Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-10-05
SeIefte0 Misesiianu.
A MOUSTACHE; AND WHAT CAME
OF IT.

delph1a. l was Just twenty-five. WAS Ger
orally thought good looking, had receive
liberal education, and, altogether, nigh
put myself down as weli-known and like
LII New York, and creditable member c
my iather s establishment. Oaiy two evcl
hau occurred to disturb the peaceful mo
hotohy OF harmless career-one, nv en-
trance INTO military company; the other
tiie piedglng of my affections to nv Lowell,
cousin Arabella, who came for O mouti
from Phliadelphia, stayed with us, an,
sealed my fate forever. In word, loved
and was beloved again
don't MID confessing that this wa
the main cause OF my willing acceptance O
Il seat in her fathers Office in Philadelnbia
ana thus 1t came to pass that was inst o,
the point of beginning life in the Quake
Clty-l and my moustache Here m,
troubles may properly be said to have be
gun. Let me be honest, and trace them
the outset to their cause.
My uncle was methodicaI. Mod Tin,
lawyer, who lived principally in his Office
and barely tolerated life out of it. Aoai,
and again had my father pressed upon m,
the necessity of assuming as qniet and re
spectacle manner as possible. And vet
when stepped on board the steamerwbicl
was to take me.to Philadelphia, 1t was in
new mliitary-looklng suit, which cost nsar
ly sou; hair as short as scissors coulf
make 1t, and parted with the greatest preci
sion; ana my moustachs curling upward a,
the corners of my mouth, in regular mill
fary style as the hair-dresser assured me
LII was lovely morning We stelmed mer
rlly down the bay. The water was perfect
ly smooth, the band was playing "Dixie',
Land, and sat IN the stern ln most an
proved military attitude, twisting nv mou
stache and haughtily looking about me-
Arabeila! where was thy image? A|as
confined to oblivion in my breast pocket
One look at it would have saved me.
gazed at a living, loving image near me-
and was infatuated. She sat beside me in
all the fascination of muslin dress and
coquett1sh straw hat, with a pair of dark
eyes glancing beneath it; and / wished She
would tumble overheard, straw hat and All
that l might be SO happy as to rescue and
enslave her forever.
She belonged, SO perceived, to a stout
merry looking old gentleman, who walked
up and down, looked at the distant coas.
through telescope, talked to everybody
around, and was evidently in high spirits
with himself and the world around general
ty We fell into conversation. The fai,
one joined in the chat and laugh. I was
IN Paradise. How 1 blessed my good FOR.
une! '0i'
In the army" presume sir, said Pa.
terfamilias
couldn't have denied it for the world
So bowed with dignity. The fair crea-
ture looked at me admiringly. The father
said:
81 knew it.
He spoke in loud voice-and other
people heard him, and he SURVEYED me
with lnterest-especially gentlemen also
with moustache and a military air. an
individual with freckles and an eye-elass
and qniet-looking person who had the
appearance of a clergyman [ mention
these three for reason which will be seen
hereafter.
'.Your hand, sir; love tho military. u
said the old gentleman. ga fine set of fell
lows every one of them. Let me see. what's
your regiment?"
| hadn't studied the army list for moth
ng.
THE one hundred and twentieth United
States smashers," / said boldly. It was
Frank CANDLES old regiment [ had met
him few months back, and heard from
him good deal of it and its mess. The
gentleman with the lfoustache looked at
me more earnestly than ever.
I'm peaceable man myself" said the
old gentleman. Never fred 4 gun in nv
iite; wlnked my eyss all the time thev were
shooting at the review last week; DuG love
the military. sir; proud to make Your ac-
qualntance. Grimble. sir, Is nv name and
that's my daughter Alice. She likes an Of
hcer, too, know"
She blushed, think. I know 1 did.
'Now, excuse my freedom" continued
my new acquaintance; Il IN plain ma n.
Wen make pleasant dny of it. Just tell
us lew ofyour adventures; know you We
lots OF them; and may be Eli give you a few
OF mine afterwards"
was under the influence of that demon
OF a moustache, and, in my infatuation
called Frank Gamble TO my aid. | cave
'iisn ali his stories second hand, and Il few
more. Men whom / had never known i
WAS fool enough to represent as NV bosom
fflends; tales of the United States smash
ers, which had conyuised ma With laughter
when heard them, repeated as incidents
OF my own experience. I figured as the
principal actor in the mess scenes of the
one hundred and twentieth. The gentle
man with the moustaehe he with freckles.
ana he who looked Ike parson, all list
ened with several others. Mr. Grimble
threw IN, well, that is capitalr' and turn
e1 round to the rest for their approval, and
we were quite merry party. L was the
non; the military man. [ was quite in nv
glory.
Dinner was announced in the saloon: We
all went down to II together. [ sat beside
Miss Grimble and fiirted with her. I or
dered bottle OF champagne, which cost
me five dollars, and MIR. Grimble ordered
another. After dinner when the ladies
were gone, [ had third bottle up and
somehow the gentleman with freckles, and
the clerical one, ali joined in with Us, and
we swallowed cham pagne as If it were our
usual beverage. We were very merry and
taikatiye; but began to feel little un-
comtortables | had only three dollars left
IN my pocket, and was afraid I might be
called on to stand something more; in
which case should have been n a terrible
TX l may remark by the way, that car
ried one ehundred-dolIar bank note in my
pocket, in trust for nay wholesome un-
settled account between him and my faith
er-but of course that was sacred. We
went on deck again, end smoked together.
''And to think" said ne with freckles,
'tbat great horse-race comes off in New
York city to-day. What OF q book have
YOU"
Now it happened that had never bet.
But | said ca1elessly, ''Oh! so, SO; let mc
see, what was the ODDS last night. Even?'
l S lid confidently.
Now" said my companion, Il am not
n betting man, but l don't mind a five OF
two on Maccaroni. They will have the
winner by telegraph when we get to Phila,
delphia''
Anything you like" I said recklessly.
u can't stand more than fifty" freckles
replied, and he booked it.
Fifty dollars on a horse / knew nothing
ABOUT; and with only three dollars OF my
own! Of course trembled and cried of
~ ohcef Not bir. was a mill tary man
Wiz wiz moustache. l noted it down, and
euinea - " the conversation with en- easy air,
20 80 u y my dollars, more or less, were per-
40, ana ullle. when had finished my Gil ar,
Saiked back TO bliss Grimbie. and
talked aud iIirted witt he~ a., AZ, -.