The Little Brown Jug at Kildare

he chose a room with care and intimated to the landlord his intention of remaining a week. But for the ill luck of having his baggage marked he should have registered himself falsely on the books of

ing to be taken for any of that set,"

returned Ardmore in

ad and nodded his approval of bitter flings at the inns of other southern towns of whose existence he only vaguely knew. They spoke of the president of the United States and of various old world monarchs in a familiar tone that was decidedly novel and refreshing; and he felt that it was a great privilege to sit at meat with these blithe spirits. Commercial travelers, he now realized, were more like the strolling players, the wandering knights, the cloaked riders

ock

u know Billy Gallop?

unhesitatingly. "I took supper wit

's t

reaching for the syrup, "I

ernors Osborne and Dangerfield precipitated by one of the company wh

ite sure that Dangerfield won't get the hot end of the poker. I've seen him, right here at Raleigh,

him. Now Osborne's a different product-a tall lean cuss, but active as a cat. A man to be governor of South C

this town, and to whom he expected to be properly introduced just as soon as he could devise some means to that end. As he had not read the newspapers he did not know what the row was all ab

governor's back y

ut he's expected to-day," repl

a the other day and everybody was talking of the case. They say"-and the speaker waited for the fullest attenti

" demande

little too thick with the Appleweight crowd before he was elected governor. He was their attorney,

ng; don't the au

ine. His home is as much on one side as the ot

d Ardmore, star

. I hope you never make that town!" and the inq

; whereat the table roared. The unanimity of their applaus

ll County consumes a few gross of jugs all right. But you'd better be careful not

ee on the sidewalk at the inn door to consider what he should do with his little brown jug. It had undoubtedly been intended for Governor Dangerfield, who was supposed to be on the train he had himself taken from Atlanta to Raleigh. There had been, in fact, tw

the wrong on

re knew was affected by eccentric people for their stomach's sake. He had sniff

ven science and history, strive they never so sadly, can not wholly relieve the jug of its cheery insouciance. A bottle of inferior liquor may be dressed forth enticingly, and alluringly named; but there's no disguising the jug; its genial shame can not be hidden. There are pleasant places in America where, if one deposit a half-dollar and a little brown jug behind a certain stone, or on the shady side of a blackberry bush, jug and coin will together disappear between sunset and sunrise; but lo! the jug, filled and plugged with a corn-cob, will re

s pipe, had not noticed him, somewhat, it seemed, to the stranger's vexation. He patrolled the sidewalk before the inn, hoping to attract Ar

," said Ardmo

with a pair of small, shrewd, gray eyes. In his hands he hel

est got to town this

n keeping with his new destiny and he was immediately interested in the stranger, who was well on in middle age, with

een hye

the place and I'll be seen

to the stranger. The man, awed by the splendor

er, I

refer to be designated," r

good enough down hy

business. Never had

ver the flaming match, drew the fire into the cigar sever

'r e

it's no affair of mine what b

got sample

well known I don't have to carry sample

way up?" and the strange

e' Kildare," replied Ardmore, using

ough the' prett

w. A man in my splendid health doesn't n

er leaned forward in his chair, resting his

g thet y'u ain't no right t' last night

Kildare jug. Now if it was one of my other jugs-even my Omaha jug, or my dear old Louisville jug-

l be the worse for y'u. Y'u ai

inish," declared Ardmore, sitting upright in his chair. "You've got the wrong idea, my friend, if

end of

gray eyes were b

he bloodiest battles of our Civil War. I will cheerfully give you my watch, or money in any sum, but the jug-I will part with m

stood quickly at h

I'll shoot y'u righ

at you are kind and good and you wouldn't shoot down

y lyin' to 'im. He's telegraphed me

im to ask you to call on me. Why, I've k

st time the man really seemed to dou

u force me to it! We're both Hasty Pudding men. Now if you t

it carefully. It had been fitted tightly into the mouth of the jug by the addition of a bit of calico, and he fingered it for a moment with a grin on his face. He was, considering his tranquil past, making history rapidly, and he wished that Griswold, whom he imagined safely away on his law business at Richmond, could see him now, embarked upon a serious adventure, that had already brought him into collision with a see

