condensed novels-第15部分

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I　turned　to　Clara；　and　was　satisfied。　　Although　Mrs。　Maitland　never
forgave　me；　the　jolly　old　Governor　laughed　heartily　over　the　joke；
and　so　well　used　his　influence　that　I　soon　became；　dear　reader；
Admiral　Breezy；　K。　C。　B。



JOHN　JENKINS；

OR；

THE　SMOKER　REFORMED。

BY　T。　S。　ATHR。


CHAPTER　I。


One　cigar　a　day！〃　said　Judge　Boompointer。

One　cigar　a　day！〃　repeated　John　Jenkins；　as　with　trepidation　he
dropped　his　half…consumed　cigar　under　his　work…bench。

〃One　cigar　a　day　is　three　cents　a　day；〃　remarked　Judge　Boompointer；
gravely；　〃and　do　you　know；　sir；　what　one　cigar　a　day；　or　three
cents　a　day；　amounts　to　in　the　course　of　four　years？〃

John　Jenkins；　in　his　boyhood；　had　attended　the　village　school；　and
possessed　considerable　arithmetical　ability。　　Taking　up　a　shingle
which　lay　upon　his　work…bench；　and　producing　a　piece　of　chalk；　with
a　feeling　of　conscious　pride　he　made　an　exhaustive　calculation。

〃Exactly　forty…three　dollars　and　eighty　cents；〃　he　replied；　wiping
the　perspiration　from　his　heated　brow；　while　his　face　flushed　with
honest　enthusiasm。

〃Well；　sir；　if　you　saved　three　cents　a　day；　instead　of　wasting　it；
you　would　now　be　the　possessor　of　a　new　suit　of　clothes；　an
illustrated　Family　Bible；　a　pew　in　the　church；　a　complete　set　of
Patent　Office　Reports；　a　hymn…book；　and　a　paid　subscription　to
Arthur's　Home　Magazine；　which　could　be　purchased　for　exactly　forty…
three　dollars　and　eighty　cents；　and；〃　added　the　Judge；　with
increasing　sternness；　〃if　you　calculate　leap…year；　which　you　seem
to　have　strangely　omitted；　you　have　three　cents　more；　sir；　THREE
CENTS　MORE！　　What　would　that　buy　you；　sir？〃

〃A　cigar；〃　suggested　John　Jenkins；　but；　coloring　again　deeply；　he
hid　his　face。

〃No；　sir；〃　said　the　Judge；　with　a　sweet　smile　of　benevolence
stealing　over　his　stern　features；　〃properly　invested；　it　would　buy
you　that　which　passeth　all　price。　　Dropped　into　the　missionary…box；
who　can　tell　what　heathen；　now　idly　and　joyously　wantoning　in
nakedness　and　sin；　might　be　brought　to　a　sense　of　his　miserable
condition；　and　made；　through　that　three　cents；　to　feel　the　torments
of　the　wicked？〃

With　these　words　the　Judge　retired；　leaving　John　Jenkins　buried　in
profound　thought。　　〃Three　cents　a　day；〃　he　muttered。　　〃In　forty
years　I　might　be　worth　four　hundred　and　thirty…eight　dollars　and
ten　cents；and　then　I　might　marry　Mary。　　Ah；　Mary！〃　　The　young
carpenter　sighed；　and；　drawing　a　twenty…five　cent　daguerreotype
from　his　vest…pocket；　gazed　long　and　fervidly　upon　the　features　of
a　young　girl　in　book　muslin　and　a　coral　necklace。　　Then；　with　a
resolute　expression；　he　carefully　locked　the　door　of　his　workshop
and　departed。

Alas！　his　good　resolutions　were　too　late。　　We　trifle　with　the　tide
of　fortune　which　too　often　nips　us　in　the　bud　and　casts　the　dark
shadow　of　misfortune　over　the　bright　lexicon　of　youth！　　That　night
the　half…consumed　fragment　of　John　Jenkins's　cigar　set　fire　to　his
workshop　and　burned　it　up；　together　with　all　his　tools　and
materials。　　There　was　no　insurance。


CHAPTER　II。

THE　DOWNWARD　PATH。


〃Then　you　still　persist　in　marrying　John　Jenkins？〃　queried　Judge
Boompointer；　as　he　playfully；　with　paternal　familiarity；　lifted　the
golden　curls　of　the　village　belle；　Mary　Jones。

〃I　do；〃　replied　the　fair　young　girl；　in　a　low　voice；　that　resembled
rock　candy　in　its　saccharine　firmness；〃I　do。　　He　has　promised　to
reform。　　Since　he　lost　all　his　property　by　fire〃

