The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-02-26

lie f1rSt! And now concluded Ard
more, while should be glad to con-
tinue this conversation, my duties call
ME elsewhere"
AS he rose. the man stood quickly
at his side, menacingly.
Give me tibet jug or I'll shoot W.
right hyeh in the street"
NO, you wouldn't do that, Old
Corduroy. 7 can see that you are kind
and good and you wouldn't shoot
down an unarmed man. Besides it
would muss up the street"
"Y'u took tibet jug from my brother
by lynn to i'm. He's telegraphed me
to git it, and I'm a-goin' to do it,"
"Your brother sent you? 1t was
nice of him to ask you to call on ME.
Why, I've known your brother init
nately for years."
"Knowed my brother:" and for the
first time the man really seemed to
doubt himself. Which did y'u know
Billo'
I'VE roomed together at Harvard,
that's how I know him. if you force
me to it! We're both Hasty Pudding
men. Now if you try to bulldoze me
further, I'll slap your wrists. So
there
Ardmore entered the hotel deliber.
ately, climbed to his room and locked
the door. Then he seized the little brown
jug, drew the stopper and poured out
tumblerful of clear white fluid. He
took a swallow and shuddered as the
fiery liquid seemed instantly to cause
every part of his being to tingle. He
wiped the tears from his eyes and
sat down. The corn-cob stopper had
fallen to the floor, and he picked it
up and examined it carefully. 1t had
been fitted tightly into the mouth Of
the Jug by the addition of a bit Of
ralico, and he fingered it for a mo.
ment with grin on his face
He was about to replace it when,
to his establishment, it broke in his
fingers, and out fell carefully folded
slip of paper. He carried it to the
window and opened it, finding that it
was an ordinary telegraph blank on
which was written in clear round
characters these words:
The Appeweight crowd never done you
harm. II you have any of them arrested
you will be shot down on your own door
step.
When Mr. Thomas Ardmore had read
this message half dozen times with
increasing satisfaction he folded it
carefully and put it away In his peck
et-book. !,
Taking half sheet of note paper
he wrote as follows:
Appleweight and his gang are towards.
Within ten days those that have not been
hanged will be in Jail at Kildare.
He studied the phraseology critical
~ and then placed the paper in the
cob stopper, whose halves he tied to-
gether with bit of twine AS the
jug stood on the table it was, to all
appearances. exactly as it had been
when delivered to Ardmore on the
rear of the train at Kildare, and he
was thoroughly we'll pleased with him
self. He changed the blue scarf with
which he had begun the day for one
of purple with gold bars, and walked
up the street toward the statehouse.
This venerable edif1ce, meekly re-
posing amid noble trees, struck agree
ably upon Ardmore,s fancy. Here was
government enthroned in quiet dig
nifty, as becomes venerable COM
monwealth. wearing it's years like a
veteran who has known war and tu-
multi, but finds at last tranquility and
peace. He experienced feeling of
awe, without quite knowing it, as he
strolled up the walk, climbed the steps
to the portico and turned to look back
from the shadow of the pillars He
had never but once before visited an
American public building-the New
York city hall-and he felt that now.
indeed, he had turned corner and
entered upon new and strange world
He assembled to the toy-like legislative
chambers, where flags of nation and
state hung side by side, and where
the very seats and desks of the law
makers spoke of other times and man.
ners.
Mr.. Ardmore, feeling that he should
now be about his business, sought the
governors Office, where a secretary,
who seemed harassed by the cares of
his position, confirmed Ardmore's
knowledge of the governors absence.
Il didn't wish to see the governor
on business" explained Ardmore
pleasantly, leaning upon his stick with
an air of leisure. "He and my father
were old friends, and always prom
Used my father that would never
pass through Raleigh without calling
on Gov. Dangerfeld"
"That is too bad" remarked the
young man sympathetically, though
with preoccupation that was elo-
quent of large affairs
Gould you tell me whether any
members of the governors family are
at holne?"
"Oh, yes; Mrs. Dangerfield and Miss
Jerry are at the mansion"
miss Jerry?"
Miss Geraldine. We all call her
Miss Jerry in North Carolina"
ooh. yes: to be sure. Let me see;
it's over this way to the mansion, isn't
it?' inquired Ardnore