The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-11-20

They only wanted to carry my valise to the
hotel.
In the midst of the clamor felt the valise
passing from me- / was helpless. I simply
followed it, making no complaint. 1t was on
the head of bright little darkey who depend
ed soley on his personal cOmelincss tor attract
iveness-he had nothing on but shirt. And
the length of time that had elapsed since that
shirt was at the laundry was longer than the
shirt ITSELF should judge. - ~ ia.
We wound in and out among narrow streets
bordered By small houses scantily furnished,
and generally with pigs, cats and parrots and
ted little front porches monkey or two MAX
ing trouble with all these parties in turn
glimpse through the open door of an insignif-
cant stock of wares on sale--such as oranges,
pine-apples, cocoa-nuts, bread, sausages, cigars,
brOoms, herrings, cheap prints of saints carry
ing their bleeding hearts outside their shirt
boSoms and, tending the grocery, a stout
wench in parti-colored turban, calico dress,
wide open at the breast, cigarito in mouth, no
shoes, no stockings Occasionally we passed
genteel houses, entirely surrounded by veran-
das, Close-shuttered to keep out the heat. In
the yards attached to these houses were tall,
thick-bodied cocoa palms, with foliage like a
bunch of swamp flags eXaggerated-the cocoa
IL
these yards was world of Towering tropical
plants--curious, gorgeous, outlandish- looking
that had the air Of being glaringly out ofplace
with no greenhouse glass arranged around
them
oDoIs OF WAR.
1t was the hottest part of the day, and so
there were not many people stirring. We met
two companies of soldiers on their way to en-
bark for the northern coast where the Quaker
City is bombarding fort Picolet. The Quaker
City 1t seems strange to speak of her as be-
ing engaged in such work--the very ship in
which hundred of us pilgrims made a famous
picnic excursion half round the world about
two years ago. But she seems good warrior.
She just riddled one of Sanave's war YES
sells in a sea fight two or three days ago.
A NEAT SPECULATION.
The third citizen ] met, advised me in Span
lsh, and said he was going down to Bejar to
post himself on hill and observe the battle
which must come off these in day or two.
between the insurgents and the government
troops, and he would take it az great favor
If would sell him thefield- glass that was sus-
pended from my shoulder.
said did not care particularly to part
with it, but still--what would he give. He
said:
81 am willing to pay you forty thousand
dollars"
"What!'
Forty thousand dollars" HW80
"My friend are you insane 2"
He took package out ola sort of knapsack
winch was slung about him, and deliberately
counted out forty new and handsome one
thousand dollar Haytien greenbacks. We ex
changed. | felt small and mean, thus to take
M a Inn Of hutth han ,uy,o
you have done then resumed my journey,
with an unusually sneaking expression on my
Countenance.
EXToRTIoN.
Arrived at my hotel, I asked the small col
ored boy what | owed him for carrying my
valise.
"Nne hund'd dollahs, sah"
tainted
When came to, a number of people were
about me applying restoratives and doing
what else they could to help me. That soul |
less coored boy was standing there, cold,
serene.
said:
How much did you say, boyy'
Nine hundd dollahs, sah--reg'lar price, |
SO
lappeaed to the bystanders for protection. |
An old gentleman of noble countenance and |
CoHhlaneunS pIeScHCc Salu the DOy was right,
he was charging only the usual rate. Hooked |
at the other faces They all mutely indorsed
the venerable conspirators statement.
sadly handed the boy thousand dollar |
bill. He walked off.
was stupiic with amazement. "Gentle. |
men," said "what does this mean There's |
hundred dollars change coming TO me-"
True" the cd party said, "but it is not |
the custom to regard a tri1le like that"
Stunned and dizzy, l hurried to my room
and threw myself on the bed. almost salts. |
fed that ! had lost my reason. l applied |
tests. | repeated the multiplication table |
without a mistake. 1t was plain that my
comprehension of numbers was unimpared.
| repeated = The Boy Stood on the Burning
Deck" without blunder. 1t was plain to
be seen that my memory was sound. read
one OF Mrs Browning's poems and clearly un-
derstood some oft. 1t was plain that my in
tellectua faculties were in condition of even
unusual vigor Then what in the world ,oas
the matter Had not suddenly developed q
mohomania-a craziness about money, only
FELLOW SUFFERER.
Somebody Knocked. And then the door
opened and q poor sad-looking American wo
man OF about thirty-fye years entered. r
seated her with alacrity and with interest
too, Tor was glad enough to have a kind
troubled face to look into and gather from II
sympathy for my own sorrow. She SAID:
"Sir, am stranger TO you, but griefmakes
me bold. My husband died two months AGO