〃The　result　of　his　pernicious　habit；　though　he　illogically　persists
in　charging　it　to　me；〃　interrupted　the　Judge。

〃Since　then；〃　continued　the　young　girl；　〃he　has　endeavored　to　break
himself　of　the　habit。　　He　tells　me　that　he　has　substituted　the
stalks　of　the　Indian　ratan；　the　outer　part　of　a　leguminous　plant
called　the　smoking…bean；　and　the　fragmentary　and　unconsumed
remainder　of　cigars　which　occur　at　rare　and　uncertain　intervals
along　the　road；　which；　as　he　informs　me；　though　deficient　in
quality　and　strength；　are　comparatively　inexpensive。〃　　And；
blushing　at　her　own　eloquence；　the　young　girl　hid　her　curls　on　the
Judge's　arm。

〃Poor　thing！〃　muttered　Judge　Boompointer。　　〃Dare　I　tell　her　all？
Yet　I　must。〃

〃I　shall　cling　to　him；〃　continued　the　young　girl；　rising　with　her
theme；　〃as　the　young　vine　clings　to　some　hoary　ruin。　　Nay；　nay；
chide　me　not；　Judge　Boompointer。　　I　will　marry　John　Jenkins！〃

The　Judge　was　evidently　affected。　　Seating　himself　at　the　table；　he
wrote　a　few　lines　hurriedly　upon　a　piece　of　paper；　which　he　folded
and　placed　in　the　fingers　of　the　destined　bride　of　John　Jenkins。

〃Mary　Jones；〃　said　the　Judge；　with　impressive　earnestness；　〃take
this　trifle　as　a　wedding　gift　from　one　who　respects　your　fidelity
and　truthfulness。　　At　the　altar　let　it　be　a　reminder　of　me。〃　　And
covering　his　face　hastily　with　a　handkerchief；　the　stern　and　iron…
willed　man　left　the　room。　　As　the　door　closed；　Mary　unfolded　the
paper。　　It　was　an　order　on　the　corner　grocery　for　three　yards　of
flannel；　a　paper　of　needles；　four　pounds　of　soap；　one　pound　of
starch；　and　two　boxes　of　matches！

〃Noble　and　thoughtful　man！〃　was　all　Mary　Jones　could　exclaim；　as
she　hid　her　face　in　her　hands　and　burst　into　a　flood　of　tears。

　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*

The　bells　of　Cloverdale　are　ringing　merrily。　　It　is　a　wedding。
〃How　beautiful　they　look！〃　is　the　exclamation　that　passes　from　lip
to　lip；　as　Mary　Jones；　leaning　timidly　on　the　arm　of　John　Jenkins；
enters　the　church。　　But　the　bride　is　agitated；　and　the　bridegroom
betrays　a　feverish　nervousness。　　As　they　stand　in　the　vestibule；
John　Jenkins　fumbles　earnestly　in　his　vest…pocket。　　Can　it　be　the
ring　he　is　anxious　about？　　No。　　He　draws　a　small　brown　substance
from　his　pocket；　and　biting　off　a　piece；　hastily　replaces　the
fragment　and　gazes　furtively　around。　　Surely　no　one　saw　him？　　Alas！
the　eyes　of　two　of　that　wedding　party　saw　the　fatal　act。　　Judge
Boompointer　shook　his　head　sternly。　　Mary　Jones　sighed　and　breathed
a　silent　prayer。　　Her　husband　chewed！


CHAPTER　III。　　AND　LAST。


〃What！　more　bread？〃　said　John　Jenkins；　gruffly。　　〃You're　always
asking　for　money　for　bread。　　Dnation！　　Do　you　want　to　ruin　me　by
your　extravagance？〃　and　as　he　uttered　these　words　he　drew　from　his
pocket　a　bottle　of　whiskey；　a　pipe；　and　a　paper　of　tobacco。
Emptying　the　first　at　a　draught；　he　threw　the　empty　bottle　at　the
head　of　his　eldest　boy；　a　youth　of　twelve　summers。　　The　missile
struck　the　child　full　in　the　temple；　and　stretched　him　a　lifeless
corpse。　　Mrs。　Jenkins；　whom　the　reader　will　hardly　recognize　as　the
once　gay　and　beautiful　Mary　Jones；　raised　the　dead　body　of　her　son
in　her　arms；　and　carefully　placing　the　unfortunate　youth　beside　the
pump　in　the　back　yard；　returned　with　saddened　step　to　the　house。
At　another　time；　and　in　brighter　days；　she　might　have　wept　at　the
occurrence。　　She　was　past　tears　now。

