Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 380 — page 7: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

—~_ = \ ” PU UE UyE EEE EIN nnIETEE EINE NRIAINIEEEEN EERE The Golden Serpent. kindly feelings as possible. If it will contri- bute anything to that end, I will say that I shall look upon our past association with more of re- gret than—than— Pardon me!” ; The word “ annoyance” was at the tip of his tonzue; but he found it impossible to express his thought. The woman stood perfectly still while he was speaking. She fairly held her breath. Soe!” she said, when at last he removed his hand from her shoulder. ‘* I dared not stir, lest I cause you to take your hand away sooner than rour heart would otherwise prone It is the tindithess of your touch, the gentleness of your voice, that will live in my memory. Let me do nothing, say nothing, tochange your mood, And yet, may lask one boon of you? Say—‘lI for- give you for loving me over-much!’ ‘* Stay!” she cried, before he could reply, “ If you can speak as tenderly as you did but now, then say it; if not, remain silent! I would not have you mar this one dear memory!” ‘Tt is impossible to say just what you ask me to,” he replied, in a tone of gentle iudulgence. ‘‘Then say only—‘ I forgive you!’ ” She waited with her hands clasped, and her eyes fixed upon his beseechingly. It was the hardest task of his life. The words stuck in his throat. He was crimson to the temples, Yet he repeated the words after her. ay forgive you!” With a murmuring ery she dropped her face into her hands, and stood for a moment as if overcome by a surge of emotion. ' Tiger Dick stood feeling like a bashful school- boy. Presently she turned and groped for the cell door. ‘Please signify to the turnkey, if you can, senor, that I am ready to go forth,” she said, in a tone altogether different from any she had hitherto used. The Tiger executed her request; and without looking at him again, she passed out of his pres- ence, CHAPTER VIII. THE HON. MRS. BENONI SPIKE. Ir is now necessary to interweave another thread of our drama, ‘** Benoni Spike!” The summons was as crisp as pie-crust, ** Huldy?” The response was ‘as meek as Moses.” “T swan to man, if you wouldn’t try the patience of a saint!” ‘“‘T try to please ye, Huldy.” ‘“You try to pleaseme! Oh! youdo? Ha! ha! ha! I guess all the tryin’ you ever do won’t take no flesh off your bones. If ?’d’a’ known I was marryin’ of a sack o’ bran when I took up with you, Benoni Spike, ’d—I’d— Well, no matter. It’s past prayin’ for now.” The woman’s mirthless laugh showed that she was almost hysterical with impatience. The man sat with his knees close together, his shoulders bowed, his head drooping, indus- triously picking a shred of lint from his trowsers. The corners of his mouth were drawn down, his eyebrows elevated, the picture of hen-pecked long-suffering. He ventured no expostulation at his wife’s un- flattering criticism. This tame submission exasperated her, * Consarn ye!—if I must say such a thing,” she cried, ‘* why don’t ye wake up?” And she stamped her foot with an emphasis that made him fairly jump. ““Huldy!” he protested, looking at her with almost supplicating reproach. ‘Don’t Huldy me!” cried the irate spouse. “I'm clean sick an’ tired of your sawney_ shif?- lessness. I yum! if it took mea month o’ Sun- days to set; one foot before another, as it does you, ta—l’a—” Butat a loss for a suitable recourse in so pre- posterous a contingency, ske strode across the room, panting, almost snorting, with anger. She was & woman of large frame, of that an- ilarity of ficure not infpequently produced in ew England. Her features were masculine, the nose fairly Roman, the jaw protruding—in- dicative of determination—the lips thin and forming a straight line, the eyes small and of that keenness which is sometimes compared to a imiect. - fer hair was brushed uncompromisingly straicht over her temples, and wound in a knot behind, surmounted by a high back comb, She was dressed in black silk, of a decidedly Puritanical cut, yet with an evident purpose of giving un imposing effect. Her husban,] was a little man, who looked as if, from long habit of getting into the smallest possible compass, he had gradually shrunk into the meek, inoffensive nobody he was. | He wore black broadcloth, of his wife’s choosing, in which he seemed exceedingly un- comfortable. Presently the lady stopped before him, and ooking as if she felt inclined to shake him like an unruly boy, demanded. SSS SSS SS rr TT CN aaa aan ‘** Benoni Spike, air you a member o’ the Cali- | forny Legislatur’, or ain’t ye?” ‘*Of course | am a member of the Legislature, Huldy,” he replied, dutifully. ‘The Honorable Benoni Spike!” she cried sarcastically. ‘‘Ha! ha! ha! That woulc made a horse laugh—that would!