Arizona republican., 1900-12-16
RANDAL


 dirt, rags and tramp.
 .'Well, what do you want?" I asked, l as I tried in vain to dodge his breath. .'Nothin," replied the caricature, ac- i companying his words with a stupid | grin. "Nothin'. Jest wanted to renew ole acuuaintance, that's all Don't know me. I reckon, sence you got to be editor. q think, your honor" I replied. sar- castically, that I never had the honor of your acquaintance. Will your lady ship be kind enough and condescending enough to make yourself known?" But my sarcasm might just as well have been thrown to the winds. ''Mc. ole boy" calculated the dump pile, cordially, I'm alfred glad to see you lookin' so well. Wot yo' feedin' up for, anyhow? Alderman?"
 I tried to squelch him with one of my most frigid stares. But he just contin- ued to grin.
 "I saw in The Republican the other mornin' there was no use n anybody a sufferin' here; that there was a plenty and a more'n a plenty for ev- erybody for the askin'. I thought that was the best snap I'd seen, so I jest came round to do a little askin'."
 II -ROOu pnllOSOp4lN Nlltll SOu dl OP against it Ito pay your money and take your medicine without grimace handed him a quarter. He took it non- chalantly, stood still and grinned.
 Well, now you've got your money, why don't you go?' I was exasperated. and arose to eject him forcibly. He was smaller than I.
 Now don't git excited said rags, calmly. q saw in The Republican only the other mornin' as how worry kills more people than work Why don't you try some of your own ad- vice."
 I sat down, signing at fate.
 Don't seem to remember ole days an friends, Me, do you? Don't seem to remember as how we dug coal to- gether in auld lang syne, do you? Seem to have forgotten Randall Hawkins, eh7"
 And then memory flashed through the black of forgetfulness and revealed a vivid picture of the past. Randall Hawkins! O, yes; I remembered Randall. He had been the butt Of most of our 'boyish jokes.
 He had always wanted to marry; at any rate, he had wanted to ever since any one could remember; but had alWaNS been uSleIISu lllCi C4iO'p " the impression somehow instiled into his fighty brain that it was the unal- terable prerogative of the female sex ito .'pop the question:" How he got this idea no one could ever determine. But it was there, and so firmly fixed that disIodgement was impossible.
 He had just missed marriage once. That was away back in the states, and was so long ago the memory seemed but a dream. He was in shop Of his own: was considered d good black smith, and was prosperous. One day he got into dispute with one of ms customers over the question of Sunday being the first or seventh day of the . week. Randall declared 1t was the first, and the customer contended it was the seventh, and so they had it hot and heavy.
 Now, Randall was not a quarrelsome chap-he would rather run than hSht any day-so, to end the dispute, he said he didn't care which way 1t was; he had to work just so hard anyway and he must go and set a bloody tire this minute. .... ...
 This remark was innocent enough and should have ended the matter and 1yould. no doubt, had the other fellow S  had cold in his head that day, which affected his hearing; beside, ne was hot and nettled with the arugment, and so' understanding Randall to say You're a bloody lair, "he gave him one behind the ear that knocked him over on his anvil.
 Now we can't blame him much Tor resenting such foul language. Boast
 ;Iyiy np blunt. Saxon words, we nevertheless would prefer being labeled ''prevar- icator.'' or "ffbber" It sounds better don't grate so on oI.e's nerves. Then it's a noticeable fact that men don't like being called liar anyway; and the biggest liars detest the word most -on the principle, undoubtedly, that men despise a shoe that pinches.
 The minimizing poet glibiy sings: What's in a name?" We might re- tort that there is a great deal more in a name than in the poets head, but We can't be 50 rude; but this we know that "connoisseur' smooths the "glut- tons" rufTled feelings; "ennui' robs "laziness" of opprobrium; fashion vels 'immodesty's' shame, and "klep- tomania' robs the prison of it's dues.
 A blow is considered a powerful ''clincher'' in a debate-I am told it i: frequently used, and favorably com mented on by many eminent congress men; and who should know better thar they?-and it had the effect of endins lthe trifling dispute in the blacksmith shop, for Randall lay as one dead, witt his face as white as snow. and hot. re. blood squirting from ghastly wJuni across his temple.
 The fellows anger vanished with tn blow as it usually does when the mis chiefs done, and he felt very sorry an' wretched indeed, and carried him his home and nursed him faithful, and tenderly until he was almost wei In another week or two he would be a work in the shop again, which was great joy to him, for he loved worl He would often steal in at the bac donr op q Sunday and work in hdpp