The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-10
ON THE SIDE.

ON THE SIDE.
One OF the best stories have heard IN
some time came to me the other day
through mutual friend" To 20 back
tor time, one day four years ago this
summer very pretty young girl was flying
over the New York Central road on her way
to Hudson river boarding school. She
was alone in the Pullman car and the jour
ney was just becoming very tiresome when
the train stopped at Syracuse and gay
drummer boarded the car and seated him
self just behind our lady friend. He lifted
the window and made himself generally
useful until pleasant conversation sprang
up between them. This lasted until she
left the train at her station. My lady, of
course, wrote to her particular gentlemen
friend about the incident and then the fun
began. 1t happens that her friend among
other accomplishments can write letter in
very dainty feminine hand. He writes to
the drummer letter apparently from the
young lady, but signed with a fictitious
name. The drummer of course supposed
this was her real name, as she had failed to
tell him who she was during
the pleasant conversation on the Pull
man. The correspondence continued for
several years until few months ago, when
the gentleman friend'' came to Helena to
take position in well-known bank. Last
Thursday, in looking over the hotel ar
rivals in the morning paper, he noticed
the name of the drummer. Then the fun
began again. Thursday noon, when the
drummer inquired for his mail at The Hell
ena, he found sweet little scented note
from his old-time lady correspondent, in
forming him Of her presence in town, how
she saw his name in the list of arrivals, how
her old longing to see him again was re-
vived, how she had lady friend who would
like to meet friend of his, ETC., and clos
ing by making date at The Broadwater
for that evening. The drummer, in hot
haste, finds the desired friend, and with
high glee shows him the dainty note. They
laughed over the matter and of course &C
cepted the proposition, asking what hour
the meeting might take place. They waited
around the hotel all the afternoon watching
for the return of tho messenger. They
were disappointed, but not discouraged.
They remained over the next day, and
started search for the missing boy, but
without success. Finally they left for the
west. sadder, but wiser men.
~
Hugh McQuaid would like to find the
'double' who drifts about the streets of
London cutting Hugh's friends and getting
him into all sorts of trouble. The other
day the colonel received a letter written in
a pretty feminine hand and addressed to
him at his former apartments in London.
On examining the letter Sir Hugh found it
was from an old friend saying she had seen
him on the Strand few days before, but as
he had failed to bow she did not speak to
him. However, she would be more than de-
lighted to have him call and renew a very
pleasant friendship. OF course, this an
noyed the colonel, but he wrote an explana-
ton, in which he stated that however YER
satile his talents might be he had never yet
succeeded in living in London and Helena
at the same time. He cabled the Scotland
Yard people about the matter. and expects
that the mysterious double will soon be
landed behind the bars.
| ~
The other day a stranger visited the
Boulder Hot Springs and in the course of
his search for information ran across IT,
year-old boy. This is part of the converse
ton that followed the strangers fortunate
discovery:
Stranger-"My lad, can you tell me some
thing about these springs? am a stranger
here and"
Boutwell,, you must be green if you
amt never hearn about the Boulder springs.
Why, they beat place paw calls Saratogger
fer curin' sick people. Where do you come
from, anyhow?''
Stranger (modestly)-"My home is in
Helena"
!, Boy-"And you come from Helena and
don't know nothin' about these springsi
But, say, stranger you live in hell of big
town. I was there with paw last week and
it seems like it was twice as big as Boulder
but paw said he reokoned that New Yorl
was biRger'n Helena"
straneer-'very likely"
| Boy-"I went down to them hot springs
of your'n in Helena but they amt a. hot al
our'n. I reckon we'll have one that'N beat
that.
Stranger-"When?"
boy OOu kuAW Wnen, out gay am
; it fun to ride on them electric oars. DOM
! know yet what makes 'em run. asked the
man that was steering with handle at the
3 end of tho car and he told me to 60 in tn,
: corner of the car and lay down."
Stranger-"I was asking you about thess
r springs. I am going to remain here only a
few minutes and if there is any Amusement
I would like to find it,"
Boy-"Thcre haint many chances for fu,
!, except playing cinch in the saloon. Mebb,
if you go down to Boulder in the mornin
Q you can see the hangin'. am goin' bu
}. paw says can't get in. reckon though
= can look through the cracks in the fence
they're big enough. Ever see hangin'
Paw says he seen more'n twenty. One tim
f in Virginia City he seen three hors
0 thieves"
Here the conversion ceased.
: ~
Marshal George w. Irwin says that there
2 was less conventionality in pecuniary mat
, tiers in the old days, and he tells very