The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-21
Printed " assciol Arrangement 9Th the Autaor.
"FATH Err. !"
by ANNIE EICHBERG.
ICopyrishtcd 1855, by the Author-All Rights
Reserved.l
A s Y.
CHAPTER /.

and the rather negligently artistic cut of his
Aclothes was tempered by good taste. Above
everything. he had amiable, smiling face
(which left his friends in doubt whether he
could ever hope to live up to it.
he was q painter by profession; belonging to
that tribe Of young American artists in Paris
who paint from French recipe. In general he
was not dissatisfied with existence, though now
ne confessed to being trife bored A sharp
wind swept across the lake with an autumnal
chill, and with an impatient SILVER Wardlow
lighted cigarette and looked down the street,
with its tall, gray houses, till his eyes rested on
vehicle, which clattered toward him and pulled
mp with jerk at the entrance of the hotel.
The head waiter so far unbent as to meet
halfway the individual who shot out Of the
riage.
The stranger was a short, t1ick-set man, and
when he took off his slouchy hat he mopped his
head-apparently as matter of habit-with
red handkerchief.
Pulling a pebeian travelling shawl about his
shoulders, he fixed the head waiter with shrewd
grey eyes. and demanded ANY museum in this
town.
The head waiter. betrayed into truth by the
nnexpectedness of the question, mournfully said,
'No."
''Thank God" the other exclaimed, stumping
back to the carriage.ss
'Nothin' to see,r he murmured. This is just
Che place for me- A regular one-hoss town.
Come out mother, he cried This is just the
place for u.s. Don't forget anything Rose"
The free Swiss mountaineer who drove the
cab, and who was only conspicuous for indie
pendent dirt rolled off his box and stared at
mother while she was being extricated from the
vehicle by the head waiter.
Father" mother began, struggling for breath.
"Tabitha. just the place for u.s. father cried,
stalking on ahead, free as air, while mother
followed, much bewildered It was the head
walters succumbing to youth and beauty which
prevented the last of the party-who blushed as
red as the long red cloak she wore-from depos-
iting the whole collection of small luggage on
the sidewalk, out of sheer WEAKNESS. Followed
by the approving head waiter, she was about to
pass Wardow. still lettering by the door, when
an imperative voice briefly called out: Rose
body"
With a blush and shy raising of her brown
! eyes to Wardlow, she returned to the chariot
and, in passable French, pronounced with a
pathetic lifting of her eyebrows and AN effective
nse of single dimple, she begged the Swiss
kmountaineer to be careful how he handled a
long and mysterious box which formed portion
bf their eccentriclooking baggage.
" 'Rose-boSy! How very remarkable Ward
low unused, as the wearer of the scarlet cloak
disappeared. IF they travelling about with
3the body of deceased-good heavens, impossi-
Fble! Certainly they don't believe in mourning;
should say not Scarlet with line of black fur
about the hood Curious travelling costume: the
independence of beauty and America On the
whole rather like it Guess I'll go in and re-
connoitre."
In the hall he discovered father" leaning
against pillar. and staring with much surprise
alta huge printed placard which was fastened
within convenient reading distance against the
wall
He still wore his travelling shawl. the old felt
hat was on his head, and the red bandanna was
in full play: he seemed to be an object of min
gled scorn and perplexity to the soul of the
proud head waiter
AT the sound of footsteps father turned and
gazed at Wardlow with shrewd smile.
$50 you're Yankee Should ha' known you
anywhere eveniif l hadn't been told
81 did not know that my nationality was so
unpleasantly obvious. the other said smiling
1.-THE head waiter said you were an American
Gracious. you needn't feel riled suppose if I'd
taken you for an Englishman you'd been as
pleased as Punch. Now. seeing you're Yankee,
what may your name be9'
Wardlow looked at his countryman helplessly,
dod ard Hath tad a
pair of steel-bowed spectacles from shabby case,
and proceeded to study the scanty information.
"'John Winthrop Wardlow, Boston / sup
pose some of your folks came over in the May
fower?n he demanded, with grin.
II hope not; should have such poor opin-
ion of them. If they did, / wish they had stayed
in England. May in turn ask whom have
the pleasure of addressing9
Without waste of words father took him con
6dentially by thear and pointed to the follow
ing printed notice against the wall:
"Bains chauds-y-l franc 30 confines Bains
froids--l franc. Bains la douche-1 franc, 80
confines"
Excuse me. but don't understand" Ward
low confessed, after reading this statement of
facts.
"a very curious circumstance quite coin
cidence,r father said II don't read French my
self, but suppose that is their way Of spelling
it. I spell mine with an o.
Spell yours with an 'e,'p Jack repeated in
Aperplexity.
MY name is Baines. Baines with an e.
EThomas q. Baines, Pttsburg, Penn. All ask
you is, Why did they put it up there's"
Jack struggled for selfcommand 1T means
baths he explained.
You don't say so!' old Baines cried
He cast suspicious look at his neighbor, then
turned about. muttering, "Baines-baths- bains
--baths--a very awkward circumstance. Who
could ha' thought it, when he stopped short as
the mysterious box, standing Oh end. came with
in range of his rritated vision.
1t was kind of pine ccffin-shaped structure,