DANIEL’S MEAN TRICK.

Southern Cross, Volume 2, Issue 1, 7 April 1894, Page 3

DANIEL’S MEAN TRICK.

“ I knew I’d bring up here later or sooner,” he said to Hie captain at the Central Police Station as an officer walked him in.

He was mnd from head to foot, he limped on his left leg’, and the offer of a cent would have set him to crying like a lost child.

“ What’s the matter with you?” asked the captain. “ Nothin’, only if you have any grim-faced death around here you can bring it on as soon as you please! I’m broke up, cleaned out, and ready to become a cherub.” There was silence as the blotter was brought out and a pen hunted up, and when they asked him his name he wailed out —

“ Put me down as Abraham Lyons, deceased, for I don’t want to live any longer. I never expected to live to have a son like Daniel go back on me this way.” “ What’s the matter with Daniel ?”

“ Gentlemen,” he replied, as he laid a hand, ornamented with seven warts, on the desk, “I’m a widerer, and Daniel is my only son. Last night I was to have been married to the ’cutest, chunkiest, sassiest little widder in Wayne County. I was so happy that I’d have sold my last pair of socks to pay outlawed debts. I kinder trod round on air. I grinned at everybody and everything. Hang me if I didn’t take off my hat three times to a cow and hope her family was as well as could be expected with the bottom knocked out of the railk-pail market!” “ Well P”

“ Well, I sent Daniel over to see whether I should wear a white vest or a black one, and what did he do but box bis poor old father up! Went right back on the parient who lias stood up for him like a stone Avail behind a briar bush ! Went and wrecked his poor old father on the rocks of deceit and deception !” “ Hoav ?”

“ Married hex’. Went and fell in 1oa ? 6 with the Avoman Avho was to he his step-mother and made her his Avife. Yes, my own son Daniel did that —the very son whom I’ve sot np Avith in sickness and nursed through adversity. Who can avc trust now P Whither are Ave drifting ?” He Avas locked np to sober off and to let the layers of mud dry, and when Daniel came down in the afternoon to see him, he retired to the darkest corner of his cell and called out

“Go way, base offspring 1 ! A son who’ll sneak in on his father as you did can never expect forgiveness. Have my funeral strictly private, and you needn’t mind about a tombstone! —Selected.