The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-05-15


gy, / sat down to reflect on how should
commence operations. l had heard and
read of many plans which had been sue
cessfully adopted under similar circum-
stances, but none of them seemed suited
to my case. With feelings near akin to
despair, started off towards the spa
cious hotel where the dinner was to be
given. AS fortune planned it, l hap
pened to fall in with the chef-de-cuisine,
and as this person was indebted to me
for many a flattering reference to his
culinary skill on previous similar occa-
sions, ventured to hope he might
prove useful to me. He was good-na-
tured Welshman, of no decided political
opinions, and, therefore, not prejudiced;
SOL resolved to make him my confdaH
He listened patiently to my representa-
tions of how important it was to my fu-
ture prospects and happiness that
should be at the dinner, but could not
offer any suggestion whereby 1 might
attain my wishes. I" If you had been
waiter" he said, with consoling smile,
"instead of reporter, L should have
been most happy to have engaged YOU"
A happy thought instantly flashed across
my mind. Could he not introduce me
in the guise of waiterY A moments
planning, and it was all settled, and sat
isfactorily arranged that, as soon as din
ner was ready, l should go in and take
m al ac IF tho Iix,aYi ind oftat,1
ants. A partial disguise was necessary,
and this was effected by barber friend,
whose ruthless scissors and razor soon
removed from my face the hirsute
adornments, and he also supplied me
with wig, under which 1 was unrecog-
nizable. A few hours later found me in
the character of sprightly waiter, the
sudden metamorphosis nearly sending
the good-hearted Welshman into con-
vulsions of laughter. To make sure
that my identity was completely destroy
ed, put myself in the way, once or
twice, of the afore mentioned fiery little
Irishman, and as he would speak to
me in tone of conscious superiority, it
at once assured me that he only saw be-
fore him household menial. So far,
then, so good. 1 had provided myself
with a small pocket book, which could
be held, unobserved, in the palm of the
hand, but with sufficient leaves to hold
many columns of notes when phono-
graphed with q finely-pointed pencil
and bribe of half-a-guinea was suffi-
cient to induce broad-backed fellow
as possible during the time any one
should be speaking. The -prandial
part of the proceedings at length COM
menced, and, by some skillful maneu-
vering on my part,I succeeded in taking
down, word for word, the principal
speeches, including that of the gallant
candidate, who made laudatory allu-
sion TO the dignity of the press (could he
but have seen or recognized me in the
position then was y He concluded
long address by remarking that he was
pleased to bear testimony to the great
support he had received from the ably
conducted paper whose accomplished
editor he was delighted to see amongst
them that evening and he was certain
ly of opinion that they had acted very
wisely in taking precautions that their
proceedings that evening should not be
banded about in the columns of the
rival journal, whose readers, he feared,
were sadly misled by misrepresentation
of facts. felt honored. ..t a..
AS the speaker resumed his seat, 1
narrowly escaped detection. One of the
company, requiring something to be
fetched, suddenly rose up from his chair
and came near me, and, observing that
was mysteriously operating on the
palm of my hand, he called out, in such
a manner as to attract every ones atten-
ton, F." Now, then, young man, whatare
you about there 7" 1 hastily thrust the
reporting implements into my pocket,
and, with the assistance of the broad
backed waiter, at once procured the gen.
tleman what he required, and averted
suspicion by stating that had run a
piece of glass into my hand, which I
was endeavoring to extract. 80 fid
a ! was not sorry, when the speeches
were finished. Then skunk out of the
room as quickly and quietly as possible,
and, concealing my livery under a long
coat,was soon. on my way to the printing
office Hurrying into the editorial room,
my chief arrested my progress, and in
quired my business. The old gentle