THE BITTER EXPERIENCE OF THOMAS TODD.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 7738, 18 April 1896, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE BITTER EXPERIENCE OF THOMAS TODD.

[BY E.H., HASTINGS. J

Thomas Todd had one desire in life, d that was to be a musician. To him ms Reeves was a lot above the ime Minister of England, and Cteear d the Duke of Wellington were noere in the running with Paganini. t his desire was as hopeless as the rch for the philosopher's stone, petual motion, or finding the North le. Perhaps, however, we might d over this last until Dr. Nansen acs back, owing to recent cablegrams ich may be true.

Quarter after quarter was expended Todd in musical tuition, but it was, ;ept for the sake of bis worthy cher, as much wasted as if he had Dwn it over the Exe bridge into the )r that runs through the good old •of Exeter. Amongst his other jets he was not quite an idiot, and therefore, though reluctantly, reied his hopes. Hi 3 music master I him this from Bacon's philosophy There is no stond or impediment be wit that may not be wrought out i fit studies.'

Bat his case was the exception that W?es the rule, and in a musical sense Iwas an absolute muff. Tunes neither fetrumental or vocal could be got out at; as to his voice, as good a tone Hi be got from a rip-saw. Hi other respects he was all right, so Have in gracefully at last. However, H could not be on the throne, he Hd at least be near it. So he renHl his musical friends such service Hhe became almost indispensable at Hrts for charities, cricket clubs, and H closing or parochial meetings, keep the door, hire the hall, music, arm the lady singers platform, or light the gas, with is the soul of business, old proverb. Thomas Todd in it, even to eccentricity ; it an instinct with him. The his place were from 7 a.m. to clock round, ye fellow workers of New ! None of the eight-hour to say nothing of the Think of this, be thankful, more than that, wanted you before or after be there, and thank you for that. of business Todd was in one; it was a druggist's other lines, amongst which bookbinding. This last of our friend, who sort of boss. This also emgirls for stitching or

not versed in bookbinding 11 know that if the girls' work done up to time, the man's is hindered. The girls were out 17 or 18, and didn't like rased by Thomas, and used to md tease him with feminine

yhat was most annoying to him ir unpunctuality. As St. John's mmenced to strike seven in the his foot was over the doorstep, v once, but always, and the meal times. On the other hand, minute would he work after his punctually as he went in, so out ; in fact, it was quite a he neighborhood. 0 the girls, as 7 p.m. with ant anything from that hour iy-five minutes past. The our was equally elastic. To was torture, and besides that nto scrapes through the lesser c. To have been found out ire meant dismissal, and al--1 threatened day after day to f knew that he wouldn't do it. jprietor of this large concern [igh Sheriff of Exeter that although in a good position as, he made it a point daily nth the heads of the departI keep himself acquainted ihings were going on. II known that there is a limit ranee, so one day, goaded to t at some order not being in time, Thomas up and told I about it. } declared with indignation i their eyes that Todd was ; liar that was ever made, ere never late, that it was elf that was late, that he vaiting always. Naturally ous.

and raged at their per-clock-work regularity was was second nature to was puzzled. He before to doubt Todd, case of eight to one, and walked out keeping his intentions to himself. was away the jeering he them an order they would tongues or put their noses at him. He swore but didn't know how. a misery that day, and came it was fully five he could get his arms for the girls had day got to an end be began to forget his recollection of a great him. Be had been out with a party of a concert in a .Church a fevr miles to Kind the music books

concert went off swimbe villagers were highly it, and thankful to the ie treat. The genial old —he incited, the party to supper, Need I say long walk and the accepted ? was a real good one, onally testify. lam your many Devonshire water by mentioning dishes was cold roast )f pork—they will know ike—with hot mashed mments.' Well, what ipper and the gweets, hot plum pudding and i Devonshire clotted id the thanks of the ad the scholarly speech d the replies thereto, late when the, party Oiut?. icident crops up in my c supper. One of the ,blind young man, He

was in very humble circumstances, but being an excellent musician, was often invited to those parties. His escort was a precious young brother named

