White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1858-09-02

there was crowd of men and boys gath
cred around what looked like dilapida-
ted anvil, ramming down a third dis
charge.
1t must be election day in Smithburg,
thought ], and they are rejoicing over the
result. Confound the successful candidate,
whoever he is, making such an internal
racket. Just then one of the youngsters
caught sight of me, standing ia my shirt
tail at the window. He hurriedly spoke
to the others, and then shouted
"Boys, let's give him three cheers !"
And they did.
Hoo-oo-raw."
"Hoo-oo- oo-raw"
Hoo-oo- 90 ra-a-aw."
l shrank back, and crept shivering into
bed, just as gun number four went of,
amid another set of cheers. Then there
was bonfire, blazing up so suddenly into
the window, that 1 thought the house
had caught fire. Then there was " Hail
Columbia and Yankee Doodle" on
cracked fiddle and a wheezy clarionet.
At last Babel quieted down, and l, won
dering considerably what it was all about,
fell asleep.
But if 1 was mysti6ed about the doingS
of the night, was considerably more
puzzled by the goings on in the morning
My host met me with most profound
bow, and was deferentially SOLICITORS about
my health. The bar-keeper bowed rever-
entially, rose to his feet, (staring hard,
meanwhile, as l walked thro'. The
chambermaid dropped as many as fifty
courtesies one after another, when hap
pened to meet her in the hall, and so
overwhelmingly civil was everybody, that
L half imagined l had stepped ont Of free
and easy America into courteous France.
On looking around, l perceived the
house itself was marvellously changed,
overnight. The scrubbing brush must
have been busy since daylight, for the
floors were freshly secured, and the win
dews glistened with polish, while the
furniture was set round " in the primest
kind of order. The landlady. although
it was the slatternly hour of eight o'clock
in the morning, was arrayed in majestic
black silk, and her cap. with its multitu-
dinous cherry c0lored ribbons WAS mirac-
ulous to behold. Mine host evidently
had on his Sunday black suit. and had
thrust himself into a clean shirt, starched
to an extent that kept him as perpendic,
ular as grenadier.
1t must be, thought l, that this is coun-
try fair day or perhaps they are going
to have a wedding in the house.
"By the way, what was that firing for,
last night ?" 1 inquired.
ooh a mere six FOUNDER, sir; but
the best we have in Smithburg. The
boys thought they must have it out in
honor of your arrival"
"In honor of my arrival !" CALCULATED
1, taken aback.
Eyes, your Excellency. But breakfast
is ready. Will your Excellency walk
in?"
My arrival my Excellency ! l was so
astonished with the sudden distinction
with which found myself invested, that
I could only mechanically walk in and
seat myself at the breakfast table.
Certainly the " hotel" had put forth
its most strenuous efforts to get up that
breakfast. There were broiled chickens
and chickens fricaseed there was huge
turkey, there was roast sirloin of beef
there was a cold leg of mutton, and hot
leg of veal there was ham and eggs
and egg without the ham; pork anC
beans beef steak; outlets and chops
cabbages, beets, csuliAowers, tomatoes
and other vegetables ad Ii6ituna ; sausa
ges, hominy, oysters, clans, salmon
shad, buckwheat cakes, biscuit and johnny
cake; pickles to any extent, pies, cakes
and sweetmeats and whatever else ever
entered into the head of country house
> wife to put on breakfast table, and {
great deal that never was thought of befor'
for such purpose. And my solitary chat
was the only one set for this repast. l
; was appalling.
For attendants, l had the landlord AM
/, the landlady, the young lady "magnii
cent? in ribbons and jewels, and the ba
keeper, brass coat an6 blue buttons, AM
an enormous display Of wristband. The!
all four hustled about, running over eacl
other in their esgerness to serve me, Will
the host, rubbing his hands, and smiling
9 apologetically, remarked:
=" Sorry we have nothing better to Civ
you, sir but your coming SO privately
last night, took us rather by surprise
J Hope you'll be able to make breakfast
sir"
}, l ate breakfast in amaze, cogitatin
whether the extraordinary attentions coal
be the result of the wide spread fame
4 Naryred & Company, or whether ha
4 really achieved distinguished reputatio
|. without being aware of it. AT any rat
a the breakfast was substantial, and n
n illusion. / inwardly resolved that
II would always patronize this tavern wher
ever came to Smithburg.
n Presently l observed indications that
g was not only the object of attention. bt
of curiosity. Faces, as of persons stand
ing on chairs. appeared behind the pane
|, of glass ever the door. and when l lookeC
& the faces ducked out of sight When
lie turned away, they reappeared, or wei
sr succeeded by others, standing in turn
h The window opening on the street va
1t deadened all at once, and on turnln
l. round to see the reason, / surprised
crowd of urchins, piled in tiers, aatteniu