The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-12-05
RaffaeIle Smiths Adventure.

ed the Grand Cokehampton station the hou
was $50 A. VI, the time lovely June morning
couple of years since. At Cokehamton, thu
railway traveller is allowed to leave his carrag'
for few minutes, in order to snatch hasty cuI
of coffee or basin of soup; but it being, a.
every one knows, the custom at Cokehampton
to keep both these stimulants at boiling point
the repast is usually performed under consider
able difficulties. Among the rest of those whose
steps were directed by appetite toward the re-
freshment saloon was straight, long limbed
handsome young fellow, with brown shooting
Jacket brown mustache, and a wide awake tina
had seen service. This was my friend Rafaelle
Smith, of Clipstone street, London, landscape
painter, journeying in the search of bits Of
nature as he termed them, for his next years
pictures. AS this may be a little too technical
for the general reader, VIC may more closely ex
press what we mean by stating that, according
to annual custom, the young artist was going
to the West country, to sketch from nature.
Now, it happened on this particular occasion
that although Rafaelle Smith had been out Of
his bed since dawn, he had spent so much time
in packing his easel. canvasses, coloIs, and 9th.
err baggage of his artistic campaign, that it came
to be question whether he should breakfast
and lose the train, or catch the train and lose
his breakfast. Breakfast, as the least important
was sacrificed. Accordingly my friend found
hin self at Cokehampton, some sixty miles from
London with most acute sense of emptiness
of stomach, Just as the railway guard was call
ing out,
Train starts in ten minutes, gents
To a man in my friends unbreakfasted condi'
ton, such an intimation could not have the eff
feet OF che cking the ardcr with which traveller
usually seeks the Cokehampton refreshment sa-
loon. A very sharp appetite, and the exigen-
cies of the ailway time table, gave promptnesS
to Raffaelle Smiths movements, and caused that
young lumlnary of art TO be among the first OF
them who sought reflection at Cokehampton's
refreshment counters. Accordingly the pressing
Injunction Of the guard had scarcely been utter
ed, when my friend found himself at the most
plentifuy garnished portion OF the table. The
Cox champ on mattresses are no less neat-hand-
ed than natty, and Raffaelle Smiths appetite
would, doubtless, have been quickly appeased,
had not the following question interrupted his
predatory call for 'Soup!'
is there gentleman here named Smith 4
! The artist scrutinized the face of his fellow
travellers, in order to ascertain whether the
question was addressed to any of them and
as no one replied, he himself went up to the SER
want.
1t appears that am the only Mr. Smith here,
do you want me y
Il want Mr.. Smith who has arrived by the
train from London
HIM! but am unknown to a single inhab-
! liant in this town..
| i know that SIR answered the groom, read
| lily. That is the reason why am sent to you,
| SIR
THE reason why you are sent to me = re-
pearted Smith, in great establishment. by
whoE 2
Perhaps you will be kind enough to fol-
low me-, continued the mysterious groom
Il am ordered to speak to Nj Smith in pyi-
vate.'
| sudden misgiving took possession of Raj
| faelle Smith.
Come, gentlemen he said addressing his
fellow travellers, is it practical joke II any
gentleman present is the author Of this piece of
mystifcation, l charge him in the name of the
stomach, the most worthy object of compassion
in he world, to avow it at once, and to allow
me- to utilize, without interruI iions, the few
minutes that remain!
In answer to this novel summons, every one
protested complete ignorance ofwhat was pass
ing.
Smith was determined to pluck out the heart
of the mystery. Curiously imposed upon the
stomach delay of several minutes, and the art
ist follow cd the groom out of the refreshment
room. He, however, informed his travelling
companions that he would return in the course
of few seconds with the solution of this eng
ma. The groom, who had heard the latter re-
mark, put on broad grin, and when they were
in the street, said:
Beg pardon, sir, but wasn't you having
laugh at them gents They'll be precious mis-
taken if they think you are going back to lunch
there =
L tell you what, young man., replied Smith,
irritated by the manner OF the groom, mark me,
if you dent explain everything ut once-it you
have had the misfortune to be charged with
practical joke at my expenSe-I shall not leave
you without a sound thrash'ng,' (the groom
bowed respectfully for causing me to lose my
lunch and miss my train.
'Ah, sir, see you're gent as wishes to have
his joke replied the imperturbable groom
! Now, sir, don't you know very well that you
will not leave Cokehampton to-day As for
| the lunch, l don't think you will mind that when
you see the magnificent spread getting ready for
you up at the villa"
The last phrase, though not more compre-
hensble than the other portion of the groom's
conversation, somewhat talmed the artists ire,
Then / am expected to dine by your mas
terri
| You'll be good enough to speak about dinner
to my MISTRESS answered the messenger.
"A lady, good dinner, and mytery Welt
cried RaffaeIe, Pickering off the dust from his
boots with his handkerchief, that is not very
alarming. The adventure is taking a rather
interesting turn. Once MORE he added to the
domestic are you quite certain that it is me,
| Ie1ldGll6 CLlLuY NlIpSLOEG SbTtGlJ LOuuOII
scape painter, that your mistress has sent this
cordial invitation =
You are the very gent, SIR answered the
groom, readily and here's the note she sent
| 10 you.
| 'Raffaelle hastily snatched little note which
| the groom held towards him. The address was
plain enough, Mr.. Smith, although tie writing
was completely unknown to the artist. He tore
open the envelope, impatient to see what sig
| fho and Mt hn npiSV 10 hut TN
crown the mystery, the note was anonymous
and contained these words:
Mr. Smith is awaited with the greatest anx-
iety and he is begged instantly to follow the
bearer Of this note Every reliance is placed on
his alacrity and discretion.
| Now this is an adventure that commenced
in too charming fashion not to be followed up.
Raffaelle at once forgot the Refreshments counter
at Cokehampton, and the next tram. He boldly
commanded the groom to
Go on =
1T is not two minutes walk answered the
servant, leading the way.
All the better thought the artist Tor l am
literally dying of hunger and curiosity
i But OH suddenly turning corner out of the
High street, Raffaelle saw an elegant brougham,
into which the groom invited him to enter
The artist took his seat therein, and the driver
instantly whipped his horses into fast pace
Rafaelle had learnt nothing from his interoga
ton of the groom. He threw himself back on
the seat, and resigned himself to await the de-
movement OF this travelling adventure. 'Ab, hap
he said to himself. as the brougham dashed a.
long the gravelly road, the whole thing resem-
bles All incident in play, and am at this mo-
: ment performing the part OF fashionable lover,
flying to secret rendezvous with his lady love.
At any rate, it will be good story to tell my
triends-that IS, provided the play does not ter
inmate in q lugubrious fashion One thing is
certain he continued, which is, that don't
know single individual in Cokepampton. Can
any Of my friends have come down here without
my knowledge? No, that hypothesis will not
stand, for LETT London without telling a single
soul where l was going. None of my chums
!, know where l am, and 1 only intended to bid
them good bye by letter, after had put fifty
, miles of railroad between u.s.
The horses still maintained their fast pace and