WEST SHORK.
thu control of his voice lnul come under the subjection
of the iiuiHter. When be bad finished he stood trem
bling and jierspiring.
" And I say now," said Mr. (ioldthurst, his voice
steady in its iciness, " that , yerything you have said
is a lie, and that In-fore to-ni 4 I never saw you," and
he made another motion tuHrd the lell.
" Don't ye touch that ." Pegged Tom, humbly. " I
made a mistake. Im' me go, on' I won't make no mis
take ag'in. I ain't took nothin' that b'longs ter ye,"
diHilaying dirty palms.
" Did I tell you anything else ? " asked Mr. (iold
thurst with a sneer.
" Ye didn't tell me nothin'," answered Tom, after
a hasty glance at thu (jticHtioncr's face.
" Why did you make such statements?" for tho
II rut time showing anger, "Have you told any one
outside these lien ? "
" No, I swear I ain't, I ain't said nothin' ter no
liody." Tom's earnestness convinced the iuestionur
that the truth was twing uttered.
" Then why did you tell them here, when you
never saw me In-fore ? "
Tom was studying the other cunningly. ' I made
a mistake," he repeated, with a touch of returning sul-b-nnesa.
I thought 'twas ve ; I met a man as looked
like ye."
" And this man told you togotot'oldbrook? Well,
what did you find on there?" There was the shade
of a smile on Mr. (ioldthurst 'i face. " Come, you have
frightened ine well, I'll have my revenge on you by
drawing out another's secret."
" Won't yc Id' me set down?" asked Tom, embold
ened by tho change in the other's tone, " I've bt-cn
a-walkin' fer four days. I'm tired."
Mr. (ioldthurst motioned toward a sent. " (io on,"
he said, bis smile growing more pronounced.
" I found out the men won't strike out ter CM-
brook, an' they wan a-tnlkin' o' Mr. Kipp's eori-n' j
over ter Milllmry ter help settle the trouble an' git the i
mills A-runuln'." j
" And how do your nopl receive the ulcus of the j
philanthropio friend you have quoted?" Mr. (iold- I
1 burnt akcd. '
" lley?" Tom l.H.ked punlcd.
" Why," cxpUin.-d Mr. (ioldthurst, whose face now i
expressed the gc nml host, " what do the men say about '
burning down mills and driving the manufacturers to j
branch out and replenish the suddenly impoverished
market. That was a long-headed man who talked to
you. He has grnsd the situation. The n-sults he
prophesies are inevitable."
" If there ain't no food soon they'll lie fire 'nough," !
said Tom. significantly. " Sv. won't ye gi' me some-
thin' ter rat ? I ain't had nothin' UwUv "
' i
j " Vou came to steal something to eat, then," said
I Mr. (ioldthurst, with a low laugh. " Why did you not
j say so at first?"
" No I didn't," snarled Tom, " I come here 'cause
ye'cause I thought a man as I met told me to,"
changing the drift of the remarks at a signal from the
j gray eyes.
' Stay where you are, I'll get you something to eat.
It will never be said of mo that I Bent a hungry man
from my door, even though he came to rob me."
! Tom sat like an image till Mr. Goldthurst's foot
I steps had become lost in the distance, then he rose and
crossed to where a bundle of papers lay in a half
opened desk. Nastily catching them up, he drew out
I some folded sheets, replaced the others, and, returning
j to his chair, removed his shoe and placed his prize un-
der his bare foot. When Mr. (ioldthurst returned the
uncoum visitor was iwirung io mu tum joining ex
ceedingly hungry.
" What have you stolen ? " asked the gentleman,
glancing about suspiciously.
" Ain't stole nothin'," Tom whined. " Hope I may
die if I hev. Can't ye gin me a little money ? " aB ho
received tho food, " I ain't got no shoes, an' I've got ter
walk a long ways. The man Baid he'd gi' me porno
money," hesitatingly.
" Probably your philanthropist would require I
more satisfactory report," answered Mr. Goldthurst.
" Deeds, not words, win reward. He would probably
say that ' Heaven helps those who help themselves,'
and would probably tell you to go help your fellow
men, then receive your reward. Now go, and say to
all you meet that I dealt leniently with you."
When Tom reached the street the rain came down
heavily. As he trudged along he felt the papers next
his foot and grinned.
" I'd 'a' took tho hull on 'em," he soliloquized, " but
he'd 'a' noticed 'em. Next time I calls on 'im he'll
reincnitar me better."
Water street, in Linn, crowds the harbor so closely,
that when the usual placid expanse of blue is stirred
by a northeast wind, the waves roll over low, rotting
wharves, and the street is submerged for half its length.
An ill-kept street is Water street, yet once was the
time when tho products of every nation on the globe
were carted its length, when at the wharves the Ikiw
sprits of ships in the West Indian trade, were crowded
over the stems of krks from China, when the gilded
eagle that spreads it wings over the custom house
looked down on throngs of BkipjerB waiting to pour 'n
their moneys for the privilege of landing their freight
of necessaries and luxuries. To-day the eagle, robll
by time of its gilding, waits for the skipiors. The
custom house has become so unused to the trend of