The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-02-11

Miss Kerr lapsed back among her cush-
ions, with her eyes tight closed-tor rea
son-as the smooth coupe rolled on, and
the mad cherub that drives the blind steeds
of chance guided a strange vehicle for the
rescue Of Tom Champney.
CHAPTER IL.
Champney swung ont into the Avenue
at brisk pace and turned up. To all ap-
pearauees his spirit was as unruffied as his
apparel His progress was not swift, IN
spite Of his pace, for he was held up at al
most every block by some acquaintance
/ One wanted to tell him new story; an
other stopped him to ask his advice on an
| investment. 4 third thought a drink would
he good for him: fourth wanted sympathy
/ for a hard luck story in stocks: while
/ fifth told him the first news Of Il highly
important event. 'les b. CAD, the very
4 first to know il except Caroline and my
self, and We want YOU for best man
and Tom Champney took it as unflinching-
/ Is and rejoiced in his friend happiness as
4 heartily as if envy were an unknown quan-
THY. Had Helen Kerr followed his prog
rcss she might have had qualm of doubt
as to her judgment. 4 man to whom other
men naturally gravitate in JOY or woe may
/ he nearly all that is bad; but one good quail
/ ity he must possess-ihat Of fellowship.
/ In the Eighties Champney turned Of
aud his pace Jagged. He was thinking
hard. Suddenly his consideration was in
terrupted by a tumult just in front of him,
Four straining horses were hauling
I load Of dirt up from cellar excavation,
/ while the driver exhoFted after his kind,
and huge. two listed Irish boss danced
/ cxcitedly on the sidewalk Slowly the
( wagon came up and, as it hung poised on
7 the point Of the greatest strain, one Of the
I horses vent down upon the slippery s~
phah. \, once the load began TO settle
7 back. imminently threatening a plunge,
/ disastrous e. horses aud wagon alike The
/ thick shouliered boss threw himself upon
I one Of the rear wheels his TIVE hundred
pounds Of muscle tense in restraint. The
( weight vas too great not By many pounds,
I for it Was yery gradually that the big
+ man grasp passed from spoke to spoke,
7 Hard gripped breath burs, from him in
eYuan, and with i, hoarse, involuntary
cry ior help, appealing 90 whatever powers
T might be
Git holt, here, somebody
I I, struck full in the face of Champney
T Fer a young man, going to his execution
As gentleman should, in the most correct
I Of coat and gloves, mud-weighed wheel
Is an appalling object Champney hesi-
,ated The protrudins eyes Of the boss
me, his. The man face was purple. The
veins stood ribbed out sharp on his fo2e-
I bead
..Ye dom dcodr he groaDed in the
painting despair Of hard fought defeat,
and at the words Champney tackled upon
( the opposite wheel
For moment the issue swung loose in
I the winds &c chance. The boSs teeth
/ -.atsi The '.dood hat rolled lament.
I ahly in the mire. Then, both together,
F they put al that Was in them upon the ci,-
I fors. and the wheels ro~e, inch by painful
. inch, until they jolted over the coping and
{ settled safe. while the horses stood painting
I and trembling above their fallen comTade
RuefuIly the young mau recovered his
I bat. and was To hare gone on, but the big
I Irishman ran around to him.
Hould hard a Bit he cred. Il IN
4 sorrv called yc dood Begobs. | be
/ lave We re ! 'ioogshoreman'
THAT, fair apology said Champ
ney, smiling
1 Wait. thin; wait thin He dashed
I into the excavation whence be Immediately
reappearel, bearing the guerdon Of graft
tuie. a pail containing slill generous drink
T of beer.
/ For one brief second Champney held
I back But he was committed 10 the en-
T ,erprise; the spirit Of the thing was on him,
( Here lulk he said briefly, lifted
and drank
( The circumference OF the pail shut trom
( his sisht 4 passing carriage, which had
bcen held up by the ayerted accident.
I From its window peered face flushed with
+ laughter. a very lovely face, which with
drew hastily As ToEl handed the pail over
10 his new acquaintance
Mas William Twohey get even with
/ sc some fine day, ue boy said the boss
/ eourteously An he generally docs;
| friends or inimies.
Then as his helper walked away he OBJ
I served guminantly
There a dom good Mick spoiled. ~
But instantly his sense Of justice asserted
itself
( AN not half-spoiled, at that, - he ad
ded.
Tom had just turned the corner when
Mr. William Twohey leaned over and
+ plucked from the mud a watch. lie looked
iixediy az the face Of it, which afforded
him no information beyond the indubitable
fact that it was 1 .45. Then he looked in
the bac.. Of it. and bhnked admiringly at
the face that looked back at him.
-Kape your eye on the JOB, he ad-
monished his men and, seizing upon his
coat, made up the street aud around the
corner In the next ten minutes, sundry
es,imable patrons of the Fifth Avenue
promenade were scandalized at being held
up by a forid son of labor who inquired
earnestly:
"Did yez pass husky young dood wit
a PLUG hat an his front covered wit mud?
Yez did not? Well, which way was he
goin' -
CHAPTER III.
Miss Kerr is waiting for you in the
library, sir. You re to 90 right up sir.
Can brush you, sir? said the old butler,
looking amazedly at the usually immaculate
Champney.
"Give me the brush, Brand. Tom
unscientifc methods served the double pur-
pose of distributing the dirt and rubbing 1t
in. What was the difference, anyway, he
thought gloomily, as he went upstairs.
Ordinarily Champney was not oppressed
; with self consciousness, but he entered the
library with the conviction that his gait
and expression were those of melodrama
villain. That Helen should be so eoolly
at ease. under the circumstances Of the
meeting, struck him as wanton favoritism
of Fate toward the Eternal Feminine He
came forward (striding, he felt sure) and