The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-04-26


Yetths most beauteous of created things,
The soul, may mount above on angel wings.
Here, then, may We possess undying joy,
II Tor Gods glory we our powers employ,
And find at last, on blessed Heavens shore,
'SS'E'< Home Journal.
THE MAN FROM SOLANO.
,.,.v, :. BY BRET uARrE.
He came toward me out of an opera lob
by, between the acts-a figure as remark
able as anything in the performance.
His clothes, no two articles Of which were
Of the same color, had the appearance Of
being, purchased and put on only an hour
or two before-a fact more clearly estab-
ished 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
straight line down each leg as if he had
been born flat, but had since developed,
and there was another crease down his
back like those figures children cut out
OF folded paper. I may add that there
was no consciousness of this in his face,
which was good-natured, and but for a
certain squareness in the angle Of his
lower jaw, utterly uninteresting and COM
mon-place.
::You disremember me-" he said, briefly,
g he extended his hand, "but I'm from
'6olano, in Californy. met you here in
the spring Of 81. was tendin' sheep and
you was burnin' charcoal"
There was not the slightest trace Of any
intentional rudeness in the reminder. It
was simply statement of fact, and as such
to be accepted.
"What I hailed ye for was only this"
he said, after I had shaken hands with
him. II saw you minnit ago standing
in yon box-chirpin' with lady, young
lady-pert and pretty. Might you be
TELLING me her name2"
gave him the name of certain belle
of neighboring city who had lately
stirred the hearts of the metropolis, and
who was especially admired by the bril-
liant and fascinating young Dashboard
who stood by me.
The man from Solano mused for a mo-
ment, and then said: "Thats so! thet's
the same name! It's the same gall"
You have met her then?' I asked. in
surprise.
:. ':"Ye-es,' he responded slowly. II met
her about four months ago. She'd bin
maxim tour of Californy with some
friends, and first saw her aboard the cars
this side of Reno. She lost her baggage
checks and found them on the floor, gave
'em back to her, and she thanked me.
reckon now it would be the square thing
togo in over thar and sorter recognize
her, He stopped a moment and looked
at US inquiringly.
my dear sir" struck in the brilliant
and fascinating Dashboard, IF your hest
tation proceeds from any doubt of the
propriety of your attire, l beg you to dis
miss 1t from your mind at once. The
tyranny Of custom, it is true, compels your
friend and myself to dress peculiarly, but
| assure you nothing could be finer than
the way that the olive green Of your cravat,
or the pearl gray Of your trousers blends
. with the bright blue of your waistcoat
and lends additional brilliancy to that mas
vslve2 oroide 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';I reckon you'd wouldn't mind
shewin' me in thar2''
Dashboard was, I admit, a little stagger-
Sd at this. But he recovered himself: and.
bowling ironically, led the wav to the box
followed him and the Man from solano
Now, the belle in question happened ia
DC Observation-Disclosures from gentle.
woman-and after Dashboards ironica]
introduction, in which the Man from So,
lano, was not spared, she comprehended
the situation instantly. To Dashboard's
surprise she drew chair to her side, made
the Man from Solano sit down, quietly
>. turned her back on Dashboard, and. in full
view OF the brilliant audience, and the
focus Of hundred lorgnettes, entered into
conversation with him.
Here, for the sake Of romance. I should
like to say he became animated, and cx.
hlblted some trait of excellence some
rare wit or solid sense. But the fact is he
. was, dull and stupid to the last degree,
,., He persisted in keeping the conversation
upon the entertaining subject Of the lost
baggage checks, and every bright attempt
Of the lady to divert him failed signally.
At last, to evcrybody's relief, he rose and
leaning over her chair, said:
/ -calklate to stay here some time,
Miss, and you and me being sorter stran-
gers here, may be when there's anv show,
like this goin' ON you'll let me"
/; Miss <. said something hastily that the
multiplicity of her engagements and the
brief limit of her stay in New York she
feared would, &C., &c. The two other la.
dies had their handkerchiefs over thei,
mouths, and were staring intently at the
stage, when the Man from Solano con-
. tinued:
"Then, may be, Miss, whenever there
IS show going on that you'll attend
you'll just drop me word to Erles's Hotel
to this yer address," and he pulled from
his pocket 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
Y Ball tomorrow night. The tickets are
but trif1e to an opulent Californian and
y. man of your evident means, and the OBJ
eajeet. a worthy one. You will, no doubt
@easil secure an invitation.
;, Mis- x. raised her handsome ewes for q
moment to Dashboard. "By all means, .
she said, turning to the man from Solano
land MIR. Dashboard is one of the man.
Ayers and you are stranger, he will, Of
,f course, send you complimentary ticket
t''i have known Mr.. Dashboard long enough
10 know that he is invariably courteous Ia
+ strangers and gentleman" She settled
~ herself in her chair again and fixed hel
eyes upon tho stage.