The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-06-28

.be most yoiumfnOsls OF American au-
tnors. but of the more than one hun
,tre1 yoiuInes of tales which he pub
riched. and which at the time Of their
publication enjoyed great popularity,
:.Ten Nights In a Bar ROOM Is the
onIy work of his which is known gen
orally today. Arthur's stories all had
morals to them and in his day and
generation he was a great force for
GOOD In this country and in England.
uf,e evils of nteImpeFance he con-
stantIy fought against He appealed
not to the cultured and the literary.
hut TO the people, to the
man i'm the street, and we Of today
IAN hardly comprehend how great was
ais influence. "Ten Nights in a Bar
room has been much criticised from
a literary point Of view, and yet 1T has
:, decided literary value. Its simplicity
alone gives it an excellence which
tales more a~mbitOusiy designed and
more aspiringiy written have many
tunes failed Of achieving. To
rave an story n TO tel, 'e =, sm a,11
NOT only can be. but must be, der
stood by any reader, limit
sfi his capacity, Is to possess literary
POWERS of no light order. The influ-
ence of TEN Nights in a BaFToom''
wa easornaous when it was first pub
fisfaed and its influence Is great to-
day. If not among the best sellers
it is still among the best read
Of every public library, while no col
lection Of American Is COM
ieLe without 1t.
1t was late in the afternoon when
the luIn bering stage set down at the
Sickle and Sheaf. a newly opened tav-
ern In Cedarville, a stranger whose
business occasionally called him to
that prosperous village. The beaInfng
face of Simon Slade, the landlord, was
a really pleasant sight to see and as
the traveller entered the neatly fur
nished sitting room adjoining the bar,
he felt that he had indeed found g
comfortable resting place after the
tedious journey Everything was as
neat as a new pin. Haven't seen any
thing so inviting as this for a long
time said the guest How long
nave you been open"' Only a few
months" replied Simon. W are not
yet in good going order-it takes time.
Have YOU dined YETI" No. every
thing looked so dirty at the stage
house where We stopped for dinner
that l did not venture upon the expe-
Giment Of eating"
Simon told him that he would soon
have him a steak cooked fit for an
alderman and he was as good AS his
word. The dining room was as neat
as the sitting room and the service
was excellent. A young girl Of about
sixteen passed through the room, and
Simon said with evident pride, my
daughter You are a happy man to
have such a daughter" said the guest.
81 ana a happy man." replied Slade.
y have always been a happy man and
always xpect to be. Simon Shade
takes the world as he finds it and
takes it easy" MY SON." he added,
ss d boy of twelve entered, speak to
the gentleman"
The boy lifted a pair of deep blue
eyes from which innocence beamed
as he offered his hand to the stranger
and said, how do you do, SIR The
boys face was almost girl-like beauty
IN which the harder lines OF his char
aHter were already beginning to be Wis
IDLE, Prank and Flora are their
names, said the landlord. The
names sound pleasant to our ears, but
YOU know parents are apt to be par
uaE and over-fond. Frank, my son,
there is some one in the bar, you can
wait on him as well IS i can. A
mandy boy that-very handy boy; he
mixes a teddy or a punch just rs we'll
as l caD-almo st as good in the bar
as 4 man
But are you not afraid to place a
boy so young as that in the way Of
temptation? ?"
The landlords brow clouded. "No,
SIR, he comes of honest parents. 81
mon Slade never WrOnged any man Of
d penny. The till is safe in the hands
OF his son" oh" replied the guest
was not referring to the till, but to
me bottles" The gathered brow
rIeared. is that all? No fea there,
frank has no taste for liquor. No
lear there, sir"
Through the open door the strang-
Hr could see into the bar. and his at
un"on was presently attracted by the
tLorance Of % young manor, rather,
10y, Tor he could not bave been more
nan l9-with a fine, intelligent face,
.ndt was already slightly marred by
SHsua4 Indulgence. He raised a glass
. MS lips and drank it at a single
~@oght. Just right" he said, you