The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-04-12

NNH- - WA u SNH
comfort"
For it was all over nee more, and
every article in the room was as sober
as a judge.
He felt so thirsty that he determined
to have another cup of tea, cold as it
was: but when he put out his hand he
could not find the tea things.
He managed to crane his head over
the bedside. and there upon the floor
lay the teapot. cup and saucer, broken
IN a dozen pieces.
Now. how did that happen:' he
wondered; mot a moment ago they
were as sound as I am, and / didn't
hear anything fall. It's that con-
founded waltzing. l suppose. Enough
to upset everything in the place. .NeV-
er mind. I'll have some water
But to say he would have some wa
ter was one thing, and to have some
water was another. The water in the
jug was a mass of ice
To crawl out of bed and get*a sharp
pointed knife and to crawl back again
shivering and dig into the ice with the
knife till he obtained sufficient to as
suage his thirst. occupied him much
longer than he supposed, for he had
lost count of time, and intervals which
he reckoned as so many minutes were
in reality so many hours.
I'm as weak as a Kitten he
thought; but come what will, I'll
have some sleep, or I'll know the 'rea-
son why"
So he winked at his fathers night
cap. and saying, IF you're going to
have another waltz, have the goodness
to let me know beforehand" turned on
his side and fell into a sleep less dis
turbed than he had previously enjoyed.
His dreams were not so extravagant,
but were sufficiently fantastic.
His predominant fancy was that he
was walking through scores and
scores of alleys and courts and narrow
streets for the purpose of asking the
little boys and girls what it all meant.
Every one he asked returned the
same answer. and to every ono who
answered him he gave a brand new
farthing. The answer was:
"Old Dexter's had a fever" Not
you've had a fever" but 'Old Dex-
ter's had a fever" as if he himself
was somebody else.
But look here he said to a young
imp with weak eyes and red hair;
I'm old Dexter"
Cannon retorted the young imp,
with s~cornful snap Of his fingers.
Did YOU ever see old Dexter going
about as you're T-going OIL. with a sack
of brand new fardens IN his back, Civ
ing 'em away as if they was stones?
You old Dexter. Tell that to the ma
rines.'
By which speech the dreamer knew
that he carried on his back a sack
filled with the new farthiNGs he was
giving away so literally.
He did not find it at all an uGpleas-
! ant sort of hump. and notwithstand-
ing that there were thousands of farth-
ings in it, it was as light as q bag of
feathers.
He went about to other boys and
girls. and tried to bride them with ad-
hitting that he was old Dexter, and
no other fellow; but bride them as he
might. he could not get them to admit
that he was himself.
Said one. "Arsk old Sally if you don't
believe US, ard give her four farth-
ings."
Old Sally was a blind woman who
! stood begging on the curOStone every
| Saturday night in Clare Market. within
twenty yards of Thomas Dexter's shop.
The dreamer gave her four ~farthings,
saying:
I'm Thomas Dexter"
mo, no., kind sir said Sally.
You're hiding your charity under an
other name than your own. Thomas
Dexter never gives anything to the
poor"
Here YOU. sir" cried the dreamer to
a figure in a gray cloak that happened,
oddly. to come his way. Tell me why
old Sally and the little chaps wont
RECOGNIZES ne. I should like to know,
really, and Ill pay yer for the informa-
ton"
Pay me. then" said the figure. hold
ing ont his two hands, which the
dreamer filled with farthinss, land
look and learn"
He flung the farthinss into the air,
and they changed instantly into little
birds. their feathers the colors Of the
rainbow.
The odd part of the affair was that
every bird wore a white apron, like q
waiter. and every one of them carried
something nice to eat or drink.
Loaves OF bread, basins of soup.
/ Sleeps trotters. mutton chops. plum
duff. pork sausages, mince pies, and
goodness only knows what, which they
| Immediately commenced to distribute
among the thousands and thousands Of
Door children who started up hike mag
ic on all sides.
The faces of many of these poor chill
dren were familiar to the dreamer. for
he had seen them in his walks about
the streets.
The most familiar figure in the
throng was Little Make-Believe, VINO
seemed to be ubiquitous. she was SO
continually repeating herself.
How eagerly they took the food
from the birds, and how eagerly they
o+o ,,d dronE the rood thinSSt