The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-10-18
petite ; within few minutes he had
cleared the table.


four hours he said alphabetically.
After lunch produced cigars. He
looked at the tobacco ravenously.
eft is my passion. I did not think I
could have existed so long without
it, - $-..~
He lay back in an armchair and
smoked half.a-dozen cigars one after
the other, apparently with the most
intense qualification. Meanwhile we
talked. The Prince was most agree
able companion !; his experience were
varied he had travelled far and wide,
had seen many cities, and knew men s
manners. 1t was delightful to listen
to him. But he was far too well-bred
to monopolize the conversation. lie
also could listen, and did so with cour.
teous un1lagging interest as enlarged
upon the subjects had most at heart ;
he even led me on to talk quite famil-
iarly and freely of my regiment my
comrades; my life and prospects,
everything, in short, which interested
me.
In this way the hours passed, till
suddenly the Prince jumped up.
"You have been most good, NJ. Car.
ruthers. can never repay your kind.
ness. But now the day is advancing,
[ must be moving on
spray do not think of it. You will
surely stay and dine? Tomorrow OF
next day will be time enough to travel;
by then you will be refreshed and re.
cruited in strength
IL hardly dare take advantage of
your good nature. know not what to
say. But your pleasant society draws
me towards you; I will stay. Suffer
me only to write few letters. Unjust
communicate with =, the Russian En-.
bassy should send to my bankers,
and to my London hotel for clothes and
necessities.
sat him down al once to my writ.
lng-desk, a piece Of portable barrack
furniture limited in dimensions, very
much Uttered with old letters, books,
and stray papers, tradesmen's bills,
all army list, Bradshaw, officials re.
portssan returns, some in my own
handwriting and bearing my sigma
ture. But from among these I cleared
sufficient space, and left the Prince to
write his letters alone.
It was quite an hour before I re.
turned. He started rather as I re-en.
tered the room, hut explained that his
recent narrow escape had shaken his
nerves. lie had been busy: several
letters were lying on the table, their
addresses uppermost, and, for the life
of me, could not help seeing that one
was to a Secretary of the Russian En-
bassy, another to some one at Clar-
idge's Hotel, a third to Messrs. Coutts;
of a fourth I read only a part. It
looked like ''Jemmy Haw--Seven Di
-' But the moment my somewhat
surprised and curious eyes had read
thus far, the Prince took up all his
correspondence, and rose to greet me
with pleasant smile.
"There! So much for business. This
contretemps will alter all my plans.
But what matter I am still alive.
Shall we take a breath Of air %
Outside, after few Turns upon the
shore, he said:
sis your post-of1ice far. We might
drop these in as we pass
said sent an orderly with the let
ter.bag as far as Silverburn, the near.
est village and rail station, three miles
or so. He would start in an hour.
''NoW confess-you are sending on
purpose shall be truly grieved to
derange you. Your soldier would hate
me. What say you, shall we, walk to
the post-office ourselves? should like
it, and it would do you good, too; you
are lazy, mon Lieutenant, you will
grow fat. Say then, shall we walk to
Silverburn!
I excused myself. The fact was I
wished to stay.at the fort to attend to
household affairs. did not often en-.
terrain a prince, and I was somewhat
anxious about the dinner which was
being prepared by my experienced sol.
der cook.
"You will not? You are wrong. You
should walk more. 1t is excellent ex.
ercise. find the benefit, and need it
much always, as now. But I see you
will not be pursuaded. Au revoir then
-till-?''
Dinner at half-past 6. That will
give us a nice long evening"
eyes; nice long evening" he re.
peated after me in a strange, mocking
tone. If he had not been Prince !
might have considered his conduct
rude.
We parted. He walked on at very
brisk pace; returned slowly to the
fort.
For the next few hours I was busy
experimenting the operations in the
kitchen, assisting to lay the table,
drawing wine, and making ready fol
the feast. About 6 p. m. I dressed in
mess uniform to do honor to my for.
eign guest, and walked down the road
to meet him on his return.