The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-06-26
MISTAKEN IDENTITY.
A Bewildered Traveller Worshiped
as Grand Duke Alexis.

Inc STORY mas TWO sues. Garallel
sides. But it is all one and the same
story. The circumstances happened
in Bunkville, N. j., at the time that
the Russian Grand Duke Alexis made
his first visit to this country. Yes,
Bunkville is fictitious name. But the
story isn't. o, no!
l was in Bunkvilie over Sunday and
stopped at Spott's tavern. At the
clerks desk was a placard reading:
Commercial travellers can not be ac-
.commodated. And as | was COM
mercial traveller kept mum, but kept
thinking, Presently | asked the land
lord why he could not keep drummers.
'Never do, he said.
"Whye"
because one of 'em TOOK me and
the whole town in oncen'
''How was that?''
ut was several years ago, on the oc-
casion of the Grand Duke Alexis trav-
cling in the United States. He was to
pass through here on his way from New
York to Washington, and some of our
folks made it a point to watch for him
Mt the depot. Our telegraph operator
found out what train he was to take
or thought he did-and thought it was
the six o'clock train. 1t was stormy
day, heavy ice and snow, and when the
train came in the locomotive broke
down just out from the village. There
were only few passengers, and all out
in the cars waiting for the next train,
excepting one young man, a pompous
drummer, who got off and came over
to my tavern. l think that some way
he found out that our folks had been
on the lookout for the Russian Prince,
for no sooner did he come in than he
signs in the register Alexis. This,
and the fact of his wearing a fur coat
completely took us in, and thinking he
was the royal nubbin and no mistake,
we opened our arms to him; and in
short treated him as if he was what he
pretended to be. We gave him re-
ception and, well, before morning he
had decamped and we found we were
fooled, and that he was only a drum
mer, name of Alexander Martin, from
Albany. That experience set me
against the fellows craft
Now we all knew AL Martin, but l
venture to say that none knew him to
be deceiver. Therefore the matter
puzzled me until l wrote him. And he
answered. His side of the story cometh
next.
Yes, he wrote, remember Bunkville,
and that night. / arrived in the storm;
but instead of personating Alexis, the
fact is the villagers mnstook me for
him. When L came into the village
from the delayed train there was a
crowd at the depot, and as l passed
along | heard several say: That s
him!' But | was cold, and got into
the hotel as soon as | could. There |
assaulted the register, and if with my
benumbed fingers | made out to write
something that looked like "Alexis" it
was no wonder. | had room given me
without delay by the landlord and had
Just got seated to await my supper
when my first annoyances began. A
voice at my window attracted my at
tention, and turning that way / found
two boys looking in. Naturally pos
sesscd myself of the opinion that was
in Il dangerous place. The landlord
returned with the supper served on his
UcSb anu uuSbleSJ Cnlnd, ana accom-
panied by some of the most graceful
bows that | had ever seen.
Landlord, said, "there have been
two fellows at my windows looking in.
Do you allow your guests to have such
an indignity shown them?"
The man bowed and stammered:
"You-you see, -they-are so much
amazed, that is, you know they never
saw a-a-'
"Never saw gentleman, ehP"
"Yes'r, Yes'r."
"Well, you tell them to keep away,
if it is curiosity that calls them there.
You may 60" He went, but soon
appeared again.
Beg Highnesses' pardon, he said
''but Mr. Edison Briggs, our first select
man, would like the-the honor of-of
seeing you"
And he gave place to big gray
beard who appeared in his rear anC
whom | took to be Mr., Briggs. L
made me cross to be interrupted in thii