The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-24
Sunny Character

far away. He ran to CnuzzleWlI With it. They feared to open 1t. at first. but Chuzzlewit faltered that 1t seemed heavy.
 A roll of bank notes fell out when he ventured to cut it open. Neither could remember afterward what he said or did. They came to their senses only when they reached the landing, to which they had raced with one accord. They could hardly catch enough breath to ask the captain of the boat when it would pass again on it's journey.
 Though the answer was that it would not return before 10 or 12 days, they packed their goods that very night. When this stage of excitement was passed, each of them believed (they found this out In talking of it after ward) that he would surely die before the boat returned.
 They lived, however The boat returned after the lapse of three crawling weeks. At sunrise on an autumn day they stood upon her deck, waving their hands to thin figures on the bank.
 "Courager' cried Martin to them. I've shall meet again."
 'fln the next world!' muttered Mark, below his breath. To see 'em standing there, so quier, is a most the worst of all!'
 They looked at one another as the ves- sel moved away, and then looked back ward at the spot from which it hurried fast The log house with the open door, and dropping trees around 1t; the stag nant morning mist, and red sun, dimly seen beyond; the vapor rising from land and river; how often they returned to 1t in dreams! How often 1t was happiness to wake and find them shadows that had vanishedl
 Even Mark Tapley was satisfied at last, though he was not convinced, by any means, that he could maintain his jollity under really adverse circumstances. He was willing, however, to resign himself, having had quite enough of adventure. When the shores of England rose be- fore them, his greatest delight was that behind those shores there was a certain dear sweet creature, who as he ven- tured to suggest to his friend, looked on him with a eye of-of-- with what you may call a favorable sort of a eye in fact'
 ''Bein' swindled'' continued he, with a beaming face, ''bein' swindled all around, aboard ship in America by my master, abandons myself now to despair, and I says: Let me do that as has the least credit of all in it. Let me marry a dear, sweet cretur as is very fond O me, me bein' at the same time very fond O her. Let me lead happy life i"
 So one stormy night, when Mrs. Lupin sat by herself in the Blue Dragon, look
  ably on account of the weather), tray eler came in and said grufly: "A pint O. the best old beer here. He had some reason for being gruff. If he had walked through waterfall Of an uncommon kind that walked with him and fell on him for whole day, he could not have been wetter than he was, though he was wrapped up to the eyes In coats and cloaks and had an oilskin hat pulled dows, almost to his nose. Without re- moving his wrappings, he growled:
 What do you call this house? Not the Dragon, do your"
 Mrs. Lupn answered complacentiy tnat it was that very beast.
 "Then you've got a sort of relation O mine here" said the concealed traveller. "A young man by the name O Tapley.'
 Mrs Lupin found that the candle need- ed trimming. She had to turn her back before she could reply:
 ''Nobody should be made more wel- come at the Dragon, master, than any one who brought me news of Mark But it's many and many a long day and month since he left here" Her voice trembled. Her hand must have done so, too, for she seemed unable to trim the candle at all satisfactorily.
 .sWhere did he go, ma am?" asked the traveller, in softer voice.
 'sHe went to America. How could he ever go to American" she sohbed, sud- denly and quite openly, and moved to- ward a chair.
 The traveller stepped forward with one great stride and caught her in his arms, and she cried on, gladly; for she knew him then!
 sYes I willp' cried Mark. Another one more-twenty more You didn't know me in that hat and coat! I thought you would have known me anywheres! Ten more."
 "so should have known you, if could have seen your' cried Mrs. Lupin, breathlessly "But I couldn't, and you spoke so gruff! I didn't think you could speak gruff to me- Mark, at first coming back"
 ''Fjfteen more." cried Mark Tapley, promptly How handsome and how young you look! Six more! The last half dozen wasn't fair one and must be done over again, Lord bless you, what treat it is to see you! One more! We'll I never was so jolly! Just few more, on account O there not being any credit in it'
 When MT. Tapley stopped these cal- culations in simple addition, he did It not because he was at all tired of the exercise, but because he was out or breath.
 He got his breath again so soon that Mrs. Lupin was forced to remark:
 "You've had plenty. I'm sure. Go along with your foreign manners.
 That ain't foreign, God bless you! cried Mark. Native as oysters, that Is. One more, because it's native! As a mark of respect for the land we live in! This don't count as between you and me- you understand" !" explained Mark. II aint kissing you now, you'll observe. I'm a-kissin' my country t5aG
 It would have been very unreasonable to complain that the exhibition Of pa- +..;, l,af tyQxr txraC a q a. warm or indifferent.
 The kitchen fire burned clear and red. The table was spread. The kettle began to boil enthusiastically. Slippers appear ed, escorted by hospitable bootjack. Sheets of ham began to cook on the grid- iron, as if, in an excess of jollity. they were broiling themselves for very rap- ture Half dozen eggs leaped into 2 frying pan and began to poach. A plethor- ic bottle of cherry brandy winked in the fire light at foaming jug of ale. The whole room was so redpent of good things that 1t seemed as if one had only to open his mouth and something ex- duisitely good would be glad to tumble into it. Best of all the good things was Mrs. Lupin, who had dslodged the Jeal- ous cook and was preparing the rood with her own genial hands.
 Human Natur'." said Mark Tapley, looking around him with grin, lis in a conspiracy again me. I can't get on. shall have to leave it in my will, to be wrote upon my tonib: He was a man as might have come out strong if he could