Smyrna times., 1883-01-17
Pictures on the Road.
The Romance of C Lady Hotel Clerk aUho
Cares More for the Prosperity Of her
Fathers House than for the At
tentions of its Guests.


1t was some years ago that l first
visited the West. DESTROYS of remain
ing in that section for some time,
went from one town to another in my
search for an agreeable place to locate.
Being a travelling man myself, l nat
urally kept my eyes open for the mem
bers of the fraternity, and had the sat
isfactiOn of renewing the acquaintance
of many of "the boys" l had met in
the East. 1t seemed to me that all
were either on their way to or return
ing from Alliance, Ohio. looked on
the map and in the Gazetteer, but Alli-
ance did not strike me as being very
considerable place. Nevertheless, L
went there. In the depot was small |
hostlery called the Sauerbeck House. |
entered to inquire for lodgment, and |
was confronted at the desk by the land
lords daughter, Sophie, a young
woman whose face shall never forget.
Her hair and eyes were as black as the
ravens wing, and her figure, 1.-THE and
graceful, reminded me of the descrip-
tions had read in my school-days of
Helen Of Troy. Here, then, was the
attraction of Alliance, the loadstone
that was drawing my comrades of the
road from their more arduous, not to
say more important, duties.
l had intended only to pass the
night at Alliance, but when this nymph
at the desk asked me how long l
' should remain 1 was SO disconnected
$ that stammered out a week" when
r l had intended to say day.
That night was suddenly awakened
: out of sound sleep and made to real
n ize that l possessed a neighbor whom it
), would be rank flattery to characterize
e simply as undesirable. II was not a
), madman, nor night owl noisily CROP
S ing his way in the dark passageway
without. 1t was worse than all these
e "a musician. 1t seemed to me that he
r. played all night, and such music! Had
IS it been simply bad, l would have
c. dressed myself and sat up in the Office
N until morning. But such was not the
b. case. He had the touch of a master
n and every time he drew his bow across
es his violin (for he was violinist) hC
n produced the most perfect harmony
r. He was indeed, master, and loving
music as 1 did, could do nothing els'
en- but listen, though had liked to 60 t.
ne sleep, having been travelling all day
nd The following morning I inquired Q
lis Miss Sophia the name and occupation
ne of my neighbor.
nd "Ohw said she, "you mean MI
ne Schmidt, and you want to complain {
rO' his playing. But you will like tha
* after time, everybody does"
Afterwards l learned from some (
the guests of the house that this NJ
IN Schmidt had come out into the We
ms to teach music, but had fallen in 10y
'ue with Miss Sophie, and had been unab
A'H to go any further than Alliance. Mi
o' Sophie, however, paid no more atte
aS' ton to Mr.. Schmidt than she did to
ehV score of others who were more or lie
lan attached to her. Her brother,
ieo cousin, 1 forget, which, was q priva
oo- soldier engaged in the Modoc ws
siy He was a brave, daring fellow, al
ak Miss Sophie was possessed with t
ign idea that he, and none other wou
can capture the great Captain Jack, t
one Modoc chieftain. Then Congr,
ltn- would vote him medal and lar
ecu sum of money, and Miss Sophie wou
"er' make the tour of the world with hi
IL and they would be the cynosure of
IL ewes. These were castles in the
loss that the young woman was continua
rec building, and her thoughts, wax
lor and sleeping, were peopled with
VINO most fantastic and grotesque for
naoe more or less connected Herewith.
Win lived, as one might say, in a Iii
hCry world of her own and though TAX
long great pains to make every guest in
ugnt house comfortable and happy, she
arm as Indifferent To their advances as
hcui- was to the changes of the season,
me- With his susceptible nature,
= Schmidt took tae mere prompting
' her kindly disposition as evidence
her regard for him.
10 " He often helped her in the rnorI
when she tended her flowers, OF WI
she had a profision, and it was co
80 : ded by the inmates of her fathers
81 telry that Schmidt had what woul
HttG described in slang phrase as the ''in
e.. track ~ that is TO say, that he was
ct favored suitor, ..f.-
: IT, Schmidt and. became fast frie
l sympatllized with him, for kne'
- :. had not ghost of chance with
Sophie. When he described what G
: ar things he would do in the cities OF
!. West and East when they were, a
- 10 ried, 1 felt like advising him to for
- such thoughts until he was sure
.,ar Miss Sophie would marry hin
.aoso didn't do so, however. 4 i
ono. One bright Summer day l was 81
bs,ber in my room reading, when Mr.. Sch
!. 49, rushed breathlessly in, so excited
th;nr he could not after a word. ] hast
s;~ towards him. 70 Perhaps the pool
= I s''s low had received news of the dea
!. y '' e. his, mother or father, Some
t,osa calamity had evidently come to-
800 - and was prepared to sympathize
sz'sU him 36 ,iTt t13lA .1li9lEle
fancy, , Mc,s.., u =, II ~ .s.ai !gI,,. !, !.
,s,s,,,as 49,. he, almost shrieked when be h4
: z, ~ covered his oomIosnre, ,aam a..i
: : Y, 80 =, Though indignant at him, 1
W NV ~, y, not help being greatly amused {,
on the PANAA~ -