The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-02-26
CHAPTER w.
Duty and the jug.
LJ7RN7zQTJ6 BY RAY NI4kzERz
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Mr.. Thomas Ardmore, one trunk,
two bags and little brown jug reach
ed the Guilford house, Raleigh, at
eight o'clock In the morning. Ardmore
had never felt better in his life, he as
sured himself, as he chose a room
with care and intimated to the land
lord his intention of remaining week
But for i'll luck of having his baggage
marked he should have registered
himself falsely on the books of the
inn; but feeling that this was not
quite respectable he assured the land
lord, in response to the usual ques-
ton, that he was not Ardmore of New
York and Ardsley, but an entirely diff
ferent person.
The Guilford house coffee was not
Just what he was used to, but he was
in an amiable hunor and enjoyed
hugely the conversation of the com.
mercial travellers with whom he took
his breakfast. He did not often es-
cape from himself or the burden o:
his family reputation, and these
strangers were profoundly entertain
ing. 1t had never occurred to Ard
more that man could be so amiable
so early in the day and his own spirits
rallied as he passed the sugar. abused
the not bread and nodded his approval
Of bitter filings at the inns of other
southern towns of whose existence he
only vaguely knew.
Il wonder if the governors back
yet?" asked one man.
The morning paper says not, but
he's expected to-day replied the man
with the newspaper.
about the first thing he'll have to
do will be to face the question of ar
resting Appleweight. l was in Co.
lumhia the other day and everybody
was talking Of the case. They say
and the speaker waited for the fullest
attention of his hearers-"they say
Osborne amt none too anxious to
have Appleweight arrested on his side
of the line"
why not?" demanded Ardmore.
We'll, you hear all kinds of things.
1t was only whispered down there, but
they say Osborne was a little too
Trick with the Appleweight crowd be-
fore he was elected governor. He
was their attorney, and they were a
bad lot for any man to be attorney
for. But they haven't caught Apple
weight yet"
where's he hiding; don't the au.
thorities know" .,,... .4.. .
ooh. he's UP there in the hills on
the state line. His home is as much
on one side as the other. He spends
good deal of time in Kildare"
"Kildare?" asked Ardmore, startled
at the word.
Eyes, it's the county seat, what
there is of it. hope you never make
that town." and the inquirer bent a
commissioning glance upon Ardmore.
well, they use jugs there, I know
that" declared Ardmore; whereat
the table roared. The unanimity Of
their applause warmed his heart,
though he did net know why they
laughed. 49,
"You handle crockery?" asked a
man from the end of the table. well,
T. SuCSo AIIlWClA SOuhly COuSuuiCS
few gross of jugs all right But you'd
better be careful not to whisper jugs
too loud here. There's usually a
couple Of revenue men around town"
They all went together to the Office,
where they picked up their sample
cases and sailed forth for descent
upon the Raleigh merchants; and Ard
more, thus reminded that he was in
the crockery business, and that he
had sample in his room. sat down
under tree on the sidewalk at the
inn door to consider what he should
do with his little brown jug.
AS Mr.. Ardmore pondered duty and
the jug a tall man in shabby corduroy
halted near by and inspected him
carefully.
Good morning." said Ardmore
pleasantly
The man nodded, but did not speak.
He was examining Ardmore with a
pair of small, shrewd, gray eyes. In
his hands he held crumpled bit of
brown paper that looked like a tele-
gram.
II got telegram hyeh say y'u got a
jug tibet y'u amt no right t. last night
at Kildare. want tibet jug, young
fella.''
"Now that's very unfortunate. Or
dinarily should be delighted. but
really couldn't give away my Kildare
Jug. Now if it was one my other
jugs-even my Omaha jug, or my dear
old Louisville jug shouldn't hesi-
tate a minute. but that old Kildare
Jug! My dear man, you don't know
what you ask"
''Y'll give me tibet jug or it'll be the
worse for y'u. Y'u amt in tibet game,
young fella."
mot in it! You don't know whom
you are addressing. I'm not only in
the game, but I'm in to the finish" de-
clared Ardmore, sitting upright in his
chair. You've got the wrong idea,
my friend. if you think you can intim-
idate me. That jug was given me by
a friend, very old and dear friend"
"a friend of yourn!"
~