The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-03-25

SO long rs the parties remained at the
GcyserS, Nick Won Dam, as he was dcs
| ignated, was biect to all sorts of Jokes
in turn for the practical one he was
| playing upon the Mercer ladies', mere ct
| file
"Will you allow your servant to or
der up my horse, Miss Mcrcer?" said one
OF the young gentlemen to her on one
| occasion.
"Oh. certainly she replied; nicholas
will you be kind enough to order up the
gentleman's horse"
The gcnteman's horse came up. but
with burr so deity arranged under the
saddle that, upon mounting,the "gentle-
man was tossed over the horses head.
During the week Nicholas who had
made terms for indefinite employment at
sixty dollars month and found, made
himself useful in numberless ways-es-
corting the ladies, while riding, dancing
and pic-nicing; doing camp duty; cutting
bait and batting the hook for Miss Lillian
to fish; carrying her easel and camp stool
over the hills to romantic glens; holding
the sun shade while she skctched; some
times with the mother, on lonely hill
sides, and sometimes alone with the
daughter, in sight of the house or
| camp.
Whenever he and Lillian were alone
together he addressed his fair compan-
ion with the studied courtesy of the well
bred gentleman. His language was
then of the choicest, his remarks finish
ed; he talked of books and art and mu-
sic. Once he surprised her by taking
the brush from her hand, TO explain by
his practiscd touch suggestion of per
spcctive. Whenever they We're in the
presence of the mother, or of any third
person, he dropped strangely into bad
grammar, spoke in German patois, look
cd the clown, and acted the man of-all-
work that he affected to be- When alone
she called him tamiliarly nicholas
| and, on one or two occasions, "Nick. "
In the presence of strangers "Nicholas
became Mr. Won pam" To Lillian he
explained that he had been servant
TO gentleman in the University of IIei-
dlcbcrg, and there, in association with
student life, he had had the opportunity
of instructions in art, and especially in
music. That ut the beer halls he was
permitted, with pipes and lager, to in
dulge in song and chorus with the stu
dents.
Leaving the valley of the Gcysers, the
Mercer party made the grand round of
California sights with the ever faithful
and intelligent valet, the always respect
ful and handy Nick Won Dam They
visited the Yosemite, that grand chasm
reft in the Sierra, with its matchlcss
rocks and 81 len6i waterfalls; tie
beautiful Lake Tahoe, up among the
primcval forests of pine, splendid sheet
of crystal water, mirroring blue skies
and circlcd by grand old forests that
showed the pcbblcd margin Of fabulou,
depths. Together they had idled upon
our ocean shores, the pebbcd beach al
PcScadera and the pine shaded trees Of
Monterey. Together they had travelled
through California'S semi-tropical South
amid its vineyards and its orchards OF
orange, lemon and olive. For her he
had plucked the red clusters of pome
granite, and once, when her hands haC
been occupied, he had modestly placed
the flowers in her golden hair, above he
glowing face, rosy with the flush tha
had permitted. such liberty from the han(
of a menial, and which, for a day, en-
tailed upon our friend Nick the severes
dignity, to make him feel that he was
servant, earning sixty dollars month an,
expenses paid