LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 977, 13 August 1877, Page 3

LITERATURE.

A MAN OF MANY MOVES. A Tale ok Washington. by 1). w. CURTIS. (Co no) '« dad.') I finally lost all trace of my friend Elijah, having no time to keep track of his emtio movements. The heretofore common question, ' Where docs James live now ?' remained unanswered ; my almanac was useless ; at last, after patiently waiting a year, my friend Blotter undertook to solve the problem by hunting him up. Blotter is a cousin of Mrs James', and a bachelor in an up-town boarding house. He is a clerk in the red-tap" division of the Department of Difficulties, and was in the habit of dining with hi cousin on Sundays. » He had therefore strong reason;* for discovering the family, as lie had not had the pleasure of partaking of their hospitality for some months. Knowing this I was glad to learn of his determination, as I felt sure he would find them if they were alive and east of the Alleghanics. The lirst trail ho struck proved a good one. After interviewing with the pertinacity of a New York "Herald" reporter, the driver of evtry furniure waggon on the principal stand, he found one who recognised the description given of Elijah. 'He had,' he said, ' moved 'em several times, though not recently.' The latest news was obtained from fill Smashup, who testilicd to moving them three weeks back to a 'house on I street; remembered it 'stinctly, as he had had a row wid another feller who tried to uncle bid him ; he licked him, though, an' the squire found him live dollars for the fun.' Blotter immediately visited the house indicated by the pugnacious William and found the doors and windows swarming with children. Surprised at the miraculous increase in his friend's family he entered one of those convenient corner drug stores where cigars and -information can usually be obtained, and learned that the family last occupying it had moved to the other side of the city, and the building was at present used as a Kindergarten. Next day, Blotter succeeded, meeting Elijah face to faofi as he tuned a corner. \ 'So I have found you at last, 'Lige,' was his salutation. ' Faith, you are as hard to catch as the Flying Dutchman. What do you mean by making a Wandering Jew of yourself? If you have no other regard for your friends, you should remember that they have legs.' ' Wed, it is a long time since we saw you ; no one calls now-a-days,' was the reply. ' Let me see, where did we live when you called last ?' 'No. 1610, Pennsylvania, avenue, north side, north-west,' replied Blotter, as if reading from a directory. ' Sure enough, but you see Lottie got out of conceit with that house ; there was so much running up and down stairs, so we moved to No. 59, Half street, where—what are you doing, 131otter.' ' Taking it down before I forget it; it's so little it might slip my mind,'was the reply—- ' g i on.' ' Wait a bit,' continued Elijah ; 'we did not stay at No. 59 long; the cellar was damp, the rent high, and the water-bugs a , perfect pest; so when my wife's mother heard of a nice cottage on Capital hill, Ave made haste to secure it.' j ' Yes, I know the place ; consider me your guest next Sunday; love to Lottie, ta, ta,' exclaimed Blotter, stepping towards a car. ' Confound you, come back ; what a hurry you are in now you have found me. I have not told you all yet.' ' (iood heavens !' exclaimed Blotter, 'you don't mean —' 'Yes,' snapped Elijah, ' I do mean that we moved again, and I l'eckon you would have done so. Such a windy house. Lottie and the children all got bad colds, and I believe would have been dead by this time had we remained ; so after staying a month to please the old lady, I got a snug box in Georgetown, near the convent.' 'Yes, I can find it; there is no rule for numbering houses in that old town.' ' You needn't call, though, next Sunday, Blotter, for I expect to leave this week, my landlord is unreasonable, and T have my eye on a house that I think will suit me exactly.' 'Hang it, 'Lige; would you not find it cheap- r to buy a wagon, and keep en moving instead of paying out rent at all? I'm blessed if I botlnr myself any more taking down your address You would ruin a man in memoranda book 3 alone.' ' Now, Blotter, do not get into a passion. You see I am peculiarly unfortunate in procaring houses. Sometimes the owners take a notion to sell them, or raise the rent, or something to annoy mo. Perhaps I had better buy one.' ' To sell for half the sum you gave for it in three months,' laughed Blotter. 'You would soon be over the hill to the poor house if you were to do that a few times.' Accortling to last accounts my friend James has returned to the home of his wife's mother, where they expect to remain until the size of his rapidly increasing family compels him to remove to a larger edilice. NONE LIKE HIM. There are a few mean men in Detroit, but they came here from the East, and as a rule they do not tarry long. The regular Detroiter is a good man, and if he has a family he is still better, as can be shown every day in the week. At the Detroit and Milwaukee depot yesterday as a lady was about to get aboard the train, she said to the man who was loaded down with her parcels : 'Now, while I'm gone you must take up and beat all the carpets and lay them again. ' Of coins.:,' he replied. 'And p dish all the windows, rub off the furniture ami repaint the front sleps.' ' I will, dear.' 'Ami you must rake off the yard, make some llower-beds, fix the alley fence and black all the stoves before you pack them away.' ' Of course, darling,' lie smiled. ' And you must send me 20dols per week, write to me daily, and the neighbors will watch to see if you are out alter eight o'clock in the evening. Now, then, goodbye' 'Oli ! darliug, how can I tpare you !' ho sighed, the engine groaned, and away she wen!:, ami as he turned to go out his mental distress was so great that he fell over a trunk, barked his shins and rubbed half the skin off his nose, |