Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-09-21

Fred led the way, muttering something
about "snobs picked up ct water. places, "
which made me furious When we got to
mis- chamber / was SO angry that forgot
all about my bill deposited at the library,
and pulled out my poyts monnais; and by
the time he got the gas lit l was opening
it, and feeling in the secret pocket. There
was the bill, twenty dollars, and slapped
il down on the table, saying, CAS- am to
nav this twice over, III trouble you to
leave a receipt at the Office for me to-
morrow morning. don't wish to pay the
third time! And then / went off to my
room raging When cooled off little,
1t came to me that had passed of bad
bill on Fred P, but to that answered
nv conscience that il was for an unjust
claim. At any rate l was quite ready to
90 to Jail or anywhere else, ana went to
sleep thinking of an odd story had heard,
in consequence of which l dreamed that l
was sent to the Nantucket prison for pass
ing counterfeit money, and that every
night was in the habit Of slipping out of
INV cell and prowling round the streets.
Then I was giving reading to a crowded
house, but the books were all wrong.
Whatever l took up turned to dictionary
l.
thought over two plans, one of which was
to 90 off to sea in a whaler from New Bed
ford, the other was to get Fred to have
me arrested for passing the counterfeit bill
on him and sent to Boston for trial. Once
there. I could get some one to help me-
In the midst of working out these plans to
a grand and triumphant tableau l got to
sleep again, and this time dreamed that
n
chains, and that was stopped at each cor
ner and rearrested on new charge, when
l was really awakened by strange man
shoulder. My first thought was, ut has
come now, and | m glad of it," 1t was the
matchmaker. "I've come round to see
thee" he began, "to look at thy watch
once more. I've thought thee might be
wanting money good deal, and l don't
mind letting thee have twenty dollars, If
thee thinks thee can pay me in week or
so. l guess thee's pretty honest as folks
GO"
| was just putting the watch into his
hands, when the door opened again, and
in came Apollyon, | mean the artist.
"what is all this about a broken Buggy
I've just seen the stable fellow hanging
round here, and of course you are not to
pay a sixpence for the team or for the dam
age. am afraid | was little careless in
letting your horse get away.in fact,
I-well-I wanted-it was of the ut
most importance for me to have an un-
interrupted talk with Miss-with Miss
P. Two years ago we were engaged.
II was broken of by a most unlucky
T hou hod in
power to explain matters till yesterday.
Sothe stable bill, which shall cut down
considerably, is my business. For the
other matter, | owe you an apology, which
/ tender now"
was too bewildered to answer at once,
but the artist, noticing my Quaker friend
for the frst time, drew himself up with
mock solemn ty, and added, eff you de-
mand further satisfaction, there will be
coffee for two down stairs in about ten
minutes, and friend of mine will be glad
to see YOU" And out he went
had just exchanged my watch for the
good Quaker's bill, and he had departed,
when Fred bounced in, blushing up to his
eyes
81 say, old fellow" was his greeting, 81
behaved abominably last night. This
morning l found my money, you know;
left it in my pantaloons pocket when l
changed to 90 Shaking. There was more
than | cared to lose; and then / was
awfully mad about Minnie, seeing that
artist f low with her; but he came up to
nv room last night and it is all right
tell YOU some day. And / found letter
on my table from Cunningham, which I
ought to have had three days ago, telling
me about that boat money; you did pay
twice, and here it is back, the bill you
gave me. And beg your pardon, heaps"
1 don't know what said as we shook
hands, but certainly felt on good terms
with all creation, and all the more as Fred
added, Heres book, by the way,
found in your room when went to look
for you-where were you, by the way, all
the evening ,-and took up to my room to
read. luckily saw it this morning, and
suppose you'd like to carry it back to the
AtheDaum" Then l remembered my
bill which had deposited, and rather as
tonished Fred by tearing out Of bed and
flinging on my clothes, and starting down
the street on the run.
l must have started the amiable
librarian by my breathless and some
what dishevelled appearance; but like
true Nan ucket woman, she was perfectly
self possessed and polite, and accepted my
confused statement with entire composure,
put Handy Andy on its shelf, and handed
me my twenty in the envelOp in which
she had placed it, expressing a kind wish
to meet ne again another summer.
1t is religious belief win the island
ere, that wbOsoever sits Nantucket once
will surely return again, and must say it
is a well funded belief There Is spell
in that ba'my air, like that of the sweet
waters of the fountain of Trevi at Rome,
10 lure back the traveller, and whosoever
eats of the chowder Ct Siasconset will
lonr to eat it again.
When got back to the hotel the clerk
met me. The crier's been alter YOU"
said be; "come to say that the Atbe III um
won't charge any thing for room and lights,
as there was no exhibition and told him
that he mu int charge but dollar Tor his
work; 30 if you'll leave it with ne, he'll
be satisfied"
think enjoyed my last breakfast at
the Ocean House even more than any pre-
vicus one, and that is saying q good deal
had time, too, to stop and redeem my
watch, with thanks to the good watch
maker, on my way to the boat. The bill
I GOT hack from Fred WAC commissioned