Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1900-07-07

line. which ne found in the barn. !
Around and arotdd he wound the
clothcs-l'ne until there was nothing
OF the donkey left visible but his head
and ears. With the donkey in this
helplcss condition Mr.. Liml0ns took
fresh start AZ the beginning of HIS
speech and recited IL over and over
again several times. Every time Mr..
Limkins reached that particular cli-
max. and made those magnificent gest-
ures. there was perceptbie CULVER
in The bundle OF clothes-line. which al f
ways caused a slight break at that par #
ticular part I'm the otherwise easy flow /
OF Mr.. Iimkins' speech.
At last Mr.. Limkins felt that he T.
could not improve 10y further practice. /
and. giving the bundle OF clothcS-li""
a parting kick. closed the interview.
That night Mr. Limkins listened To
+ the several speakers that preceded
him. his heart sweued with pride as
he thought how favorably his speech
would compare with any that had been
delivered 10 may be that il is inn
possible 10 impress man that Is so
thoroughly interested in himself as
was MI l-iutAAArs hNA NN tAAaA .tF %
may. Mr. Limkins failed 20 find any
thing worth noting As he arose in
his place TO respond 20 "Our Sons" DC
felt confident that he would take his
seat the hero Of the evening
= slight nervousness, together with
some impatience 20 reach his most
impressive periods made him talh rap
idly at first; and he also had some
little difficulty in controlling his eyes.
: which showed o decided tendency TO
wards a fixed stare. However. De
managed 20 vary the stare 20 some
extent. and continued TO DO fairly
wen until he reached that particular
part which the donkey had pointed
of 50 pcrsistenNy. At this point
Mr.. Iimkins made a slight pause an,
b. could not recall his next few lines
although he made heroic effort 4
u DO 90.
l. The picture of the donkey suddenly
. filed his mind 20 such an extent as q
II drive out everything else. For mo
q ment IL seemed impossible for hin
II TO get away from the scenes I'm tn
y barn One view after another swift
"a }v chased each other through hi
p mind He wondered If anyone ha
D. found the donkey and set him free, ~
whether he was still embalmed In th
ID clothes-linc He wondered who woul
m be the one 20 find him-whether th
IL cook, Silas. Jr.. or one OF the neigl
OF bors. He speculated on the chance
III Of having been seen entering th
- barn in the afternoon. and what e.
he planation he would make IL que.
n toned about il. He thought il woul
*, have been wiser 10 have restored tl
ey donkey his liberty before he left hin
a. He could see the sad. lonesome loc
ao in his face as il protruded from Il
he bundle of clOthes-lnc; lying the
he through the long night on the co
&c floor OF the barn.
T. All this was but a few hghtnir
es- flashes through Mr.. Limkins' min
ice aud he was vainly trying 70 fix h
tn thoughts on his subject. From III
point Mr.. Limkins was obliged
OF proceed in truly "extemporaneou
10 manner. He wandered on tremulor
id ly-sometimes on the track. son
nd times of. and sometimes partly
re. and partly of Occasionally he wou
de get glimpses of his prepared speee
ne and when ne did. he would eager
tC> nre tnen OH--Wheinef lutN ullcu I
Tn place where they occurred 20 him,
i'm not-sometimes getting things &C
siderably mixed.
rks For instance, referring 10 Mr.. Ii
his kins' notes at one place. he shOs
inn have said: "Who can tell how gre
his our sons may be. or what gra
in thoughts the fathers f'-and }
'me Limkins. as he caught this on I
red fly. challenged the company wit
! 10 ''Who-who can tell whose son he N
.ins be. or who his father was2" Again,
gan another place. according 10 the no
ere that were slowed away in his ins
and pocket. he should have said: &C
est. forefathers. who for eight long vel
,ver daily drank the bitter cup of wa
yed that we might now De free II
tive never hoped for such deveiopmc mt
10 this" And Mr.. Limkins waylaid Z
nor as il went by. and waving his glass
wine before him. said: "Our fore
ear theirs. who for eight long years id
lax drnnk-on that bitter cup that Is n
hose so free-they never dreamed--of {
mil anything like this"
ngs. An things must have an end; {
-iod when the marks of approval. VIII
the Mrs. Limkins had been administer
for from beneath the table became
cted pointed 10 longer overlook. Mr.. !
any. kina came 70 an end--abruptly.