The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-14
- W.. d.
ii . Thc Mcssep
-
lllll Ion Copyright 1901 by '. ID. Maxwell. All


stamps by dispntching them broadcast
But such extravaganza. as showing
his anxiety, to serve her father, was ia
his credit. Thinking OF him now, she
considered ali things that might Id
said In his favor or against him. lie
was helping her fattier--or endenvoring
to help her father. THAT was q thing
enormously creditable. But what else?
Really. after careful consideration,
what else might one say7
Alas! no hero worthy OF snthrone.
tnent In Mr.. Meess Library nbvels. II
you robbed him Of oil dream-like attri.
ibutes. stripped him OF splendor and
mystery. tumbled him out OF the clouds
Into common work ng life there seemed
to be left but very ordinary aud far
from estlnable parsonage. No diff.
Guilty In finding things to his discredii
and disgrace-dreadful things; dark
abysses into which one scarcely
dared to peer. What. for In.
stance could be more utterly de.
grading than this companionsiiip with
a reid sh- haired, tght-laced dress.
maker Haunting In unsold flnery from
her shop? WHO now could be graft.
fled by his company? Mr.. Downing
praised him for his friendly ways nh.
freedom from class-prejudices. That
meant that 1t WINS good OF him to drop
to2the Crunden level and seem happy
"H" " ehse wien He Jolncu them az q
supper guest. But when. still DIR ,p.
ping. he shot past the Crunden plane
ana you found him side by side with
q Mss Barter in tho cheap seats OF
the theatre among all the rifY-raff of
tho town-found him, too. happy and
at ease there also, what must you
think?
Could anything be more disgrarefui.
Yes. Mrs. Price, opening the abyssss,
plainly hifted at a lower taste than
the taste fer vulgar company--the love
OF fiery drink. But that was thing
Lizzie refused to believe. He could
not have fallen SO far not only from
his place In her silly dreams, but from
his place in her childish memories. In
those distant days he had urged poor
brother Dick to be sober and wise, hal
always seemed to be, In relation to
Dick, noble and refining influence.
Nothing should make her believe that
In this matter the years had taken all
virtue from him. It would be too lior.
rlble debasement When Dick first
drank 80 much more than was good
Tor him, DICK was an inexperienced
boy. He began to sin from needless
ness. Every excuse could be made for
unhappy Dick: mono could be made
for one in the prime OF manhood who
should lapse into such disgusting vice.
Prices fear was well-founded
No. the man who had fought those
half-drunken and wholly brutal rioters
could not himself be drunkard Her
Imagination kindled as she thought OF
the famous fight against her fathers
enemies. Here at least were heroic
Observation-Disclosures on which one
could iwell safely. That fight
as described by Mr.. Bowling and
,ait I,n,. ~
claim to be an eye witness--was
OF Homeric grandeur. Prowess US OF
the old worId-myths had been dts
played: one man defeating an army 81
pitched battle-you cannot ask OF your
hero more than that
In fact. the thing had been less like
a general engagement than the an
cient duel of champions. Mr.. Fro,l
Hoyle, carman from the brewery. a
lout who led the procession
was the champion self chosen for tile
advancing horde. At the head OF nis
troops he stepped forth. and. breatlte,,
beer and defiance Then Jack knocked
him down; and when he got up, Jack
Knocked him down again. 4 Sfrienl
and lieutenant of Fred rushing In
perhaps merely to pick up the fallen
a clip on the ear tina,
sent him staggering. Another friend
clips. Still another friend armed wild,
a loose plank swung 1t for space and
protection. wounding and disabling
Jacks left hand; and then with tle
useful plank escaped from the danger
zone. Then Jack himself shouted de-
lance. Come on, you dirty black
guards, II you want any more Come
on 1.-The lot of you,''-and his breath
Jailed. He was completely out of con-
iition, weighing at least two stone
more than his correct lighting weight
ne was puffed, wounded. helpless real.
IS, but triumphant. The rabble roul
had already begun; the myriad enemy
1uailed. broke rank, turned: the eftigs
Of old Crunden was trotting away. i
vas In truth u beaten or demoralirec
lrmy that streamed down the new
'oad. down Hill Road. and only rallied
1T the bridge to tell bridge lounge.i
he news. Where's the p'lice? Wh3
lon't the p'lice Gomez. There's murder
up the hill. Pore Fred's been set upoi
md near done for"
4