The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-09-20
LITERARY
THE MAN FROM SOLANO.
Supposed to Refere to Jim Keene.
BY BRET HARTE.

He came to me out of an opera lob
by between the acts-a figure as
remarkable as anything in the preform-
ance. His clothes, no two articles
of which were the same color, had the
appearance of having been purchased
and put on only an hour before-a
fact more directly established by the
clothes dealers ticket, which still
adhered to his coat collar, giving the
number, size and general dimensions
of that garment somewhat obtrusively
to an uninterested public. His
trousers had a straight line down
each leg us if he had been born fiat,
but had since developed; and there
was another crease down his back like
those figures children cut on folded
paper. | may add that there was no
consciousness of this in his face, which
was good-natured and, but for q
certain squarenesS in the angle of his
lower jaw, utterly embarrassing and
commonplace.
"You disremember me- he said
briefly, as he extended his hand, ''but
I'm from Solano, in California. | met
you there in the Spring of 81. / was
tending sheep and you was burning
charcoal"
There was not the slightest trace OF
any intentional rudenesS in the
reminder. 1t was simply IA statement
of facts, and as such to be accepted.
''What | hailed you for was only
this he said, after l had shaken
hands with him. Il saw you a minute
ago standing over in yon box, chirpin'
with Il lady-a young lady, pert and
pretty. Might you be telling me her
namel
/ gave him the name of Il certain
noted belle af a ighbhring city, who
had lately stirred the hearts of the
metropolis, and who was especially
admired by the brilliant and fascina.
ting young Dashboard who stood
beside me.
The man from Solano unused a
moment. and then said: "Thet's so
tibet the same name It's the same
gall
You have met her, then 2 asked
in surprise.
.Ye-es," he responded, slowly. 81
met her about four months ago. She
been making tour of California with
some friends, and / first saw hel
aboard the cars this side of Reno
She lost her baggage checks, and
found them on the floor, gave then
back to her, and she thanked me.
reckon now it would be about thu
square thing to go in there and Sortel
recognize her." He stopped ;
moment and looked at us inquiringly
My dear sir" struck in the bril-
liant and fascinating Dashboard. II
your hesitation proceeds from any
doubt OF the proprlety Of your attire
l beg you to dismiss it from YOU
mind at once. The tyranny of custom
it is true, compels your friend an(
myself to dress peculiarly. but
assure you nothing could be finer
than the way the olive green of YOU
coat melts in the delicate yellow O.
your cravat. or the pearl gray of YOU
trousers blends with the bright blue
of your waistcoat and lends additional
brilliancy to that massive oroidt
watch chain which you wear"
To my surprise, the man from
Solano did not strike him. He looked
at the ironical Dashboard with grave
earnestness, and then said quietly:
..Then / reckon you wouldn't minC
shown me in thar
Dashboard was, 1 admit, littl,
staggered at this. But he recovere,
himself, and bowling ironically. lie,
the way to the box, followed hin
and the man from Solano.
Now, the belle in question. hap
pened to bea gentlewoman-decende,
from gentlewoman-and after Dash
bourd' ironical introduction, in which
the man from Solano was not spared