The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-07-15
gelett Story.
MY FIRST FILTRATION.

. July day, 1861, as 1 turned into
shady street, dressed in a summery gar
and smoking cigarette through m,
nose. The heat that morning wa
tropical. The crossing sweeperaban-
doned his post aud bctook himself to
shady doorway. The cabmen on th'
ceTb read penny papers inside their re
spective vehicles, whilst the sun Bills
tered he roofs above them. The en-
Ijoyns6t of the bibulous beggars at the
pump, who took it in turns to be pump
ed for, smote one with envy On thai
thirsty morning. Vague yearning:
after an iced Soda and B., a pipe OF
mild tobacco, or other light dissipa-
ton suited to the state Of the ther-
mometer aud the lassitude of my sys
tenn, caused me TO stop langu;dly at a
set of chambers for gentlemen.
The first floor was occupied by a
man named Osborne, with whom was
then very intimate found my friend
and another man at breakfast, and af-
ter refreshing myself with some straw
berries and cool draught of seltzer
and brandy, threw myself into a com
Portable chair by the open window, and
began studying with sapient air what
would have given worlds at that time
to have understood, the "Sportman's
/ Own"
1 was, at the time / EN- speaking of,
shy, awkward, home bred youngster
of nineteen, with a round, youthful
face, wbisker!ess cheeks, and nervous
temperament. Osborne was a cool,
polished man of the world, eight years
my senior, pale, with regular features,
thin, sarcastic lips, cold grey eyes, and
fair, colorless hair. How envied him
his taste in dress, his composed, quiet
manner, his skill at billiards, and Ibis
success with women! But with ali my
admiration and intimacy, 1 rather dis
lik ed the man than otherwise. l felt
dim, disagreeable consciousness that
1 served principally as butt and sport
to my dear friend, and knew that he
considered and generally spoke of me
as mannerls IS young cub, who want
ed deuced d, al of licking into shape"
The man who was breaklasting with
him was also my senior. He had a
plain, meaningless face, long red whis
kers, falsetto laugh, and po: sessed the
rare faculty of being good listener.
His name was Anderson, and be played
the eoneertina / never knew what he
was, or where he lived, but remember
the first time we met, his requesting Of
me, with pleasant laugh, the tempo
experience of the gentleman proved
him 10 be capable of repeating the re
quest any Dunber Of times without be
ing struck with the mcnctony cf pro
ceeding he never attempted to vary by
any allusion to repayment. He was
devoted to his rich friend Osborne,
who found in him willing and useful
toady.
Like a smoke, Master Charlie,".
said Osborne, offering me a large.
highly favored cigar from his case. ]
received and suelt the priceless weed
with the rapturous air of connoisseur.
(Lordl bow faint and sick these strong
cigars used to make meD Having
lighted it, 1 began the perusal of
I" mill in the " Sportsman Own" and
soon was as intensely miserable as nay
worst enemy could have desired. Mill
aud smoke becoming at last too strong
for me, clio sed my eyes and listened
vacantly to my friends Conversation.
"But we had bstter'settle now,"Os
borne was saying, "what time We are
to 60 to that place to night"
Here there was pause, during which
they each beat tatton on the carpet
and stared al each olher. o iborne at
length rose, aud bending over his
frierd, whispered some suggestions
which appeared to be fraught with
much interest. Whatever they were.
they were cordially agreed to, and car
ried amid much laughter from Auder
sen, who put on the falsetto stop, and
beat Osborne hollow on the high notes
Their enjoyment of the subject before
them made them talk louder and with
more amin ation, ,and thus, without wish ,
ing to divine the subject of their mirth.
the following broken sentences fell up
on nv ear as 1 half dozed in my chair:
"But will she appear on the scene at
all 2" said Anderson.
"Good heavens, mani! replied Os
borne, "no chance of it, But don't
mention her, for can't stand it.
only promised to go there once a year,
and choose this affair for my annual
visit, because 1 have towards shrink
ing in speaking to or ever seeing"-
Here his vice tremb'ed and drop
ped to whisper too low for me to
hear.
Cali right, my boy" said Anderson,
eve can then have our little joke with
out fear of any mischance; it'll be capi-
tai fun-he's an awful fool, and in spite
of his young airs, is frightened at his
own shadow"
"Duced funny" thought I to my
self, "particularly if I'm their awful
fool, which rather think 1 am" and
then fell to wondering, gloomily, if
Amandine paste and constant care
would ever make my hands as white
and shapely as were those of my dear
appreciative friend and model. Break
fast, pipes, drinks, and pleasant conf
dences being all ended, we rose,
stretched and yawned. Then, some
what to my relief, Osborne told me he
had an engagement which would oc'
cupy him all the afternoon, bat hoped
would dine with him at his clnb the
same evening, and afterwards go on
with him TO a very charming dance a
little way out of town, where, to use
his OWE words, 81 should meet lot Of
deuced pretty girls, and perhaps pick
ND an heiress, old feller." Having re,
ceived my assent to what appeared to