The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-12-21
A LIVELY OLD PAIR.

Harders Flint, Esq lawyer, sat alone
in his bachelors den in a big easy
chair, his feet incased in a pair of di-
lapidated old slippers, resting on the
tender, his hands thrust half way into
his trouser pocket and his head bent
forward until his chin rested on his
breast. On the table beside him lay a
couple Of newspapers and a yellow COW
cred law book, open at the page he
had been consulting.
Lawyer Flint was deep in perplexing
thought, to judge by the expression of
his face, for his brow was elouded and
his lips compressed, aud occasionally
he turned bis head toward the open
volume as if inclined to seek further
aid from it, bat with slight shake of
the head reiapsed again into his former
attitude.
He had sat thus for a long time
when there was knock at the door.
''Come in,n said the lawyer, without
looking up.
A servant girl entered, handed him
a note and withdrew.
Lawyer Flint opened the note read
it, ultering an exclamation of impa-
thence, arose and paced up and down
the room.
$50 Rolingold can't meet me to-mor-
row because it's Christmas" he mutt
tered, as he stslked across the floor ;
every day is important in this matter
aud yet he, the one most interested,
delays proceedings twenty-fOur hours
simply because it happens to be Christ
mas. Cad / can't see how busi-
ness man like Rolingold can be so fool
ish. Well, he continued, "let him
take his holiday and enjoy it if he can /;
couldn't. It's many and many a long
day since Christmas interfere1 with
my business"
He returned to his chair, but the
train Of his thought had been inter
rapted and his tsce now wore a cynical,
hard look as he gazed into the crack
Ling fire Once, long ago. his Christ
mas days had been bright, too, but
their brightness was obseared by more
vived reeollectiOns of other Chr:stmas
times in later years, when ambition
and disappointment and poverty and
greed had steeled his heart a3d lsft no
room for Christmas thoughts. on, the
years that he had worked and starved
and hoarded to reach his present con-
ditioa Of comfortable independence
A. be look back upon them now ais
lips closed tighter and the bitterness
deepened in his face.
From a distant part Of the house
came the sound of music, aud the
laughter, of children, and the hum of
conversation. Bat the lawyer rem ain
ed mo.iOaIess with his head upon his
b east
Rat-tat, rattat, rattle-tattle. rstt' e
lattle, rat-tat, rattls.-laftIe. rat-iat-tat.
WHAT was that? II seemed 10 cone
from the closet at the other side of the
room. The lawyer went over and
opened the Closet door; there was moth
ing to be seen except a lot Of old Law
books piled upon the shelves and \ pair
of heavy old boots on the floor.
That noise must have come from
below stairs, after aIl,n he said, ''bui
it seemed to be right In the room
sounded just like some one dancing on
q bare floor"
II wss just thinking Of Uncle Tom, =
he continued, ''and there are the boot
the old man left here when he got hi:
new ones at the close Of his visit, q
month ago. / must tell Joe to tax:
them away"
He went over TO the chair and sai
down again. "Unele Tom," he saic
70 himself "Bah ! hope eBjoyed
his visit here. / didn't I'D 90 ersz,
with that blundering old man around
me, nudging me anu slapping me OF
the back, trying TO get little fun on
Of me, As be s-id, with that everlast
ing, good nstared laugh Of his Christ
mas Il soon be here, ne said, as he wa
leaving, IN 1 hope you'll brace ui
Harders. aud enjoy yourself rdshos
you how to do Is i'll could stay wit
you. Well, wonder now what he''
d. to show me how 10 enjoy Christina
5 id the lawyer, as he settled down il
his chair.
! Again the sounds Of laughter an