on
/ the floor. and roarcd with laughter TIL the
! Internal regions seemed to he rocked by an
! earthquake. Presently he got UP and
saw he was In q rage from jealousy He
pulled open the big front door with n
! clang
Tom Gorgan' he roared IN voice %:
thunder. Iitlls not big enough 20 hold
two such ornamental liars as YOU and MY
self
with this he took me by the slack OF
the trousers and the scrufi Of the neck aud
| shot me out through this door, When fell
| landed 80 hard that all the pegs were
Jared out OF my boots and my upper and
| lower sets of teeth went WhtzIlnG through
space like 40 many shooting stars.
Il llmpcd on into the dark. until I be-
cnme frightened with the thought that I
| might walk over a rrcclpco aud fall into
n worse place than hell. | felt around aud
| found flat rock. ! sat down on II and
grew ms cold as an Esklmo's Christmas.
This walked me ~. and found myself
sitting In my night robe on the marble TOP
Of the washstand. in my room at the hotel.
and n northcr blowing through the VIM
| dow"
Tom said Nick Weeks, tell Us that
story you told the devil"
Nick" replied Tom, solemnly, ''it was
the finest thing you could ever hear In all
your life But l think hit the ground
so hard after the dovil lei 20 OF me that the
| story was iolted out OF my memory"
you must have endured great mcnta,
| anguish during your dream MIR Goggnn,'
suggested one Of the party.
Indeed. sir | did, | didn't mind II ~
much the short time was in hell. hut the
TOW moments | sal on ciat rock waiting for
day TO break, Il fear came into my mind
that almost drove mo TO suicide"
what was ,hnt7' everybody asked.
'Well. | thought Here YOU are. Tom
Goggan, In the devil of II fix, You went TO
| heaven, and the Lord threw you on, before
you got In You went 10 hell and the mas.
ter OF ceremonies fired you Just when you
were beginning to feel nj home. and now 49,
after suffering all this- heavens above!
| VIII you have to 10 back Co HoustonY"
Frank Brady