The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-06-06
Hiss Kellogg,s Mistake.

During the last visit of Miss Clara
Louise Kellogg to the Hub, she was sud-
denly called down into Maine to sing at
college commencement or some similar
Jubilee. The town in which the festival
occurred was Orono, and singularly
enough it was the first time it had ever
been favored by the presence of the fair
cantatrice. Naturally enough, the in
habitants were somewhat excited over
the advent of the illustrious stranger,
and the tallest kind of preparations
were made for her entertainment at the
principal hotel. The first objection
which Louise cherie made to the accom-
modations of the hostelry was the
quality of the water. The delicate little
darling turned up her nose and assev-
Grated with more than ordinary vehe-
mence that unless something better was
provided she would be obliged to cut the
engagement and the village simultan-
eously.
In this Spartan-like resolution Clara
was warmly supported by Mama Kel-
logg, who declared that one note of her
daughters voice was worth more than
the whole State of Maine.
The landlord was in dreadful
dilemma, but fortunately bethought him
\ of Mr.. Abraham Coburn, a wealthy citi-
zen of the town, who had on his estate a
spring, of Marvellous purity. To Mr.
Coburn he went and stated the case, and
that gentleman gladly consented to
furnish the donna with the famous
water, and to give the courtsey an
especial emphasis, proposed to bring it
with his own hands. The offer was
gladly accepted, and several times a day
did MIR. Coburn fetch the sparkling
beverage TO the divine Clara, who de-
clared It 10 be absolute liquid perfection,
and seriously entertained thoughts of
having it bottled and sent with her over
the country.
The funny part of the story is to come.
Mr.. Coburn, although, as we previously
stated, one of the wealthiest citizens of
the place, was decidedly careless about
his personal attire. In short, not to put
too fine point upon it, he usually
looked pretty rough. This fact, in con-
nection with his exceedingly respectful
demeanor and the familiar way in which
every one called him Abe, totally de.
ceived the celestial Louise as to the gen.
tleman's social status. So, on the last
day of her stay, as she was packing up
to leave she called the landlord, and ex-
pressing her gratitude for the trust
worthy attendance he had provided, she
gave him half dollar which she begged
of him to give to Abe, as he, she said,
was the best man that had waited upon
her. The landlord managed to keep his
face till be got out of the room and then
exploded. lie, however, concluded that
it would be better to keep the joke until
the diva left town, and then give the
half dollar to Abe in the presence of his
crowd. With this idea in his mind, the
landlord sauntered down to the depot to
see the nightingale safely of. A good
many of his fellow-townsmen were there
on the same errand, and in the midst of
q group of village magnates was Mr..
Co6urn. Miss Kellogg and her mother
were safely seated in the drawing room
car, the whistle had sounded, and the
engine was just getting ready to move,
when suddenly the quick eye of Clara
Louise discerned Mr.. Coburn in the
midst of his friends. Not a moment
was to be lost, as the train was already
moving. "Abep and Mr.. Coburn came
blushingly forward. "Abe, my man."
she continued, "Pm sorry you diden't
come up to say goodbye, but 1 left half
dollar with the landlord for you for
bringing me the water" The train
moved out, and the shout of laughter
that went up from the friends of the
luckless "Abe" verify shook the depot.
And the funniest thing is that until
Clara Louise reads this article she will
never know what those people were
laughing at.-Boston Times.