The morning call., 1890-11-23

it. 1t is encased In gold frame. l ask that You
insist upon her compliance with this demand and
II necessary to convince her that made IT, show
her this writing but not otherwise Yours atIec-
ti0nately, A. U.
Ammi Updegraff had not pushed his trav-
els any further than Calcutta and had been
away from Harlem only little more than
a year when he awoke to discover that he
had already enriched his mind with num-
Der of ideas. For instance, he found that
it was much more of a world than he had
supposed. that there was plenty of worse
looking men than he. and men with livers
in a worse condition than his, and that
Rachel compared very well with the aver
age run of women. and he quietly made up
his mind that upon his restoration to life,
as Mrs. Updegratf," he would make
things easier for her, and not keep such
strict tally of the kisses bestowed upon
her nor ask for the change when there was
a dollar or so left over on paying bill.
1t was pretty we'll along in the second
of the East and after a rather hasty glance
at the Nile entered Europe by passing up
the Danube and hating for few weeks at
Buda Pesth and Vienna. Then an extended
tour through the Tyrol, fortnight's stay at
Munich and dip Of several months into
Switzerland and Italy brought him to Paris
and at the end Of his second year. His liver
was now behaving splendidly. In fact, the
moment he had entered Southern Europe
and began to drink the acid red wine.
Chiant, Bordeaux, etc., he had begun to
feel like another man. 1t was lucky day
for any landlady, shopkeer er or even
chambermaid, in whom he could observe the
slightest line or point of resemblance to
Rachel. The woman was sure to be over
whelmed with compliments and become the
recipient of some token of the dead mans
regard.
At times he would feel the blood tingle in
his cheeks as he caught himself setting the
epithet darling in front of Racheps name.
He had never done so but six times. He
rec0llected each occasion with great par
ticularity.
1t is not necessary that the reader should
stalk after Updegraff in his wanderngs
through Germany and the Low Countries.
Suffice it to say that after two and half
years absence from Harlem, New York
City, the deceased was living in lodgings
in Ryder street, Picadilly, London. Lon
don pleased him greatly, so did a
charming widow by the name Of Mrs. Elsie
Virgins, whom he met and embraced at first
sight in rather extraordinary manner. He
had run over to Paris for a few
days ON his way back TO London
a nasty sea was running in the
Channel, and as he started to ascend
his arms. Had he not been OF short and
chunky build he must surely have been
overturned; as it was, he escaped with the
loss of an eye. which was pierced by the
point of the lady's parasol. Updegraff did
not care to ask for any money damages OF
pity he got whole worlds, and he felt him
self coming to life so rapidly at this time
that he deemed it only prudent to escape
from this fair destroyer of his last trace of
manly beauty and last chance of his ever
becoming satisfied with his personal APP
pearance and return to America forthwith.
q I'M Tn
the very day that he had been absent
from his native land. He recognized sew
eral New Workers on the steamer, but with
his full beard, his round, curly wig, his
thick coat OF tan and one blue glass in his
spectacles covering the blind eye they
hadn't the slightest suspicion that Ammi
Updegraff, late of Harlem, deceased, was
on board that White Star steamer with
them.
1t may be said that Thaddeus Billings.
alias Ammi Updegraff set foot on his native
Isle of Manhattan with mixed emotions. In
practical joke in cold blood, but in the
meantime, his Imagination played a lively
game of shuttlecock with Mrs. Updegratf"
and Mrs. Cheyal ier," and no matter how
vigorously he piled his battledoor he
couldn'nt send Mrs. Chevalier" far enough
away to get rid of her.
The steamer reached her wharf at 10
o'clock in the morning, and as Thad Bill
hugs' solid frame was fairly thrilling with
love of native land it seemed to him Sacri-
lege to take cab at such a moment and he
therefore started out for walk, pausing
mechanically IN front of newsstand to
buy morning paper which he thrust into
his pocket and passed along. He had no
particular destination in his mind. 1t was
hardly to be expected that dead man should
hurry home to his friends. A half-hour's
walk landed him in Washington square,
ul h.a at mn nf han
1t was delightfully."- cool morning and he
sat for a moment noting the changes in the
buildings which framed this clump OF green,
and then quite uneonscously, and for all the
world just as he used to do in his lifetime
when seated in Mount Morris Park, he
pulled out his morning paper and began to
read; but lie ccntented himself with head
lines and captions. It quite manifaet
that. although bis body was in Washington
square, his thoughts were all in Harlem.
Suddenly the headline Arrivals at Sara
tOga This Week" met his eye, and in the
very first line stood the name Mrs. Upde-
graft, New York"
He gave a gasp. and then another gasp,
and then he looked around to see whether
anybody was watching him. No. there was
no one there, and the next instant he was
kissing that line of smeary printers ink as
if he were Is and it were perfumed, rose
colored paper.
''Oh. Raehel!' he murmured, "forsive me.
forgive mel and springing to his feet he
walked rapidly out toward Fifth avenue re-
peatlng as he strobe along:
Forgive me. forgive ME, forgive mel!
But might 1t not be some other Mrs. Up
degraff? No, the dead man knew that there
was but one ether family CT Updegraffs in
New York, and they spelled their name
Updeeraf.
a glance at bis watch told him that he
was too late for the morning express so he
took cab and drove to the hotel where he
had sent his trunks. Not until he had
reached the Grand Central Station and
bought his ticket for Saratoga did the terri
bic thought flash through his mind
Suppose l should find her in company
with Philip Chevalier?"
A hOt-boX and one or two other mishapS
brought the express in an hour behind time,
and it was not until o'clock that Ammi
Updegratf, late of Harlem, deceased, left
his hotel to make preliminary reconnais-
anee. His heart gave tremendous thump
as lie stepped over the d0or-sill of the hotel
ut which Mrs. Updegraff was stopping lie
didn't dare look up. Even the hair of his
wig seemed suddenly endowed with life and
lntentupon assuming perpendecularity. He
made push for the readiEg-Ioom and sat
down to get his breath. The air couldn't
have seemed thinner il he had been five
miles high. Several ladies and gentlemen
fitted by the door in evening dress.
All at once it occurred to him that it was
Saturday night, and that 10 doubt the usual
hop was III progress. Something whispered
TO him:
GO to the door. Ammi. and look in"
what folly" he muttered in his beard.
"she wouldn't be there. She don't dance,
she's not dancing woman"
And yet that still small voice kept repeat
ing: go to the door, Amni, and look in"
He rose and walked along the veranda.
The ballroom was at the other end of the
hotel 1t seemed mile away, but he got
there at last. Still there was such crowd
about the door that he found it impossible
to wedge his broad shoulders through it.
AT last. however, something broke up this
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