The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-09-20
comprehended the situatio

instantly. 10 DaShDOaru surprise,
she drew chair to her side, made the
man from Solano sit down, quietly
turned her back on Dashboard, and in
fair view Of the brilliant audience and
the focus of hundred lorgnettes,
entered into conversation with him.
Here, for the sake Of romance,
should like to say that he became
animated, and exhibited some traits
OF eXcellence-SOme rare wit of solid
sense. But the fact is, he was dull
and stupid to the last degree. He
persisted in keeping the conversation
upon the subject of the lost baggage
checks, and every attempt of the lady
to divert him failed signally. At last,
to everybody's relief, he arose, and
leaning over her chair said:
Il calklate to stop over here some
time, Miss, and you and me bein'
sorter strangers here, may be when
there sa show like this goin' on you'll
let me-"
Miss x. said. somewhat hastily,
that the multiplicity Of her engage
ments and the brief limit of her stay
in New York, she feared would, ETC.,
etc., The two other ladies had their
handkerchiefs over their mouths. and
were staring intently on the stage,
when the man from Solano continued:
"Then, maybe, Miss, whenever.
there is a show goin' on that you'll
attend you'll just drop me word to
Eagles Hotel, to this yer address,"
and he pulled from his pocket a dozen
well-wOrn letters, and taking the buff
envelope from one, handed it to her
with something like bow.
"Certainly,'' broke in the facetious
Dashboard ''Miss X. goes to the
Charity ball tomorrow eight. The
tickets are but trife to an opulent
Californian and a man of your evident
means, and the object d worthy one.
You will, no donbt, easily secure an
invitation.''
Miss X. raised her handsome eyes
MEANS" she said turning to the man
from Solano; land as you are a
stranger, he will, of course send you
complimentary ticket. / have known
Mr.. Dashboard long to know that he
is invariably courteous to strangers
and gentleman" She settled her
self in her chair again and fixed her
eyes upon the stage.
The man from Solano tn anked the
man from New York, and then, after
shaking hands with every body in the
box. turned to go. When he had
reached the door he looked back at
Miss X. and said:
1T was one of the queerest things
in the world Miss, that, my findin'
them Checks
But the curtainzhad just then risen
on garden scene in ''Faust,' and
Miss x. was absorbed. The man
from Solano carefully shut the box
door and retired. followed him.
He was silent until he reached the
lobby. and then he said, as if renewing
a previous conve rSatiOn: ''She is a
mighty peart gal--that's so. She's
just my kind and will make stavin'
good wife y
| thought / saw danger ahead for
the man from Solano, SO fastened to
tell him that she was best by atten-
tons, that she could have her pick
and choice of the best of society, and
finally, that she was, most probably,
engaged to Dashboard.
That's so, he said, quietly,
without the slightest trace of feeling;
sit would be queer if she wasn't
But l reckon I'll steer down to the
hotel. / don't care much for this yell
ling" Gle was abiding to the
cadenza Of the famous cantatrice,
Signor Batti.) ''What' the timer
He pulled out his watch. 1t was a
glaring sham, so obviously bogus. that
my eyes were fascinated with it.
"YOu are looking at that watch,
he said, Its purity to look at, but she
don't go worth a cent, and yet her
price was $i25 in gold. / gobbled it
up on Chatham street, day before
yesterday, where they were selling
'em very cheap at auction
"You have been outrageously
swindled, | said, Indignantly.
"Watch and chain are not worth $50.
Are they worth fifteen!'' he asked
gravely.
Possibly
ssThen / reckon it's fair trade.
1esee. | told them was Californian
from Solano, and hadn't anything
about me of greenbacks. / had three
Islugs with me. Ye remember them
slugs!s Il did; the ''slug" was a
''token' issued in the early days-a
hexagonal piece of gold a little over
twice the size of $50 gold piece
worth and accepted for SOY
well, / handed them that and
they handed me the watch. Ye see
them slugs | had made outer brass
filings and iron pyrltes. and used to
slap 'em down on the boys for bluff
in Il game of draw poker. You see.
not being regular Gov 'ment money
it wasn't counterfeitin' l reckon
they cost me, countin' time and anx
iety, about. SIS. So, if this yer watch
is worth that. its about square
game. ain it!''
Ibegan to understand the man from
Solano. and said it was. He returned
his watch to his pocket. toyed play
fully with the chain, and remarked
s.Kinder makes man look fashionable
x,-,,1@l,x- 3ss