Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-08

- ., an they drive OF together
~ eoeordin TO orders-'ere I am"
ana so you are groom now?'
Yes" VIZ
Wen, II II don't beat everything as
ever i heard-I'm a stiff 'un. that's aiiv'
What do YOU mean?"
,,, mean my droppn' In on you. like
thls ere, Just as II you wasn't the one
man In all England as l was 'opeful TO
drop In on"
AND you find me very busy!" said I.
LORD love mel" said the Position.
Somblng his hair 30 hard that It wrinkled
hish brow
Il comes uR from Tonbridge this ere
very afternoon, an. 'avln' drunk a mint
over az The Bulr yonder, an aNed uues-
uohs as none o. they chawbacons could
give answer to. I ears the chink o.
your 'ammer an comm over ere. chance
IKE, l hnds-you; I'll be gormed II Il
amt Almost onnatralr'
And why?"
Cos you was the very identical chan
as ! come up from Tonbridge to find"
We're you sent TO find me?"
Easy a bit-you'rc a blacksmith, amt
your"
y told YOU so before"
Wots more, YOU looks a blacksmith
IN that there leather apron. an wi your
face all smutty. To he sure, you're pow
eriul like 'im-Number one as was--my
master as now is"
Did he send you to find me?"
some folks might take you for
gentleman, meetin' you of'and like, but
l knows different"
''As how?"
We'll I never 'eard of gentleman
turnin' 'isself into a blacksmith, afore,
for one thing"
"Stil one might" I ventured.
NO. answered the position. with
decisive shake of the head. 'Hts ag'in'
netur when a gentleman gets down in
the world, an as to do SUNNI at for a
Twin, e generally shoots 'isself-ahl an
I've knowed 'em do II tool An then I've
noticed as you don't swear, nor vet curse
not even a damn"
Seldom" said I; but what of that?"
I've seed deal O. the quality in my
time, one way or another-manys the
hne gentleman as I've druv or groomed
for, an never one on 'em as didn't
curse me-ah!'' said the position sigh
ing and shaking his head, "'ow they did
curse mel-'specially one-a young lord
uncommon fond o. me e were too in rs
way, to the day is 'oss fell an rolled on
i'm. jacob says e, short like, for e
were a-gOin' fast. Jacobv says e, damn
your Internally ugly mugv says 'e you
bet me as that cursed brute would do for
me- L did, my lord says 1, an l re-
member 9s the tears was a-runnin' down
all our faces as we carried i'm along on
the five-barred gate, that bein 'andiest.
We'll, devil take your soul, YOU was
right Jacob, an be damned to you'
saws e; 'you'll find a tenner i'm my coat
pocket ere, you've won IT, for / sha'n't
last the day out, Jacob. An e didn't
either, for e died afore we got i'm 'ome
an left me 'undred pound in is will.
All! gentlemen as is gents is all the
same. Lord love you! there never was
one on EN- but damned my legs, or my
liver, or the chaise, or the 'osses, or the
road, or the inns, or all on 'em together.
If you was to strip me as naked as the
palm o. your and, an to strip a lord,
or earl, or a gentleman as naked as
the palm o your and, an was to place
us side by side-whered be the differ
ence? We're both men, both flesh and
blood, amt we??-then wher'd be the
difference? 'Oo's to tell which is the
lord an which is the postilion?"
"WhO indeed?" said l, setting down
my hammer Jack is often as good as
his master-and a great deal better"
why, nobody!" nodded the position,
mot soulful we opened our mouths;
an then twould be easy enough, for
my lord. or earl, or gentleman, bein'
naked, an not likin' 1t (which would
only be nat'raD, would fall a-swearin'
'eavens ard, damning everybody an
oursin everything an never stop to
think. while mot bein' born to it.
should stand there a-shiverin an tryin'
a curse or two myself, maybe-but Lord
mine wouldn't amount to nothin' at ALL
me not bein' naturally gifted, nor yet
born to it-an' this brings me round TO
'er!"
Herr"
"Ah-er? Number Two-'er as quar-
relied wi Number One all the way from
London-er as run away from Number
One-wot about-'er?" Here he fell to
combing his hair again with his whip
handle, while his quick, bright eyes
lodged from my face to the glowing
forge and back again, and his clean
shaven lips pursed themselves in a
soundless whistle.
And, as / watched him, it seemed TO
me that this was the question that had
been in his mind all along.
Seeing she did manage to run away
from him-Number One-she is probably
very we'll" l answered.
"Ah-to be sure very WE'LL YOU say?
-ah, to be sure!" said the Position, ap-
parently lost In contemplation of the bel
lows; "and-where might she be, now7'
THAT | am unable to tell you," said /,
and began to blow up the fire while the
Position watched me, sucking the handle
of his whip rehectiely
"You work uncommon 'ard-drownd me
If you dontp'
pretty hard!" nodded.
"An' gets well paid for 1t, p'raps?'
mot so well as l could wish" said !.
mot so we'll as e could wish" nodded
the Position. apparently addressing the
sledge hammer, for his gaze was fixed
upon il. "Of course not-the arder man
works the wuss e gets paid-'ow much
did you say you got a week?"
II named no sum-" / replied.
"Wel-'ow much might you be gettin'
a week."
"Ten shillings."
"Gets ten shillin' a week." he nodded to
the sledge-hammer, that amt much for
q chap like 'inl-kok me If il isl"
yet / make II do very well
The Position became again absorbed in |
of the bellows; indeed he |
studied them so intently, viewing them |
with his head now on one side, now |
on the other, that / fell TO watching |
him, under my brows, and so, presently |
caught him furtively watching me. Here
upon he drew his whip from his mouth |
and spoke
"supposing" said he, and stopped.
"Well9" ] Inquired, and, leaning upon |
my hammer / looked him square in the |
eye
"supposing-wo are you a-staring at
my feiler?
you have said 'suppOslng' twice
aasalI ella ha avfnu he ..,. ,,,o. L