A CHRISTMAS WITH "OLD PORT." 361 



Billy Bishop, who had been waiting on the table dur- 

 ing the dinner, and was now serving the punch with fre- 

 quent regularity, remarked: "Der old Gordonier was a 

 ole hicocric, so he was." 



"Now, Billy," said Tobi, "you are a little jealous be- 

 cause he got several jobs of hog-killing that you wanted. 

 There are worse men than old Gordonier." 



"Yes," replied Billy; "dere's meny wus as ole Gor- 

 donier; dey keep 'em chained, but " 



The master of ceremonies looked at Mr. Teller. 



TOBIAS TELLER'S STORY. 



"You all knew Bill Fairchild, big-hearted, generous 

 Bill, who'd give the shirt off his back to any one who 

 needed it. Well, one Sunday morning in May a poor 

 clam peddler's horse drew his wagon to the ferry with its 

 owner lying flat on the load. It was early, and people 

 looked and remarked that the man was drunk, and passed 

 on. Colonel Mike Bryan wanted some clams, and came 

 out and selected what he wished and tried to rouse the 

 man, and found that he was dead. Some one happened 

 to know him, and also knew where he lived, and sent for 

 his wife. In about an hour she came over from Albany, 

 and about that time Bill dropped down that way. She 

 was bemoaning her fate, and the fact that no clams had 

 been sold. The fact was, the man had intended to reach 

 some of the river towns before Monday morning, and 

 peddle his stock on the homestretch, but had died from 

 some cause; and the old horse, finding no controlling 

 hand on the lines, had turned around somewhere, and 

 started for home with his load and his dead master on its 

 top. The crowd stood around idly looking at the dead 

 man and the sorrowing woman, who really hadn't money 



