Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-12-26

we walked cordially together toward ST,
Martins church.
when was the last we met" said my
new friend. a Surely at the; governor
generals ball at Calcutta.
Never was at Calcutta In my life,,"
I said Mines the Bombay presi-
dency." - 5# u:
And I've been taking you all this
time for Colonel Scoop. lit possible
that I'm deceived.
L always feel with the least degree of
soreness, when England, that my
friends in" the military branch have
somewhat the pull over us civilians in
the matter of titles; but in India. 'ttcol-
leetor" is . very much more important
title than colonel, but people don't seem
to understand that, and set Us on level
with tax-gatherers. Thus it was, with a
slight degree Of aeerbity, replied that
Twas no colonel at all, but a mere civil
servant. 3 j
"Most wonderful !" cried my friend.
Never was such an extraordinary re-
sem blance.a Pardon tile unconscious
liberty have taken" 4. 4 ~ ~
Well, we were very polite to one
another, and asked after this man and
the other, whom, perhaps we might
both know, and got quite thick together.
Major Blkns, lit appeared, was the
mans name; he was q nice, agreeable
fellow, and we walked on together in a
very amicable way. Bilkins hoped I'd
come and look him upSat his little place
in Surrey, and Z gave. him my card. and
said I would be glad to see him at
.Sevenoaks. ,. - .,t;vx.;,v:. +, !.
'"And what are you going to do now?"
said the major. "Come and lunch With
me at the Oriental" W. = : :
Now, there are six OF seven men to
whom I've deadly hatred, wholunch at
Che Oriental daily, besides which
one gets quite enough of the Orient IN
India; and so I told him. 49,
"Quite right" he said. II like to
get out of the regular groove. What
do;yo say to going into the city and
having bit of fish together? I knew
capital place-Chufin's, close to
Billingsgate and handy for. our. trains.
Take the penny boat from Hungerford,
chi"
I willingly agreed to this, for I like
to make the acquaintance of new phases
of life under competent guidance, al
though T haven't enterprise enough to
cut out anything Of tho kind for my
self.
The tide was well, up, and We had
pleasant sail down the river. There is
no more{charming vista than that from
Hungerford bridge, The rembankmcnt
makes a handsome sweep just there,
and the bridge Of Waterloo, surely the
handsomest in England, and Somerset
house, and St. Paul's looming over all /;
but lower down the embankment gives
sadly tame and formal aspect to the
river. A stone wall, accentuated with
lamp-posts and door-kn ockers, is an un-
worthy monument of British taste. You
might have taken hint from the Hin
doc ghauts, or landing places, to advan-
tege.
We landed close to London bridge,
and the major introduced me to Chuf-'
fms. A very nice place, with on ordi-
nary and regular chairman, and
characters that, if I were one Of your
pen-and- ink artists, I should have great
pleasure in sketching for you. We had
no endeof fish Of the very best. Z But
'themajor seduced me into extravaganza.
A pint of champagne with our fish,
some brown sherry, and, to wind up,
some capital iced punch, an iniquitous
sort Of proceeding for man who had a
family dinner awaiting him at 7; but I
got into the spirit Of the thing, some
how, and the majors conversation was
really quite bright and enthralling.
II must leave you now,"} said the ma
jor, calling the waiter and picking out
a ninepenny cigar. He took handful
of change out of his pocket. you'll
allow me to settle for this little affair ?"
.,, "Couldn't think of il" I said warmly;
mot on any account"
ooh, NONSENSE! Well, I won't press
it," he said, seeing was determined.
Lets see, two and six, five, seven and
six and six for the waiter, eight shllings
apiece; shall settie?" -. !.
."Do, If you please" T said, handing
my friend half sovereign.
The major gave me o two-shilling
piece and lounged away to the little
desk where they took the money, made
his financial arran gements, and vanish
ed with parting wave of his. hand =
- For myself, I confess that I felt lit
tie muddled with the good. things Of
which I had partaken." [ ordered q
brandy and soda and screw Of tobacco,
and INDUCED. ina long clay pipe-a
thing I very much affect when have
chance. -: /,
Presently, as the time for my train
I.knocked"out the ashes of
my pipe and made my way to the door.
IT have to pay for brandy -and soda
and tobacco,"I said. ,a'.| ~
Eyes, sir" said thewaiter, who hoy
cred about to check off the payers,
''and two dinners, champagne, sherry,
punch----eighteen shillings, if you please,
sir. .a&I. ~ NJ, r. - >...., ..*g-
Put !. demonstrated, my friend
II beg your pardon, sir" said the
young woman at the desk; che left
word, sir that you would settle for
everything" ess~,~.~,-.... 1
Well, they wouldn't let NE so with
out paying, and e. went home rather
crestfallen. / wrote to Major Bilkins,
at Buckley park Surrey, but my letter
came back in due course, marked In
red and other colored inks. all over it
"Not known; try"-ever SO many
places. -, ~ Il
; Oh. Major. Bilkins, T didn't mind pay
ing SO much for feed and giving you. a
little pocket money, but it was rather
too bad to hand me for change. out of
my half-soyereign a form. that proved
to be "duffer. BE lgravia.
The gold production Of the United
Il J.. = f,AE a