The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-30
A GOOD FELLOW.

Americans so readily recognize each other
abroad, chum and l had decided that the
quartet opposite us at table dhote was COM
posed of our countrymen before we had
finished our fish, and by the time the en-
tremets were reached my companion was
prepared to make this remarkable state
ment in guarded aside: 1.-THE sickly one
and the little black-eyed devil are brother
and sister, and Sorrel Top is badly stuck on
the girl, who don't care fig for him. 1
am going to get acquainted and give him a
game"
After finishing post prandial cigar at the
Kursaal, while the band discoursed Strauss
and the loungers weak whey, started back
to the hotel, and, strolling along the famous
walnut avenue, happened to glance south
ward up the Lauterbrunnen valley. Heav-
ems! what vision! There, framed in by the
dark, pineelad mountains on either hand,
with background of blue black sky-as if
the portals of fairy land had been for once
thrown wide-lay a vast diamond shaped
plane of broken alabaster, frosted silver,
pearl-what you will that is pure, white and
gashed, and with soft mottlings. such as one
sees on the surface of the moon. 1t was a
glimpse of unearthly spiendor sleeping in a
flood of light which seemed most akin to
that (which never was on sea or land" and
suggested the garden scene in Faust,
where the exultant lovers embrace in the
moonlight while all about them is Swallowed
and obscure.
''Ees she not loahy, die Jungfrau?" asked
the hotel porter. patheticaily.
In the billiard room found my compan-
ion and "the sickly one" apparently on the
best of terms over a game of French carroln
With a compiaisance provokingly like pat
ronage, chum introduced nae to his new &C
quaintauce ''Mr. Winston, of Chicago" SO
the game" had commenced already, had it?
Confound the fellows impudence! had be no
sense of mutilated propriety in thus intiict-
ing himself upon debilitated stranger? But
! understoodit all ten minutes later, for In
that time the debilitated stranger succeeded
in creating the impression that had known
him for years. | wish it were possible to give
you an idea of that young man, or, to be more
exact my idea of him. may as well con-
fess at the outset that it was case of love
at first sight. He seemed TO realize Emer-
sons ideal gentleman-'good company for
pirates, and good with academicanS." | see
him yet, as he stood there leaning on his cue
slight in figure, but quite erect, his black
hair curling above a true musicians fore
head smiling, sympathetic, listening eyes,
glowing. alas! with consumption's fatal fire,
and consumption's tell-tale spot flushing the
significant clearness of his complexion.
Yes" he said, I'VE are going back to Gods
country-going back to stay. The old world
is all very well for holiday. but no place for
an American with heart in him to settle
down. Kellner. die kreide-Ah. pardon; la
sf1 nlait Here | have
been two years at Milan, and spent no end of
money having my voice trained, and. now
that the bellows have given out, what does
it all amount to- There is my cousin
Harry at home-do you happen to
know him-Harry Winston? He started
just where did and to-day he has wife
and two promising responsibilities, and is
junior partner in one of the wholesalest
drug houses IN Chicago. Your play, Mr..
Perkins. But | don't complain. My life
has been what was in me to make it and
would be again, as Donna Julia says | re-
member a motto, cut, 1 think, on facade Of
the COgent Garden market-house, which
covers the whole ground in three words, and
leaves no room for squirming; Che sara,
sara-what will be will be. My Mephisto-
pheles has led me DEMONSTRATING cattle on
the Texas plans-and, by the way, it's no
joke when they break away from you on a
dark night-driving four in hand in the Bots
ue DOulOSne, CllinOluB ice peaks here III
Switzerland. losing my louis at Monaco
never did have any luck at cards-or split
ting my throat in grand opera at La Scala
with the worst of them while the king sat
in his box opposite. terribly bored no doubt
(Sings):
am a rover OF the sea,
wanderer in every CLINE;
Adventure has a charm for me.
And danger Is a mere pastime.
Yes, I've had a reasonably good time. but
never too good to care not to go on. Don't
you suppose Faust was drawing the long
bow little when he requested the swift
feetiRg atom to stay awhile? Seemed rather
shabby to cheat the devil out of his due at
midnight on the last day of grace. Out. by a
scratch! You shall have your revenge to-
morrow, Mr.. Perkins, and, if you will excuse
me, | think I'll turn in now"
1t is but charitable TO suppose that in thus
promising his adversary chance to retrieve
himself on the morrow our new-found friend
had forgotten this was Saturday night; but
candor compels the confession that no one
would have had reason to suspect from his
manner, when we met on the hotel piazza
next morning, even latent Yeneration for
any Puritanical observance of the day. Nor
was this impression at all dlssipated by his
words.
''rve been looking for you," he said 1--WE
are going to take carriage to Grindewald
and walk over the Wengern Alp to Lauter-
drummer, and should like you and your
friend to Join US. There could not be a finer
day for the Jungfrau"
/ murmured something about the ''highiy-
recommended English service at the old con-
vent church.
ooh! then, see, Baedeker hath been with
you. But here is Mr.. Perkins. He shall
plead our cause"
Chum accepted the invitation for both of
us without ceremony, and hurried me off to
breakfast with conscientious qualms thus
vicariously allayed.
Twenty minutes later most of the inmates
of the hotel. and fair contingent from the
village, had assembled on the spacious piazza
to see us off, And no wonder Came sweep
ing around the crescent, and up to the grand
entrance, some impossible vehicle which was
more than landau and not quite dill
gence-perhaps the very same which had
to be borrowed from Berne for the Empress