out fell a carefully folded slip of paper. He carried it to the window and opened it, finding th

rm. If you have any of them arrested yo

a dozen times with increasing satisfaction he fol

t of note paper he

Within ten days those that have not

he table it was, to all appearances, exactly as it had been when delivered to Ardmore on the rear of the train at Kildare, and he was thoroughly well pleas

visited an American public building-the New York city hall-and he felt that now, indeed, he had turned a corner and entered upon a new and strange world. He had watched army maneuvers abroad with about the same attention that he gave to a ballet, and with a like feeling of beholding a show contrived for the amusement of spectators; but there was not even a policeman here to represent arsenals and bayonets. The only minion of government in sight was the languid operator of a lawn-mower,

e governor's office, where a secretary, who seemed harassed by the cares

his stick with an air of leisure. "He and my father were old friends, and I always promise

sympathetically, though with a preoccupa

r any members of the gove

rfield and Miss Jerr

s Je

ll call her Miss Jerr

; it's over this way to the mans

he building-and turn to you

or Ardmore to discharge his business and be quit of it; but having at last snatched a commission from fleeting opp

did you come in from t

the Tar Heel Expr

e brewing around Kildare. I thought you might have heard something, but

situation at Kildare that it seemed kindest to tell him nothing.

puts a jug of fresh buttermilk on board when he passes through.

ays buttermilk, are you?"

ignity. "Governor Dangerfield's sentiment

aid all jugs look alike to me; but then, the fact

about the neighborhood until his watch marked eleven Ardm

e's card. He deserved to be sent to jail for entering a gentleman's house in this way. He realized now, when it was too late, that he ought to have brought letters to one of the banks and been introduced to the Dangerfields by some gentleman of standing, if he wished to know them. The very portraits on the walls, the photographs on the mantel and table frowned coldly upon him. The foundations of his character were se

g through town unexpectedly, I thought I should give myself the pleasure of calling on him. He said that in case I found h

em, and her abundant light hair curled away from her forehead in pretty waves, and was tied to-day with a large bow of blue ribbon. For an instant she seemed puzzled or mystifie

ease sit down

the blue eyes continued to take account of him, and he fingere

arm, is

s a way summer has, o

in the very way in which she pronounced "wa'm," lingeringly, as though to p

de her away in its shadows, so that she could examine him at her

ly to be afraid of great men, but your father made me feel at home at once. And he t

for his stories. When did you l

w hours and came on through. What a fine

r. Ardmore. It's so dr

d" her intonation gave th

ou saw papa at the luncheon at

erfield. It was ther

it was there

place. I don't know my Ne

stood before him, with her fair face the least bit flushed, her blue eyes

y father in your life. I know why it is you came here, and if you are not out o

turned to look into the

t you,

te. Please don't wait for me. It's on

t on slowly up the stairs, and the girl held Ardmore sil

oth pursuing him-it's infamous, outrageous! And it isn't his fa

at his breast: he

ll leave Raleigh at once, but I don't want you to think I

and trick me into telling where my father is. But I am not so easily caught. My mother is ill bec

onor, Miss Dangerfield, I know nothing of

that you saw Mr. Billin

I can't

king to him; and I suppose he sent you

f this trifling term only illustrated his weak command of the English language. It is not pleasant to be pilloried for undreamed-of crimes, and Ardmore's ears tingled. He m

illings; he did not know I was coming. On the way here a message intended for your father came into my hands. It was thrown on the train at Kildare last night. I had gone out on the platform because the sleeper was hot, and a warning to your father to keep hi

as if the words only confirmed some earlier knowledge of the threat they contained. Then sh

u get t

they seemed dissatisfied and howled for me

ttermilk to the man who gav

and Ardmore, glad of an opportunity to esca