The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-03-25

eyes that she knew. a restlessness about his hands and mouth which she hadn | seen since the day her "old man, the skipper of one of the lug boats employed in the Chelsea Improvements, had award ed her hand to Tom on certain conditions.
 Tom" said she quietly, @seein ifs such fine day, supposin' we put out the geranyums on the roof an water them an take the baby over t that little park on Hudson street?n
 Darn the geranyumsr said Tom "Darn-wel. I got q phenomenur r set tie afore I go strollin in any blamed park"
 You amt going t drink. Tom are ye?' asked Maggie wistfuly. Member how well things ha bin gon snce-since we got married an the Soow-Lass come to us"
 "Its all right. Mag" said he a littls softer. but 1-I got a phenomenur to settle.
 But he didn't look at her, and Maggie presently heaved sigh as Tom walked quickly up the dock in the direction of the belt line car. She turned resignedy to her duty. however, put the geraniums and the baby-the Scow-Lass-on the roof of the little house and got watering can.
 Tom Slate. in the meantime, got on the belt line car and went down West street
  he hadn't been seen for eighteen months, Swanky, Slumgullion Jake and the Bos- un nearly dropped their "speakeasy' glasses as he entered.
 Sour said Tom.
 Tim Scully. who runs the sailors resort with heart that is his own worst enemy on the score slate, put his hands on the bar flat and looked straight into Toms eyes
 oVa, don.f uao+ on,, u,h{sl,a,, eo,r said he
 Who's buyin?" said Tom flercely
 I'm sellin'" retorted Sculy "You ain't gon' to spoil 1t all, Tom, by even smellln 1t. It's Sunday and fine day an you got jool of a wife an you promised her an you promised the oie man that you wouldn't. An then there's the scow-Lass. Tom. We all come to the christenin an you didn't touch a drop
 "Ferget it" growled Tom Slate
 T ain't fergettin' it." said Tom seully firmly, "an' If there's any man here as takes a drink wi you I'll hand it to him, whether it's Swanky. wi his one arm, or the Bos'un wi his eock-eye.'
 But 'taint right" said Tom weakly. Tell ye. boys. 'tain't narcheral to my constitootfon to keep off f'r eighteen months. l noticed it several times, queer notions comin' on me and no warnin. Thought one night we was slidin down the bay. on the hawser, that l seen light slip past under the water like ,s Rooshan torpedo comin' into New Yawll las night"
 Cut 1t out" commanded Swanky fiaping his empty sleeve.
 That's all right, Tom It was just a fish," said Tim Seully. "If you was one O them New Year buns I'd let yon buy all you wanted, but you ain't. Mem Der how you an Maggie coorted, you on the front O the seow an her on the stern O the tug an the hawser wiggling atween an she slidin down the pail O broth t you an you'd never spoke a word to her till you said Let's warp, Mag gie?"
 An member the Scow-Lass that's just learnin' to toddle, Tom?" put in Sumguilllon Jake.
 But las night"
 Well. what about las nIght?' de- manded Tim impatiently, slamming bottle and glass on the bar.
 "It was this' whispered Tom. They gathered around him. "Tell me honest. boys, if this was phenomenur O the brain or a fact of Tompkinsville-wed Just dropped our mud an was on the way up I was walking up an down on the scow smoSin,' when I put my foot on some thin soft. I looked down an there was a white rabbit. It hopped just oncet then sat still lokin at me. l was fair winoed, but I braced up an says to Maggie, who was inside the boathouse singin' Lord a little band an lowly' to the ScowLass in the crib Honest, do you see any thing on that deck?' Sssh. says she Guess Tim Scully's sponsible fir that Boys, l jest walked away l bin scared to look behind me ever sence."
 There was a roar of laughter from Swanky. Slumgullion Jake and the Bos- ceiling gravely. Then he said:
 ''Tom, you Goran ask Maggie again. an if she says there want no rabbit there you come back an you'll have six drinks on the house."
 Tom Slate returned dubiously to the scow. Maggie and the Scow-Lass were oil the roof, swaying in the only rocker sur rounded by the geraniums. Now and then Maggie stoped and pressed the rubber bulb of a Jumping rabbit
 "ITr-r-r-r-e-e-en' gurgled the Seow- Lass.
 That Tim seully's a great. big. good hearted slob." remarked the scow mother.
 "Ye-es." stammered Tom. Five min utes later he was chuckling and hum ming. "Heigh- -ho. Rio as he turned the hose on the "geranyums."