Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1900-01-25
A QUEENS SHILLING.
4 BARRACK square in an Irish town; a

UAAA SNNiu4hilAS dSsPoAlIbEAs' W N.Y. oAN
oh, why, did | ever enter the service? The
queens shilling will be the ruin of me-" He
held in his hand a note which ran as follows
Dublin, April 5, lSs-.-To Lieut.. f
Swanston, North Yorkshire Fusileers-Dear
Sir: Our Mr.. Amos Jones viii call upon you
tomorrow about three p. m. with reference
to that little account of f45 los, which VIC
must really insist on having paid without
further delay. Hoping you will not compel
us to have recourse to disagreeable measures,
we are, yours faithfully,
Il. & A. JONES 4 CO."
1t was not the first note of that kind
that he had received, not only from Jones
| Co., but from other firms as we'll to whom
he was indebted. Time after time he had
| been called upon to face these pecuriose
collectors, who were impatient with him
and insisted on payment of their claims
if he wished to escape the consequences of
exposure. But never before had he felt
just as he did over this one, for at every
other time he felt that some way would
present itself that would extricate him
from lis financial troubles until his allow
ance day should come around, and he would
be able to meet his most pressing obligat ions.
What's up, my boy?" said a hearty,
CHEEKY voice, as an older man entered just
in time to hear Frank Swanston's mournful
ejaculation. Some Internal dun, suppose:
but never say die"
It's not only dun" was the reply, "but
the mischief of it is there's Jew fellow COM
ing from Dublin to beard me at three p. m.
and my uncle is to be here at four-the
uncle, you know, who gives me my allow
ance, and who'd never forgive me if he knew
l was in debt. Well, it's no use struggling
against fate. | must make a clean breast of
it some day, and if the worst comes to the
worst there's the Indian staff corps to fall
back on. Only do wish could have lasted
few months longer"
That's right" broke in Blake. "Now l
don't want to preach, but fancy you are
blaming fate for your own folly, as we all do,
and showing repentance by wishing you had
the opportunity of SHINING little longer.
Still, we mustn't hose our best bowler if we
can help it; so tell us all about it."
In few minutes Blake had extracted
from Swanston schedule of his debts, the
total of which was more than five times the
amount of Messrs. Levi and Amos Jones'
little bill, and had pitched in some rough
comments on the same, summing up to the
following effect: Look here, old chap,
we've always been pals since first took you
up at Winchester, but, hang me, must let
you have it straight. You'll lose your
bowling in India to a certainty, but you
won't learn self denial there if you despise
1t here. Now Just promise to put on the
drag, as I've told you, and III look in at
three o'clock and see if can induce our Mr.
Amos to give you little more time over
this bill"
Mr. Amos was true to his appointed hour,
but remained unmoved by the blandish-
ments of his victim, who at $3.50 O'Clock
glanced nervously out of the window from
time to time, and then at the clock, revealing
thereby to the trained eye of the money
lender, which had noticed unusual prepare.
lions for tea on the table, that visitor Of
Importance was expected.
Its no use, Mr.. Swanston, we ave waited
and waited, but you aven't KEEP your prom
Use, and | must jest take up my quarters ere
till you provide the ready"
Young Swanston was in an agony Of sus-
pense.
Suddenly Blake appeared on the scene
Having noticed that Mr.. Amos, tall, burly,
and, though vulgar, fairly good looking Is
raellte, was vain of his personal appearance,
he began to play on this weak point, adj
dressing him as major" and after a few
remarks, when undeceived as to Mr.. Amos
title to that appellation, expressed surprise
and said he could have sworn man of such
magnificent chest measurement was in the
service. This led to his asking permission
to measure Mr.. Jones both as to height and
chest, a request which the ney-lender
gladly acceded to. Leaving the room Tor
minute to fetch tape, Blake returned with
sergeant and private, by whom the neces,
sary measurements were written down Mr..
Jones being evidently fattered by these
proceedings. Ills amaZement, however, was
beyond description when they termir ated
by Blake giving him warm shake Of the
hand and leaving behind in his open PAIN
shilling, the gift being emphasized by the
following extraordinary words:
Amos Jones, | enlist you as full private
in the gallant North Yorkshire fusilaers,
and shall endeavor to have you posted t. my
own company. Sergeant, march him c if to
the barracks. Positively no time for an.
other word-ta ia, Swanston-must be eff
pressing engagement" Saying which John
Blake hurried away.
When he recovered speech Amos Jones
effected to treat the matter as joke or mad
freak, but the sergeant assured him that he
and Private Robinson had been called n to
measure him and had seen him take the
queens shilling.
In two minutes the amazed money lender
found himself hustled off and in the open air.
breathing anathemas against the whole of
the North Yorkshire fusileers, and vowing
he would have compensation for the insult
to which he had been subjected. An hour
later his mood had cooled, and he artfully
suggested to his custodians that they should
all wet their whistles at the Station hotel.
He reflected that there was a train to Dub
lin in half an hour, and he might be able to
give Sergt. Jenkins and Private Robinson
the slip if he could keep them engaged over
bottle of champagne This rlse he man
aged to accomplish with great success.
though he would doubtless not have been
quite SO proud of it as his train steamed out
of the station if he could have heard Sergt.
jenkins say to his comrade: "Well, that's
good job over. | was wondering how we
were to get rid of him decently, according
to Mr.. Blake's instructions, and never
dreamed he would stand bottle of fizz and
try to hoax US.
Swanston's relief can be imagined. When
Mr.. Amos disappeared, he broke into roar
of laughter, and began to quote from the
Recruit:
O'e's bin and 'ad is air cut, as AIRY.
Yes, they've cropped i'm to the skin, by
. it's foine to ave yer air cut har lar mil
itaire,
And to feel you are military cove.
Uncle duly arrived, was entertained at tea,
and afterward at mess, where his veins
were stirred by generous port to such degree
that he left behind to his grateful nephew
check for ESQ, which the young scapegrace
would doubtless have frittered away had not
Blake insisted on his settling L. & A. Jones
account out of it. Mr.. Amos kept the story
Of his compulsory enlistment a profound Sc.
cret, never even divuging it to his partner
for fear Of ridicule, and a vague notion that
he might possibly be charged with deserving
the oolors; though Of course, he took all the
credit of having made Frank Swanston paw
up.-Merton Lee, in Navy and Army Illus.
trated.
tz<rsszsz7V 7<zs&zzz. s.<sss
OEPrw0rE<QsI