The Detroit times., 1913-01-16

Having at last pointed Bilrs head
IN the right direction Mr.. Shrimplin
drove that trusty beast up To the lamp
lost on the corner or High-st-, wheh
suddenly and for no apparent reason
Bill settled back In the shafts and ex'
hiblted unmistakable. though humiliat'
ing symptoms OF fright.
60 on. you cried Mr. Shrimplln'
Shaping bravely with both the lines,
but his voice was far from steady, Tor
suppose Bill should abandon the recu-
tude of a lifetime and begin TO KICK
( 60 on, you!" repeated NJ. shrimp
i'm and slapped tire lines again, ettt
less vigorously, for by this time BIZ
Was unquestionably backing away
from the curb.
BE donel Be donel" expostuleted
MIR. Shrimplin, but he gave over slap
ping the lines, for why irritate Bill in
his present uncertain mood? Want
l should get out and lead your asked
Mr.. Shrimplin, putting aside win one
hand the blankets In which he was
wrapped You're a game old codger,
amt you? ] guess you amt aware
you've growed up"
While he was still speaking he slip
ped 10 the ground and worked lis way
hand over hand up the lines 10 Bill $
bit Bill was now comfortably located
on his launches, but evidently sim
dissatisfied, for he continued TO back
vigorously, drawing the protesting lit
tie lamplighter after him. When he
had put perhaps twenty feet between
himself and the lamp post Bill achlev-
ed his usual upright attitude and his
countenance assumed its habitual con.
templative expression, the haunted
Hook faded from his sagaeieHs eye AID
his flaming nostrils resumes their nor
NAL benevolent expression. Taking
note OF these swift changes, IL occur.
red to Mr. Shrimplin that rather than
risk a repetition OF his recent eIper-
fence he would so far sacrifice his
official dignity as 10 go on foot 10 the
lamp-post. Bill would probably stand
where he was, indefinitely, standing
being one OF his most valued accom-
plishments. The lamplighter took up
his torch which he had put aside IN
the struggle with Bill and walked 10
the curb.
And here Mr.. Shrimplin noticed that
which had not before caught his at
tention. McBride's store was appar-
emily open. for the bracketed oil lamps
that hung at regular intervals the full
length OF the long narrow room, were
all alight.
Mr.. Shrimplin. whose moods were
likely to be critical and censorious,
realized that there was something per-
sonally offensive in the fact that Arch
ibald Mcbride had chosen TO disregard
a holiday which his fellow-merchants
had SO very generally observed.
"And him. may say, just rotten
RICH" he thought.
Mr.. Shrimplin further discovered
that though the lamps were lii they
were burning low, and he concluded
that they had been lighted in the early
dusk OF the winter afternoon and that
Mcbride, for reasons OF economy, had
deferred turning them up until It
should be quite dark.
Well, I'm a poor man, but | couldn't
think OF them things like he does!" re-
dected Mr.. Shrimplin and then even
before he had ceased to pride himself
On his superior liberality, he made still
another discovery, and this, that the
store door stood wide open TO the
night.
Well" thought Mr. Shrimplin.
maybe he's saving oil, but he's vast
Ing fuel"
Approaching the door he peered in.
The store was empty, Archibald Nc
Bride was nowhere visible. Evidently
the door had been open some little
time, for he could see where the
snow, driven by the strong wind, had
had formed a miniature snow-drift
Just beyond the threshold.
Either he's stepped out and doors
blowed Open" muttered Mr.. shrimp
lin, 'or he's in his back Office and
some customer went out without
latching it."
He paused irresolutely. then he put
his hand on the knob Of the door TO
close 1t, and paused again. With his