Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-11-13

coming up to town that day, and begging
me to meet them at the train. This was
pleasant; but as there was no help for
il, | endeavored to calm. my rutfled TEN.
per with the assistance of my hookah,
and so far succeeded that | was not &C.
tually rude to my relatives, while escort
ing them across town. When had thus
done my duty, | began to consider what
TO do with myself, and what particular
establishment | should favor with my
custom for dinner that evening. just as
| had settled this important matter, who
should | meet coming round "a corner
but my friend Jack Hilyal? the very man,
of all others, | should have wished to
have come upon at the moment. Jack
was as good fellow as ever breathed--
pleasant and light.hearted, but with plen.
ty of stuff in him for all that. As luck
would have it, he had not yet dined, so
we arranged to have a quiet little dinner
together, and good chat in the smoking
room afterwards. We had finished the
second course, and were discussing
the wines and dessert, when
stranger entered the room and
seated himself at the table next to me-
Now, all my life have been a physiog-
nomst-not, perhaps, in the ordinary
sense of the word, as do not assert that
| can read mans general character from
his appearance-but this | can tell at the
| first glance, whether man is potentially
my enemy or my friend In this judg-
ment at first sight | have never yet found
myself to be mistaken. The very moment
the stranger entered the room where we
sat, | conceived an intense dislike to him
"a feeling that that man, if ever he were
to cross my path, would prove Il deter
mined and formidable foe. AT a glance
we could see that he was an American.
! The sharp, eagle face, the slouching gait,
and, above all, the intensely free-and-e easy
manner, indicated his nationality beyond
the shadow of a doubt. Putting three
chairs together, he stretched himself along
them, and set himself to stare calmly and
persistently at Jack and myself Wewere
partly amused and partly annoyed at the
| insolence of the man; but, as we had fin
! ished our wine, we adjourned to the
smokingroom. Soon after, the American
followed us into the other room, and rear
ed himself up against the mantelpicce,
while he gave out, for the benefit of all
present, his opinions on things in general.
Jack, who had got over his first feeling of
disgust, seemed highly to enjoy the mans
ecCentricity, and to wish to draw him out
|
of this amusement, so we resumed the
talk we had been engaged in on the sub
ject of the Alpine Club. Jack was think
ing of joining it, and, in reply to his
questions, | gave a glowing description
| of all its glorieS. The harsh voice of the
American broke upon our ears, with the
remark: i calc'late the Alpine Club is a
tarnation humbug.' Jack looked delight
ed, and, giving a sly glance at me, pro
ceeded to draw out our friend once more.
81 hope, sir he rejoined, in a most
polite tone, that you will give your
reasons for that opinion, as | had thought
of becoming a member, but, of course,
would not do SO if convinced that the
whole concern was humbug.n
oval, stranger, you could not do a
knowinger thing than stay as you air.
| guess they've named the thing wrong
1t should be the Drag Company, Limit
ed" Some 'tarnal dufier that calls him
self an A, G, goes up mountain that all
the folk near have known for years, and
then writes to all the European papers to
say that he has made a first ascent. l
reckon they've raised the prices Of every
darned thing in Switzerland close on so
per cent. Then they're such cheeky
cusses to meet; and the greater the dutier
| lle CHcckleT nc is. Ion w III, stranger
don't do it
silent, but rapidly losing my temper At
last | could stand it no longer, and burst
out with: This is mere vague abuse, sir.
| will bet you any sum of money you
choose to name that will select better
mountaineer from the members of the
Club than any man you can name. Is
that fair offer? The Alpine Club against
| the world
''The Yankee looked me over from head
to foot, and then drawled out: Wall,
stranger, | guess III take your bet if
you'll let the mountaineering be between
you and me. | lay you $4,000 that be-
fore this time three years I'll have cut
you out in tall climbing
81 had spoken hastily, and was perfect
| ly taken aback at being closed with so
quickly. However, | was in for it now,
and could not go back from my word
AS coolly as | could, | said Just as you
like. Let the bet be between you and
me. The sum you name will be as good
as any other, but of course must be lodged
by both parties before the matter is finally
arranged
al calc'late you're right, stranger. 1t
won't be long before you hear from me
about it. What do you say your name
is y
"Forbes-Henry Forbes
mine is Zachariah J Johnston, of New
York City. Wall, guess we're to meet
here on this day three years, and which
ever has first done the talest and hardest
mountain is to have the stakes. Shake
hands on it, stranger shake hands on
it,
"Here | was obliged reluctantly to
stretch out my hand to be grasped by the
bony fingers of the other. After this, he
tossed the end of his cheroot into the fire
place and sauntered out of the room,
| whisfling Yankee DoOdlen