New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-14
DOWN SOUTH.
WAITING FOR ALICK.

a boy; at least we had been led to believe II was
for that reason sitting so lois before an
open Ere In the back part of Of the grocery
stores in Asheville Junction. North Carolina We
had arrived in the carly morning from spartanburs
II already began to seem Is II II were several morn
ines ago when We had stepped on the deserted plat
form. We knew It must be the swannanoa which
brawlirg along Just the other side OF tho dis
nal structure said to be boarding house. But "
was nothing to us, though Il ten times thu
swannanoa. 1t Is one of the drawbacks OF travei
that, when you have gone hundreds of miles 10
look 81 some fine scenery, you are In such sta'e
physically that you do not care whether you iooA
st the scenery or not.
While we had stood dejcctedly on the platform
IN the dusk, the conductor had taken pity on us
and. a. the train moved on, he had swung iorward
nom the steps and shouted to US 10 81 10 inc
store and what We could do.
al supposc. said Amabcl, " that the conductor
meant well; still. what do you TANK ne 'hought
We could DO at the storel What do you ADVISE
that should ,r~ to do therc7 don't feci, JUST
ct present, II acre any employ meht suitable
for me IN q North Carolina grocery STORE.
OF course there were friends TO meet U.s. We
were alone on the platform; alone, save that we
seemed 70 be eternany accompanied by the heaviest
hind of satcbels. We also had redbird, which
Amsbcl Was bringing UP from Florida to the friend
to whom we were now going. So powerful 10 the
eHe.t Of the mind upon the body, that we would
unhesitasngIy have affirmed that We had been trsv
cling without pause with redb!rd in cage for
several weeks. IL We had not had so many sstchels
we might have done very we'll with the cage or X
we had not had the cage might have been moro
comfort able with the satchels But had all, and
I am that had never Quelled so much
profanity In equal number OF hours as we queed
in the hours that had elapsed since We left Jack
sonville.
I said there were no friends 10 moot US, for they
must by this time be quite bcwildcred as TO the
ut
lanta, and when We reached that city I. was told
TO us that the train from Florida. in which we had
iust arrived. had been known 10 connect With the
North going express, II advertised to DO but
that such occasions very rare indeed. Two
or three men, who had been the with
rs and who had thus missed business appointments
swore refreshingly and uttered dreadful threats
against the corporation. Like that sanguinary
creature of old who wished that the inhabitants of
q certain part Of the world had but one neck, that
he might II at blow, SO these gentlemen
wished about the corporation. He could not openly
Join this boodhrsty desire but think our silent
wishes powerful as the loudly expressed In
vectives
No, there meet for We had been
expected twelve hours ago We could not blame
the most loyal of friends for not standing twelve
hours tho platform where we shivered No one
but lover would have been devoted enough for
such waiting
After some consultation. not a human being in
sight NO obeycd the conductors suggestion. We
stumbled along with heavy bags and our bird
cage, seeing that the mountains round about
us and asking ourselves II We should ever have
the slightest feeling for thcm tempted to
advise any one who wishes TO preserve intact the
sensitive admiration for scenery not TO travel with
a redbird in cage. The effect of such a combi-
nation is stultifying. You don't care for the most
wonderful effect of mountain and valley; you can't
get your mind from the bird and the cage and
what Is far worse, after a short time you cease
TO wish you could admire something. You sink down
abnormal level. Ike the woman In LocEsley
Hall II you are IN crowd, oitcn is
when travelling. you have 10 fight n.adly in order
10 maintain nom for the cage Men and women
WHO have bi!d-cages and who up against
you. look az you savagely that YOU feel Hho
an outcast and wish for desert that should DO
large enough Tor self and cage. have travelled
with a puppy and / have travelled with bird, aud
/ Infinitely prefer the puppy.
Tho sforoAeeper wss andy and bland and was
sprnkIing tbs floor preparatory to sweeping He
smiled cordially, and led to the of hogsheads
of moasses and piles of calico and seated before
fire. to which directly half grown negro and
leaned up against the wall the other side of The
fireplace.
within ten minutes the negro had almost fallen into
the fire for The second time Each time in saeger-
ing up feet had scattered the Goals all about
the hearth He had STARED with such dull
persistence that he had fallen asleep. We were not
used seeing negro Sleep standing, and II seemed
10 Us very dangerous thins 10 indulge in erect
nolencc so very near such large IRE, but nobody
did anything about it. save laugh Each time the
darkey sheepshy gathered himself up, grnred round
In q general way, then went 10 sleep again.
1t vas al this time that We began wait for the
boy.
The stoIekeeper went Immediately through a back
way. lie soon returned, say ing h. had sent for a
boy named Alex, who hao quite gDod horse and
very good surrey, and this boy would take us out 10
our friends house, which was not more THAI two
miles away He further informed that they most
always gave odd jobs Alex bc ause his father
had broken lis leg. and because ne had quite good
horse and very good surrey. He'd be round right
soon and could set and rest ourselves un'ii he
came The sorekcepcr reckoned we must be tired,
and he said welcome TO set there's longs wc
wished He went further and limited that he liked
TO have There.
As the boy coming soon, We tried not to
remember how faint we we're and II seemed hardly
worth while GO over 10 that Loardng house which
stood on the banks of the swsnnanoa and get some
breakfast.
Being where we were. the storckeepec conceived
that IL was his duty 10 entertain us. lie gave full
and careful history of two hunting dogs he had lately
owned One had been accidentally shot by very
honorable young man. who though he might nave
hidden his part In the accident forevcrlsstin'y, yet
came forwards and told what he had done an handed
out 30 bin on the spot. The narrator called that
mighty square The squareness and the honorable
had made great impression. lie talked fuily
half an hour the subject. At the end he said
This feller the dog as a fine pointer came
ssuntering mp TO our eroup.
He isn't dead then - exclaimed, in great sur
prise
Law. no. lie only wounded Jim. can't
yer wake up now. an ef Alexis in sight -
The negro went laboriously the door, and soon
came back I'm the way announce that tho road
was as bare a. the back Of his hand. nvountsrily
looked at the back Of his hand, TO how bare the
highway really Then knew that Alex could
not be visible rom tina, door.
An hour passed on. The dsrkey wolfe again. and this
lima in ST. fall downward into