Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-02-05

slight degree OF acerbity 4 repheo tnas
/ was no colonel at all, but q mere CIVIL
servant.
aNost wonderful" cried my friend.
s.Never was such an extraordinary re-
semblance. Pardon the unconscious
liberty / have taken"
Well, we were very polite to one
another, and asked after this man n
the other, whom, perhaps we migbt
both know, and got quite thick together.
Major Bilkins, il appeared, was the
mans name; he was a nice, agreeable
fellow, and we walked m together IN q
very amicable way. Bilkins hoped Id
come and look him up at his little place
in Surrey, and l gave him my card and
said / would be glad to see HIM al
Sevenoaks.
And what are you going TO do nowp'
said the major. "Come and lunch with
me at the Oriental"
Now, there are six or seven men TO
whom I've a deadly hatred, whoiuneh at
the Oriental daily, besides which
one gets quite enough ofthe Orient IN
India; and SO | told him.
quite right" he said. II like to
get out OF the regular groove. What
do you say to going into the city and
having a bit of fish together? l knew
a capital plsce-Chuffin's, close to
Billingsgate and handy for u trans.
Take the penny boat from Hungerford,
eh?"
willingly agreed to this, for L like
TO make the acquaintance OF phases
of life under competent guidance, al
though / haven't enterprise enough to
cut out anything Of the kind for my
self.
The tide was we'll up, and we had q
pleasant sail down the river. There Is
no more charming vista than that from
Hungerford bridge. The embankment
makes a handsome sweep Just there,
and the bridge of Waterloo, surely the
handsomest in England, and Somerset
house, aud st. Paul's looming over all;
but lower down the embankment gives
a sadly tame and formal aspect to the
river. A stone wall, accentuated with
lamp-posts and oor-knockers, is an un-
worthy monument of British taste. You
might have taken Il hint from the Hin
doc ghauts, or landing places, to advsn-
tege.
We landed close TO London bridge,
and the major introduced me to Chuf-
fms. A very nice place, with an ordi-
nary and a regular chairman, and
characters that, if / were one of your
pen-and-in artists, / should have great
pleasure in sketching for you. We had
no end of fish of the very best. But
the major seduced me into extravaganza.
A pint of champagne with u fish,
some brown sherry, and, to wind up,
some capital iced punch, an iniquitous
sort of proceeding for a man who had O
family dinner awaiting him at 7; but L
got into the spirit of the thing, some
how, and the majors conversation was
really quite bright and ~enthralling.
Il must leave you now" said the ma
ior, 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 it," ] said warmly
"not on any account"
ooh, nonsense! Well. / won't press
it," he said, seeing l was determined.
Lets see, two-and-six, five, seven-and-
six and six for the waiter, eight shillings
apiece; shall / settler"
ado, if you please" / said, handing
my friend half a sovereign.
The major gave me a two-shilling
piece and lounged away TO the little
desk where they took the money, made
his financial arrangements, and vanish
ed with a parting wave of his hand.
For myself, / confess that l felt a lit
tie muddled with the good things OF
which l had partaken. i ordered a
brandy-and- soda and screw Of tobacco,
and INDUCED in a long clay pipe-a
thing 1 very much affect when / have a
chance.
Presently, as the time for my train
approached, / knocked out the ashes OF
my pipe and made my way to the door.
Il have to pay for a brandy-and- soda
and tobacco" l said.
"Yes, sir" SAID the waiter, who how
cred about to check off the PAYERS, y
''and two dinners, champagne, sherry,
punch-eighteen shillings, if you please,
sir"
Butt demonstrated, my friend
paid for all that"
81 beg your pardon, sir" said the
young woman at the desk; she left
word, sir, that You would settle for
everything"
Well, they wouldn't let me go with
ont paving, and I vent home rather
crestfallen. ] wrote to Major Bilkins,
at Buckley park, Surrey, but my letter
anne back in due course, marked in
red aud other colored inks all over it
mot known; try"-ever so many
places.
Oh, Major Bilkins, I didn't mind pay,
ing SO much for feed and giving you
little pocket money, but it was rather
too bad to hand me for change out o.
my half-sovereign a form that proved
to be a "duffer. "-Belg ravia.