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SPARKLING JOURNAL
nieres acoriing 0 4 s Gomree, ok e year 55T oy ZRANE TUGSEE, e ok
N
N )R YOUNG GENTLEME
iz
e
INTERED( 4T THE POST OFFICE 4T NEW T0
|
FRANK TOUSEY, }
Nos. 34 & 95 North Moore St,
50 PER ANNUY, IN ADVANCE.
$1.25 FOR SIX MONTHS.
G THE
. Dark Sons of hreland;
1‘10tting Under the Shannon
Water. :
By J. T. BROUGHAM,
CHAPTER'L.
TOM. OF . THE TAP.
»*. HE was s roguish o yowny rascal as could be
found in all Ireland, aud his appoarance did not
Delio him in the least.
= Why he was first ealled Tom of the Tap no one
*»could tell, but he was well known in ‘the oity of
Limeriok as the bootblack in ono of the principal
hotels, which was much. frequented by the rich
landlords of the neighborhood.. - 1
Tom was a silent_customer for a lad of eight-
eon, but when he did open his lips there was a
* meaniug i every word uttored, and his mis-
chievous eves would twinkle undor his foxy eye-
brows as if to say : s
“Don’t mind a word I am saying, as the truth
is not in me atall.” +
fie was a slim-built lad, and a little under the
L
stronger rogues in the neighborhood could tes-
~ - tify that Tom of the Tap was the * very mischief
*average height for his ‘ngo, but_some of the |
~aith his fsts.”
“Tom ciancd the boots of the guests In ‘s small
mot situated i tho lower hallway at
arpe
‘ap was seated in his closet, b
ling a merry Irish air and _rubbing awag ¢
big boot, when & mild knock was heard qu his
door, K .
“Who's thore now?” oried the rogaish fad, in
e e T S
¢ bo with them»”
1 guder he water
S e
surly tones, as he sprung to open the door,
taking good eare toblock the entrance.
A young man of twenty-three, with a pleas-
ant, smiling face staod bofore him, saylng:
“'Aro you the boots?”
“Yes,” sir—your room_boots outside the
door—bo thers in a jiffy,” auswered Tom, as be
made a motion to efose the door again.
The stranger pushed his way into the little
room with a resoluto air, as ho said :
“Lam in a hurry, and T want my boots cleans
ed on me.”
“ Against the rulos, si.”
“Hung the rules 1"
The young man closed the door after bim,
took a'sent on a bench and looked at the as:
tonished Iad with a grin, as ho said :
“ P'm from over the witer.”
Whilo bo uttered the words the stranger
mado a peculiar motion with bis right hund,
and then continued, with sly wink:
*And from under the water, if you like.
Will you clean my boots now?”
Tom of the Tap acted like the veriest slave
on the instant.
Droppiug on his knees, brush in hand, he
commenced the work -on the boots a3’ he
responded, in very subdued tones:
“Tli clean them as quick as a wink; sir,
and die for yo in the bargain.”
The young stranger looked at the door, s
ho asked in cautious tones :
“All safe in here, Tom?”
“ “Assafe as if W were at the bottom of the
Shannon, sir.”
“You have & great many guests in tha house
to-day, I soe.”
“Bad cess to’em, and 'tis I'd like to have
the dosing of the wholo lot, sir.”
£ Are you 10 be at tho supuer, Tom?”
"Tho lud looked-up with g sly smile as he
ropliod :
* Just as you like, éir; but the drinking is to
be all in say
d t
r gebrois will como out?”
Sl b i g, the
3ol
< Thut's their; eu
< How newr, it -
“Near onough (4 hoar thélr plaus,”.
<1t ean bo donel b the orders of o8v from