Billy. After all the guests were out oE hearing (as Blind Jimmy thought), Jimmy calls out, ' Billy!' ' Yes, Jimmy ?' ' I say, Billy, eat a lot' 'So I have, Jimmy.' ' Eat some more, Billy.' 'I can't, Jimmy.' 'Then fill your pockets, Billy.' 'So I have, Jimmy.' Obviously nothing more could be done. There was great fun going home about this. Yet one more story about ' Billy.' One on the staff of the establishment in which Todd worked was married. There were too many to invite to his house, so he gave them a sovereign to spend one evening at the ' Greyhound' in his honor. This hostelry was a favorite one with actors and musicians, and it was a sort of unwritten law that when Cooper's people came to the house that the room they used was a sort of club room, so no one else was allowed in. The evening was a pleasant one what with speeches, sandwiches, songs, cigars, and chaff. In the drinking, however, they had resolved to have nothing stronger or more expensive than Bass's bitter. They would spend Sheehan's

sovereigns, but not a penny more. The burly landlord, after an hour or two of this, thoughc it about time that something more generous should be ordered and by way of hiDt, and of tempting them, he took into the room a steaming ' rummer (a glass shaped liked a goblet), to drink the bridegroom's health. It was filled with brown brandy and water, with a big lump of white sugar in it. They saw the point, and smiled —but were not to be tempted. He took it to the foot of the table and commenced a lot of compliments as to the absent bridegroom, and then raised the glass to his Jips, just taking a sip. He then put it down, pretending to be called away, and left the charm to work. It did. But not in the way he had hoped. Jimmy and Billy were there. Billy had gorged himself with sandwiches, and not being interested in the flow of soul, was lying under the table wishing Jimmy would come home.

The chairman was, of course, at the head of the table, and was looking at the landlord's grog in an amused way, when presently he saw some little fingers on the table. They groped towards the glass of brandy and water, and it went out of sight. After an interval it was put back—empty J

Only the chairman had seen it. Presently the landlord came back to conclude his speech and his grog. ' As I was saying, gentleman, I wish him every happiness and luck, and here's to him !' But not a drain came from the glass,

He saw some trick had been played, and turned a3 red as the grog had been, but left the room at once. The guests wondered what was up until midnight came, when they got up to go, and found Billy stretched quite senseless under the table. Oh! those next mornings ! There had been nothing very dissipating at the concert and supper, but it was nearly 3 a.m. when they arrived, dead tired, but happy. Thomas Todd's landlady, a motherly old soul, wondered why he was not down, as he usually got up at 6 o'clock. So she went up to see him, and found him so sound asleep that she thought she would not disturb him.

Poor fellow ! she thought, he can well lay in a bit this morning, being so regular always. To his horror, when he awoke it was past 7 o'clock. He cursed and swore at his landlady, who thought he was gone mad, for nothing worse than 'bother it' had she ever heard from him. Ha tore down High street • he tore down Fore street; he jumped into the passage of the warehouse ; he jumped fair and square into the arms of the High Sheriff himself! Determined to settle the matter by personal observation, the latter had been waiting there ever since five minutes to seven. Punctually as St. John's boomed out seven, a procession of girls filed past him (as they had smelt a rat), each with a ' curtesy,' and punctually at twenty-five minutes to eight by the Sheriff's gold repeater the miserable and agonized Thomas Todd rushed in.

Words cannot describe the scene, the gasping and fervent protestations of Thomas that it had never occurred before, the scathing and contemptuous reproaches of the boss. Just the way with those meek, smug, canting people. ' Mr Bromfield,' said he to the clerk, 'you will deduct nesjfc Saturday night from Todd's wages the sum of five shillings for keeping my hands waiting half an hour, and next time, sir, s, week's notice. Oh, you hypocrite!—-and those poor girls t00,.' 'Those poor girls' greeted him with a wink, and how Thomas got through the day he doesn't remember a bit.