The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-05-18
you wouId not 8 mind me coming nj IN ii

grandeur. .'It's against custom, I know,
for strangers to enter the commercial.
room; but under the circumstances I
don't think we'll mind. Will we gentle
menu"
The gentlemen chorused that they
didn't mind; 80 the little man proceeded
with his writing, and Mr.. Hicks with his
tale.
swell, as was saying, gents, I made
up my mind to take this young Brown
smith down peg or two. So what do
you think I does? goes to the stables,
and says to the hostler: Bill, il you'll
get Mr.. Brownsmith's cob and gig out of
the way the first thing tomorrow morn
ing, and when he orders them, saw YOU
are very sorry, but you've let them out
to another gent by mistake, here's a SOW
ereign for YOU Ofcourse, it was worth
good deal more than sovereign to me
to get the young chap out of the way,
for saw he was pretty cute, and 1
that'ain't all; for knew it was the east
est thing in the world for him to hire
another cob and gig until his own
was returned. So I goes into the al
very late that night, where all the bags
was-in those days were very much
more alike than they are now, and used
to be chalked with the numbers of their
owners rooms, to distinguish them.
and l quitely rubs out his number and
puts him on to another lot of bags. so
that it he did start he'd find himself in
hole and no mistake. Next morning I
was uncommonly hatfable with him at
breakfast, pretending, of course, not to
know he was in the same line as me:
and l starts off and does all my business.
When /! came back I found the poor
young chap running about like mad
man. He was satisfied that the gig bus
mess was mistake; but when he came
to lind that another man had gone off
With his bags, and had let him with q
lot stuffed full of French frilling, I
thought he'd have brought the 'ouse
down. He got the landlord and the all
porter, and the chambermaids and tho
walters, and he threatened to have 'em
up before the magistrate; and all the
time was GRIMM in my sleeve and pre-
tendin' to be as concerned about it as
any one"
"Well, and what happened?" asked
one OF the audience as the speaker
paused.
"What 'appened? Well, I'll tell you,n
replied Mr.. Hicks. .The. gent who had
taken tax a, Brownsmith's bags BY mistake for
there was nothing to do but to Wait till
he came back. And when the gent did
come back, you can imagine that there
was pretty row in the place, in which
OF course joined, saying that it was
disgraceful thing, and threatening the
landlord that I'd take my custom over
to the other 'otel if better watch wasn't
kept for the future. The poor young fell
low took it very ard, he did; and when
he got bis gig and bags and went round
the next morning and found that all
the business had been done, he came
back, and he sat down in that corner
there, and told me it would ruin him,
cause it was his first job for Stokes &
Nokes, and he was on trial."
Weren't you very sorry you'd done
lt?" asked one of the party.
Me sorry?" said Mr.. Hicks with con-
tempt. "Not me. ALPS fair in love,
war, and commerce; and if l hadn't
done it, he'd have done me by cutting
me out of lot O. business. As it was, l
never set eye on him again, and I've
'earl he got the sack from Stokes &
Nokes. Sorry? Not mew
There was an expression on the faces
of some of the young men as they
they made no remarks, aud aztec some
further conversation a general yawning
and knocking out Of pipes and draining
Of glasses proclaimed the hour of bed.
So the great Mr.. Hicks took up his
candle and departed; his example was
quickly followed by the rest, and the lit
tie old gentleman who had been writing
his letters was left alone.
When the door had closed upon the
last bed.goer he shutup his writing-case
and took up the position in front Of the
fire lately occupied by Mr.. Hicks.
Something in the story he had heard
seemed to tickle his fancy immensely;
for he stood there chuckling to himself
and rubbing his hands as IN great glee.
"Clever chap that! Uncommonly clev-
er chap" he muttered to himself. "He's
quite right. Young Brownsmith did
give up travelling; and if he hadn't he
wouldn't be one of the richest men in
the country as he is now"
He rang the bell Cor the waiter.
fellow said: "What time:does Mr.. Hicks
start upon business in the mornings?"
"Well, 'ardly know, sir" replied the
waiter. "You see, he don't come here
reglar-in fact, can't call to mind
hever 'avin' seen him before. But the
gents mostly goes out about 10 clock"
'Tell the boots to call me at 7, will
your" said the old gentleman; and TAX
ing his candle, he went to bed.
The next forenoon Mr.. Hicks saun-
tered majestically forth from the inn up
on round of visits; and as he walked
along he seemed absorbed in the con-
temptation Of his own figure in the shop
windows. as If anticinatinp witt, No small