The Portland daily press., 1870-12-08
A Portland Drummer In the Co nntry.
He TAKETH HIS EASE IN HIS INN AND
AsTONIsHETH THE NATIVES,
7, FRANKLIN COUNTY.
December 1st, 1870.


10 the Editor Of the Press:
Nothing less than volcanic eruption, the
discovery of the bones of plesiosaurus, or
case of murder with peculiar responsiveness
in all its details, could induce me to write for
newspaper, a thing my soul abhors, and a
thing never did before in all my days. I am
too we'll acquainted with those amiable luna
tics who have mania for sending you "aIti-
cles" on some speculative theme with the ex-
PLANTATION that "it doesn't amount to much,
but it will help fill up the paper"-as if this
same filling up Of the paper were not the main
obstacle In your editorial path, and as if every
journal did not exhibit spontaneous and
pretematural activity in getting itself cram
med full! But now am sure that have an
item of ne,cs that will be of interest to all stu
dents of moral phenomena and of manners,
and have no hesitation in writing to you.
"THE COMING OF ARTHUR"
He arrived late in the day at the tavern.
(not the "hotel" if you please,) in our village,
He registered his name as a resident of Port.
land, and it soon appeared that he was the
agent OF a mercantile house in your city. He
IS what we country folks concisely describe as
a"Portland runner" Several species of that
useful and noble genius had previously ap-
peared here, but they were quiet and unob-
trusive, transacted their business in the usual
way, behaved with great decorum, paid their
bills with scrupulous promptness, and went
their way, leaving not ripple on the surface
Of our society.
HE AMAZETH THE LANDLORD.
But your Mr.. Chesterfield is man of very
different quality I can tell you. The first
thing he did after registering his name was
to give the landlord an order for his supper,
which he required to be ready after stated
interval. Being remarkably abstemious my
self, have not sufficient acquaintance with
the epicurean phraseology to give you clear
idea of what he ordered. can only say that
his demands were of such a nature as to make
our landlord, who is a German and as stolid
and well-poised man as Won Bismarck him.
self open his eyes in undisguised astonisb.
ment. Mine host has great aud excusable
pride in the appointments of his house.
Everything about the old hostelry is as neat
as in the Dutch farmhouses described by trav-
ellers. Moreover, the traditional hospitality
Oh iatherland still inspires our worthy adopt
ed citizen and his wife, and their provision
for the entertainment of their guests, though
| mainly of a substantial rather than an ex-
| quisitely delicate character, is extremely gen.
| erous. But the wonderful French whim-
whams he ordered were clean out OF their
| way, and from that hour they looked upon
him with awe and wonder unspeakable, as If
he were Thackeray's great Fitz Doodle him.
! sell, who boasted that he could "order din
ner in every language in Europe" From
that time he was marked man, and has ever
since studously avoided doing or omittiup q
anything to lessen in the slightest his reputa.
ton as an abnormally fastidous gentleman.
HIS WAYS ARE PECULIAR.
Since that ever memorable evening he has
often revisited the tavern, and a great mass
OF tradition, mostly authentic, is in circula-
tion among the villagers, of which I can give
you only brief and imperfect summary. In
justice to Mr.. Chesterfield it should be stated
| to begin with that he is a man of unexcept-