Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1890-01-24
GUESTS AT THE Nm.


landlord rather brusquely saluted the
newcomer.
The man scowled and spoke in a low
voice:
Domination! Dick Ryder, I wish you
wouldn't blurt out my name IN that fash
ion before crowd. L don't like it. A."
Maybe you're ashamed of it, sneered
Ryder, without lowering his voice.
No! Curse your mean spirit you
know I'm not! But the man who has
been what have been, and has come to
be what am now, don't like to have his
name bawled out as if by the toWn-crier's
mouth, so that every pumpkin sitting
about may come up and stare at him But
that's neither here nor there. I want
lodging for the night. I've got little
mOney-enough to pay for it, and the
speaker Slapped mis- breeches-pOcket,
which returned a faint jingle of coin.
will you keep me?"
"Y-e-s-I suppose SO, was the hesitat-
ing reply.
some bread and cheese and a mug of ale
will do. Fetch the tray into the parlor,
there; want to be alone.
NO." returned the landlord, with en-
ergy, Il can't give you the parlOr. The
public dlnIng-rOOm on the other side is
good enough for you; I'm likely to have
gentlemen come in, who will want the
parlor. Go into the dining-roOm and
your lunch shall be sent in to you"
Gentlemen, indeedi" Robert Barn
well leaned his elbows on the counter and
put both hands under his chin. Gentle
men? Why, you unmannerly Bardolph,
dye mean to say that I'm not one? How
many guinsas do you suppose I've paid
you for wine and entertainment in that
very parlOr? When did I cease to be a
gentleman2 Was it when I lost my for
tune? Pretty treatment this is for an old
customer! Are you not ashamed Of your
| self, Dick Ryder?"
As he proceeded his voice was raised to
a high key. All present plainly heard
/ him
For heavens sake, Mr.. Banwell, don't
make a scene here!" the landlord ex-
! claimed; you shall be we'll entertained;
but the parlor-"
ave, the parIor! That or nothing! I
call you all to witness, and the trouble
| some guest turned about to those sitting
! in the tap-rOom, whom he had not thus
/ far noticed in the least, that my legal
! rights in this inn are denied! am
/ Richard BaTnwel. Of Colchester, late
/ DarTlster- at-laW, now an attorneys clerk.
/ Fifty times have I enjoyed the seclusion
/ Of that parl9r. have money to pay for
/ 1t now. am clean and respectable, if I
| am poor and don't travel in a coach and
/ four. But because am poor and unfOr-
| tunate, this man behind the counter don't
| want my patronage. I'll show him! L
! know the law and"
There, there, Mr. BarnwelI, say no
/ more, cried the landlord. Il don't wish
/ to deny you the parlOr, if you insist. Go
| right IN, if you Will; the candles are
/ lighted, and I'll put a fire in the chimney
! place If you wish. Your lunch shall be
! brought right in to you.
! browning and muttering, BarnWell
/ picked up his bundle, entered the parlOr,
and slammed the door after him. The
| landlord tied on his white apron, and dis
! with an order for refreshments.
/ The sailor had sat quietly through this
/ stormy cOllOquy, taking silent note Of the
! newcomer, but saying nothing. He had
/ put his mug aside, not half drained.
! Troublesome customer" he now OBJ
/ served, after the door slammed.
J -Yes-dang his impudencei" replied
! Ryder, very red in the face. I want no
/ fuss nor trouble at the Red Lion, or I'd
/ pitched him out, neck and heels. The
reprObate-tO talk that way to met"
! ell US something about him, said
/ the sailor. Who and what is hep"
Ryder was about to answer, when the
! boy came in with the lunch on a tray.
! The landlord took it from him and car
ried it into the parlOr with his own hands,
| Returning after a few minutes, he drop
ped into chair and gave vent to his veX-
alton and irritation in lengthy answer
! to the sailors question.
He's the most imPudent varIet in all
| Essex. He don't know his place, and he
| won't learn it till somebody takes the
/ trouble and the pains to teach it to him.
! / wish the iend who is always at the ell
/ bow of such folk as he had sent him any
/ where but here tonight. If one Of your
! officers or some county gentleman should
/ come In for two hours entertainment to-
! night couldn't get that surly fellow out
of the parIOr.
The rusties were eagerly listening. The
| sailor was also rather interested.
HAS seen better days, I should think,
by his talk" he observed and he
seemed to know you and to be used to the
! house"
20, yesl I don't deny that there was a
! time when 1 was glad of Rob BarnWelI's
custom. And it's true, as he says, that
he has spent much money here. But he's
/ fallen pretty low In the last two years, and
he's no right to remind me Of what he
| used to be"
Give US the story, said the sailor.
FL Will, IL I can make it short enough
| I haven't the patience to waste words on
/ him. AS ne told you, he used to be 8
barrister. He had power Of cases, too.
I've heard him talk grandly to juEies on
the subject. I don't know as I've got the
/ story right; but I understood that his
aunt, who died in Colchester about two
years ago, left him five thousand pounds.
They say that turned his head. He quit
his business, or neglected it, and was in
London most Of the time, drinking, ca
rOusing, and gaming. You might know
how all that would end. he ran through
everything he had; his money went, and
! his good name with It; and on account OF
the public scandal that he made, their
lOrdships. the judges, threw him over the
bar. All this summer, I hear he's been
working as clerk for a Colchester attOr-
ney. I suppose he's footing it to Lon
don, now, to get better employment.
Bad wreck, the sailor observed, Civ
ing the utterance Of his thoughts a pro
fessionaI term. The ship on her beam
ends; the timbers all rotten; everything
blown loose; bound TO break mp and 60