The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-07
MISS MACGOWAN
On Der Travels in Search OF Infor-
nation.

On Der Travels in Search Of Infor-
nation.
Tom GREEN COUNTY, Texas, Dec. Al
am extremely old, hard of heart, without
much sentiment left and fast losing faith in
tie generality of mankind in general. but
have what / sometimes think is the mis-
fortune to appear many years younger than
l am, with a round, soft-looking face and
big, unsophisticated eyes.
In the wilds of the Carolina mountains,
where have recently been travelling among
the kindly and chivilrous mOuntaineers, or
ont here on the praries OF West Texas, 1t is
true this appearance does me yeoman serv-
ice, and procureS to me the klndest and
most considerable treatment. | have more
than once been called Sis and every
body takes care of and looks out for me.
But Ia the cities through which l must
pass. at the hotels and upon the railways,
this deceptive aspect of youthful softness
is responsible for my often being iieeced-
robbed without compunction. What
is my binP' ask Of the
dignltary behind the hotel register; ne looks
at me benevolently, and says, Five dol
lars" when l know perfectly it should not
be more than three. just sit down in the
parlor, miss, I'll call you when the bus
comes" says the por ,er, having taken stock
of my innocent countenance and air. Pres
entity her ushes in with profuse excuses for
having forgotten me when the bus came,
| but he has secured carriage with a most
obliging driver, who will run his horses all
the way to the depot to get mo there in
time, for only 81 So We go-I can't afford
| to miss my train, and | am confident the
porter and driver share the 81 so.
And so the story goes but l have a
| cohouna---a s0hpno which | c,1ra
binary mind would ever have conceived,
for securing an inexpensive and irreproach-
| able travelling companion, who will at once
rescue me from all such annoyanceS.
| shall insert the following advertisement
in several leading journals: "Wanted-As
| travelling companion and chaperone pro-
tector to lone young woman, the ghost of
elderly lady or gentleman severely respect
able, and somewhat stern and forbidding
aspect. Duties light. ghosts mere presence
| being all usually required; will be expected
| to furnish stony glares for hotel clerks,
hackmen, aud all presuming and imperti-
| nenu people when necessary, and to promptly
dematerialize at the approach of the con-
ductor and whenever not wanted. None
but ghosts of superior breeding and uncom-
promising bearing need apply"
Provided with such a companion. ally
and defender, one at once SO inexpensive
convenient and irreproachable in appear
ance, | can safely go anywhere without
| fear of criticism, molestation, or imposi.
ton upon my unprotected youth aud igno-
| rance.
/ began TO realize, after | had Travelled
! southwark and westward from Fort Worth
some hundreds of miles, that | was in
Texas, and getting out pretty we'll onto the
| frontier of the state. 1t is the country of
! breezy, nonchalant manners, jocular loo Il
nomenclature and ee-handed generosity
and hospitality. began to hear such re
marks as you're not paying for mem 40,
yes, that's all right IN the Pullman car: or
at the dining table: so, put up that-l'm
| paying"
More than once | rode from the depot in
a carriage with several others, and never
succeeded in learning who paid my fare.
The table at the railroad hotel where we
ate supper the last night out was striking
picture. All around it was line of sun
burned men eating like cormorants and
! looking as fierce aad fell as pirates, with
their big white cowboy hats or silver
trimmed sombreros pulled down over eyes
that have acquired strained intentness
| from gazing over the plains in search of
! straying sheep or cattle. But these grim
| looking fellows will 'roar you as gently as
a sucking dove.n A more genuine exhibit
| ton OF courtesy you will not sec than the
attentive and solicitous manner in which
they proifered me the ham, tho chicken, or
the pie, ia big, bass voices carefully brought
] down g ptdaissimO