〃Father；　your　conduct　is　reprehensible！〃　said　little　Harrison
Jenkins；　the　youngest　boy。　　〃Where　do　you　expect　to　go　when　you
die？〃

〃Ah！〃　said　John　Jenkins；　fiercely；　〃this　comes　of　giving　children　a
liberal　education；　this　is　the　result　of　Sabbath　schools。　　Down；
viper！〃

A　tumbler　thrown　from　the　same　parental　fist　laid　out　the　youthful
Harrison　cold。　　The　four　other　children　had；　in　the　mean　time；
gathered　around　the　table　with　anxious　expectancy。　　With　a　chuckle；
the　now　changed　and　brutal　John　Jenkins　produced　four　pipes；　and；
filling　them　with　tobacco；　handed　one　to　each　of　his　offspring　and
bade　them　smoke。　　〃It's　better　than　bread！〃　laughed　the　wretch
hoarsely。

Mary　Jenkins；　though　of　a　patient　nature；　felt　it　her　duty　now　to
speak。　　〃I　have　borne　much；　John　Jenkins；〃　she　said。　　〃But　I　prefer
that　the　children　should　not　smoke。　　It　is　an　unclean　habit；　and
soils　their　clothes。　　I　ask　this　as　a　special　favor！〃

John　Jenkins　hesitated；the　pangs　of　remorse　began　to　seize　him。

〃Promise　me　this；　John！〃　urged　Mary　upon　her　knees。

〃I　promise！〃　reluctantly　answered　John。

〃And　you　will　put　the　money　in　a　savings…bank？〃

〃I　will；〃　repeated　her　husband；　〃and　I'LL　give　up　smoking；　too。〃

〃'Tis　well；　John　Jenkins！〃　said　Judge　Boompointer；　appearing
suddenly　from　behind　the　door；　where　he　had　been　concealed　during
this　interview。　　〃Nobly　said！　my　man。　　Cheer　up！　　I　will　see　that
the　children　are　decently　buried。〃　　The　husband　and　wife　fell　into
each　other's　arms。　　And　Judge　Boompointer；　gazing　upon　the
affecting　spectacle；　burst　into　tears。

From　that　day　John　Jenkins　was　an　altered　man。



NO　TITLE。

By　WLKE　CLLNS。


PROLOGUE。


The　following　advertisement　appeared　in　the　〃Times〃　of　the　17th　of
June；　1845：


WANTED。A　few　young　men　for　a　light　genteel　employment。
　　　　　　　　　Address　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　J。　W。；　P。　O。


In　the　same　paper；　of　same　date；　in　another　column：


TO　LET。That　commodious　and　elegant　family　mansion；　No。　27
Limehouse　Road；　Pultneyville；　will　be　rented　low　to　a　respectable
tenant　if　applied　for　immediately；　the　family　being　about　to　remove
to　the　continent。


Under　the　local　intelligence；　in　another　column：


MISSING。An　unknown　elderly　gentleman　a　week　ago　left　his　lodgings
in　the　Kent　Road；　since　which　nothing　has　been　heard　of　him。　　He
left　no　trace　of　his　identity　except　a　portmanteau　containing　a
couple　of　shirts　marked　〃209；　WARD。〃


To　find　the　connection　between　the　mysterious　disappearance　of　the
elderly　gentleman　and　the　anonymous　communication；　the　relevancy　of
both　these　incidents　to　the　letting　of　a　commodious　family　mansion；
and　the　dead　secret　involved　in　the　three　occurrences；　is　the　task
of　the　writer　of　this　history。

A　slim　young　man　with　spectacles；　a　large　hat；　drab　gaiters；　and　a
note…book；　sat　late　that　night　with　a　copy　of　the　〃Times〃　before
him；　and　a　pencil　which　he　rattled　nervously　between　his　teeth　in
the　coffee…room　of　the　〃Blue　Dragon。〃


CHAPTER　I。

MARY　JONES'S　NARRATIVE。


I　am　upper　housemaid　to　the　family　that　live　at　No。　27　Limehouse
Road；　Pultneyville。　　I　have　been　requested　by　Mr。　Wilkey　Collings；
which　I　takes　the　liberty　of　here　stating　is　a　gentleman　born　and
bred；　and　has　some　consideration　for　the　feelings　of　servants；　and
is　not　above　rewarding　them　for