—to look at ye as ye set.” “It was your wantin’, Huldy.” ‘“*My wantin’? That is to say, it wa’n’t yourn.” **T wouldn’t ’a’ got the office but for you!” ‘* You git the office—you! Well, that’s what I call gdod! Not till the cows come home! One would have to possess one’s soul in patience, if one waited on your motions!” The Honorable Benoni Spike accepted this scornful characterization without a murmur. ‘** Yes, siree!” declared his wife, roundly. ‘J put yein that seat, jest as I have made ye in everythin’, ever since [ took a mighty unprom- isin’ job on my hands *. Then gathering herself for an ‘ annihilator,” she demanded: ‘* And what did I put ye there for?” After an ominous pause, which he was too el cps under her thumb to break in upon, she delivered her thunderbolt: ‘“ IT put ye there to wear out chair-bottoms !” The Honorable Benoni Spike sunk a little closer into himself, as if he had just been drawn through a knot-hole one size smaller than the preceding. ** Aw you're a-doin’ of it famous!” concluded his wife, with kindling eyes. Still he tapped his knee with his finger, in si- lence. ‘** Benoni Spike!” raising her voice to clarion tones, ‘* we’re goin’ to make a speech!” ‘* A speech, Huldy?” quavered the Honorable Benoni, in a die-away voice. ** A speech,” affirmed the Honorable Mrs. Be- noni, firmly. “But, my dear, I never did such a thing in my life.” ‘Ye needn’t tell me that. I expect to have to hunt for ye in your boots after ye git through. But, all the same, we’re goin’ to make a speech ide ‘** But what for?—what about?” cried her vic- tim, in dismay. “What for? Why, to git our name in the papers, to be sure. What does anybody make speeches for?” ‘*But one has to have somethin’ to talk about—some measure to propose, An’ my con- stituents—” ** Bother your constituents! I’m your consti- tuents, sir! and I have enough to talk about to keep you busy for the rest o’ the session!” To say that the Honorable Benoni wilted at this awful prod is to represent his blank de- spair by a wholly inadequate figure of speech. He only gazed and gasped. ‘**Tll supply ye with measures to propose,” continued his wife, remorselessly. ‘‘ And to be- gin with, we’re goin’ on a committee.” ‘*A committee!” panted the wretched legis- ator, ‘* A committee! And what is there so terrible about a committee? Hasn’t every live man in the House been on a committee, first or last?” The listener was too far gone to debate the matter. Already a clammy ooze was undoing the work Wing Fung had expended on his shirt- collar. “There’s Matildy Cummin’s (the Honorable Mrs. Cummin’s!—that jest makes me sick!)—a spiteful cat, if there ever was one!—she’s been on the Committee of Ways and Means! She thinks herself great shakes. But I tell you, Be- noni Spike, we’re goin’ to be chairman of a committee, an’ we’re goin’ to travel at the ex- pense of the State! And that’s what's the mat- ter with us!” That completely knocked the Honorable Be- noni Spike out. He looked as if one more blow would roll him off his chair. ** An investigatin’ committee !—that’s what we want!” cried the Honorable Mrs, Benoni Spike, with huge satisfaction. ‘* But what's wanted to be investigated?” asked the legislator, bis mind harrowed by visions of defalcation and bribery. **Everythin’!” affirmed Mrs. Spike, with a comprehensive wave of the hand. ‘“ But ye needn’t worry over the notion that I propose to do itall, There’s them anti-Chinese riots, down to Silver Riffle, that want lookin’ into. Ye can’t pass just laws an’ regullations without knowin’ what you're legislatin’ about; an’ ye can’t know what's wantin’ without havin’ a com- mittee go an’ see.” ‘** But, Huldy,” ere her husband, faintly, knowing the hopelessness of trying to alter the peepee of his Amazonian spouse, “such a sec- ion o’ country as that! It’s the worst in the State—the worst this side 0’ the Watershed!” ** What's the matter with it?” ‘* Why, it’s infested with robbers and cut- throats of every description! It’s as much asa man’s life is worth to be found within a hundred miles of Silver Riffle!” “It is,eh? Well, Pll see about that. You needn’t worry. You'll have Abigail an’ me to look after ye.” € ‘* Abigail?” gasped the victim of petticoat government. ‘ The child shall never be exposed to such peril with my consent.” That was the boldest revolt he had ventured upon within his ruler’s recollection. ‘** Your consent!” she cried, in amazement. ‘* Wait until your consent is asked, Mr. Spike, if you please!” : oor Spike groaned his utter helplessness, ‘* But why this mad scheme? If you’re bound to make a spread, there’s plenty of other things without danger—” ‘* Mad scheme, Mr. Spike?’ interrupted his wife, bridling haughtily. ‘‘Tll beg you to re- member that this ismy scheme; an’ there’s noth- in’ mad about me! J know what I’m about!” ‘But what air ye pickin’ out the most reck- less—” ‘** Because, for one thing, I don’t choose that people shall know what a pulin’ coward casts my vote, an’ holds the office that by right be- longs to me!” ie Hon. Benoni went out under this scathing speech like a candle over which an extinguisher has béen set. “If L kin git a strappin’ big road-agent to let some o’ the water out o’ your veins, an’ then whale a mite 0’ spirit into ye, before I come back, I mean to do it!’ With this ‘‘ clincher ” Mrs. Spike strode across the room, drew out a table drawer, and took from it a pile of manuscript, which she placed before her husband. ‘* There’s your speech,” she said. ‘‘ You’re to learn it word for word; an’ ll hear ye speak it. All the rest will be fixed when the time comes. You're as goodas Chairman o’ the Com- mittee to Investigate the Chinese troubles at Sil- ver Riffle, before ye begin!” The man, we are told, is the head of the wo- man; but it would take a very wide-awake man to get ahead of the Hon. Mrs. Benoni Spike! Poor Benoni set about his task with the do- cility of a school-boy. CHAPTER IX. THE ‘‘ THIRD HOUSE.” THAT night the Governor of the State “ and his Lady ” held a reception at which all the dig- nitaries of the Commonwealth were present. There were representatives from the back- woods whose horny hands had never been in- cased in a kid glove in all their lives, and who when they had occasion to bow, showed decided inclination to scrape their foot. sr, blushed and stammered when fawned. upon by jewel-and-silk-bedizened ladies with all the airs and graces of duchesses. Many of them were simple-souled, honest fel- lows, who would have put a bullet through a man who had approached them with a money bribe; yet they were as wax in the hands of these siren lobbyists, who feed them only with smiles and vate and There were other men there, who had worm kid gloves since before they were out of jackets, They were not all so honest. They might have scorned to receive a bribe direct; but they did not all secruple to approach another with what- ever influence would be most likely to bend him to their wishes. Among these latter were two men who kept a wary eye on all who entered the brilliantly- lighted salon. **Hello!” ejaculated one behind his_ hand, nudging the other. ‘‘ Here comes the Major- General!” ‘*Eh, Bristow?” asked he of the bald head, whose attention had been wandering. ‘*Spike! Spike!” said Bristow, guardedly. Judge Littlejohn adjusted his eye-glasses and looked down the room, ~ Towering above the other ladies, the Hon, Mrs. Benoni Spike was descried, sailing amid the crowd like a three-decker among a lot of merchantmen, ‘Ts she favorable to us?’ asked Judge Little- john. ar We might as well hang up the fiddle and the bow, if she ain’t,’’ declared Bristow. ‘Secure her by all means, my dear Bristow!” said the judge, earnestly, ‘*Of course we must have her,” assented Bris- tow. ‘Iwas thinking that you were just the man to undertake—” ‘‘7? Heaven forefend! I wouldn’t meet her for—for—well, for the presidency, to put it at a low figure!” The judge threw up his hands, aghast. Senator Bristow laughed. ‘Well! well!” he criel, ‘‘who would have thought that such an old stager as you would take water like that? Why, you are generally accounted a lady’s man, equal to any emergency in dealing with the sex.” ‘“'That’s all very well; but one must draw the line somewhere, you know.” * And you draw it at the Major-General?” ‘* Exactly. Good heavens! she’s got her eyes on us!—her baleful eye, her basilisk eye! Bris- tow, let me get away somewhere!” ‘¢ Nonsense, man! Stand your ground.” ‘Not for a half-interest in Tombstone!” ‘* But what’s to become of our bill?” ** You'll have to look out for that,” (EC ANIICEl eKexe) (C CSG re