The Washington times., 1906-07-15

Don't talk 70 me
about gratitoode; I've
seen too much OF it,
If people wot I've helped in my time
'ad only done arf their dooty-arf, mind
you'll should be riding in my car
r!age"
Forgetful OF the limitations OF scap-
boxes Re ATTEMPTED 20 illustrate his
remark by loll-s, and nearly wen
over backwards Recovering himself
by an effort he Eazed sternly across the
river and smoked hercely. II was evil
dent that he was broodiag over an
il-used past.
AIRY Thompson was ore OF them, he
said. at last. For over six months l
wrote all is love letters for him, e
being an iggernerant sort Of man and
only being able 10 do the kisses at the
end, which ne always insisted on doing
imself: being jealous. Only three weeks
arter he was married e come uG 70
where i was standing one day and set
about me without saying word. l
was a single man at the time and l
didn't understand a.. My Idea was that
he 'ad gone mad, and, being pretty art
full and always 'aving a horror of mad
people. i let i'm chase me into d police
station Leastways, / would ha' let
i'm, but he didn't come, and ! an but
got fourteen days for being drunk and
disoTderly
Then there was Bill Clark. lie al
been keeping comp'ny with a gal and
got tired Of a. and % oblige i'm 1 went
and told 'er he was "a married n.au
with five children. Bin was as 3leasyi
as Punch at fust, but as soon IS at.e
took up with another chap e came
round 10 see me and said as Ia ruined
his life. We ad words about it
natursuy-and I did ruin il then 20 the
extent OF a couple o. ribs. ] went 20
see i'm in the hoTsepittle-a place I've
always been fond of-and the lang
widge he used 20 me was so bad that
they sent for the Sister 10 ear il.
That's ony two out of dozens / could
name. Arr the unpleasanmess in my
life ave come out of doing ktndnesses
20 people. and all the Eratitoode I've
'ad for Il could put in plut-pot with
a pint o. Deer already In 1t.
The only case o. real grautoOde
ever heard of 'appened To n shipmate o.
mine-a yoIng chap named Bob Evans.
Comm home from Auckland I'm "a bark
called the Dragon Fly d. fel over
board. and another chap named George
Crofts, one o. the best swimmers ever
knew. went overheard arter i'm and
saved his life
We was hardly mOviu al the time.
and the sea was Ike "a duck pond, but
90 ear Bob Ey. us talk you'd ha
thought that George Crofts was the
br8vest-'a arted chap that ever lived. lie
admit liked him afore same as the rest
of us, George being "a sly, mean sort
o. chap but arrer George 'ad saved his
life e. couldn't praise i'm enough lie
said JlaJ So long as he 'ad "a crust
George should share IL. and woteyer
George asked i'm he should have.
The unf1runIr part of IL was that
George took i'm al his word, ana al
the rest OF the Vy'ge he acted az
though Bob belonged 10 i'm. and by
the time we got into The London river
Bob couldn't call his soul Us own. lie
used to take room when he was
ashore and live very steady. as e. was
saving up 90 get married. and as soon
as hr found that out George invited
'ims,It 20 stay with him.
"It won't cost YOU bit more" he
Se=. mot 10 you work It properly"
Bob didn't work Dc properly, but
George having saved his life. and never
letting i'm forget 10, he admit like 10
tell him SO. He thought he'd Jet inn
see gradual that he'd got 20 De- careful
because of is gal. and the fust evening
,hey was ashore e took i'm along with
I'm there go tea.
Gerty NItchCu-that was the fuIs
uame-adn't heard of Bob's accident,
and when she did she gave little
scream. and puttipa 'eT arms round his
neck. began 20 lISs i'm right IN front
OF George and her mother.
You ought TO give him one TOO" ses
Mrs. Mitchell, pointing TO George.
George wiped is mouth on the back
Of his and. but Gerry pretended not
70 ear.
'"Faucy If you d 1ecn drownded."
she SEES. hugEing Bob agin.
"He was pretty near" ses George.
shakin' his cad. I'm "a pore swim
mer, but ] made up ms mind either to
save ina or else go down 20 watery
grave myself"
re wiped his mouth on the back OF
his and agin. but all the notice Gerty
took of IL was TO send her younger
brother Ted out for some beer. Then
they ai 'ad supper together, and Mrs.
Mitchell drank good luck TO George
IN a glass o. beer. and said she 'oped
that 'er own boy would grow up like
him. Let i'm grow mp good and
DTave man. that's an 1 ask" she ses.
81 don't care about is looks"
He might have both" ses George
shaTp-likc. why uot1"
Mrs. Mitchell said she suppt led he
might, and then she cuffed young
Teds ears Tor making noise while
e was eating, and then cuned i'm
again for saying that he'd finished Is
supper five minutes ago.
George and Bob walked 'ome to-
gether. and all the way there George
said wot pretty gal Gerty was and
-ow lucky IL was for Bob that he
'adn't been drownded. He went round
10 tea with i'm the next day 10 Mrs.
MitchelIs. and orter tea, when Bob
and Gerty said they was going out to
spend the evening together, got imself
asked too.
They took a tram-car and went to a
music-halI. and Bob paid for the three
Of 'em. George never seemed 10 think
of putting his and in his pocket, and
even 9TteT the music-haH. when they
an went into shop and 'ad stewed
asls- he let Bob pay.
As / said afore, Bob Evans was
chock-fuH Of gratefulness. and il
seemed only fair that he shouldn't