The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-19
REWARDING THE GUIDE.
FL Ketes.ns IL. the ciioago Ledqer.

There was quite party Oh US Americans
and Britols-and we had gone out from
Brussels to Mont ST. Jean to view the his
toric ground which Mr.. Wellesley, his grace
of Wellington, mopped so artiStically with
Mr.. Bonaparte, the Corsican gentleman who
took such q prominent part in the sanguln-
ary national disagreements which caused
geographers and health committees so much
trouble during the early part of the present
century.
OF course we had to have guides, so, upon
our arrival we engaged two, who proffered
their ser vices. together with strong recon-
mendatlons from themselves. One of them
VAS a middle-aged Belgian, rather stupid
and slow of speech, but very polite and
obliging. The other was a young fellow of
about 25, who spoke English like an Ameri-
can, and did not fail to fully convlnce US Of
| his linguistic requirements Ills name was
| Felix. and he had red halr-very red, in
| deed-hke a Dakota sunset In the drought
season. He was not, however, enc of these
auburn-ha ired people who are representative
| concerning the fiaring consplcuousness of
| their hirsute adornment, and become taci-
turn and unassuming from fear that they
will attract attention to it and themselves.
Quite the contrary, Felix was possessed
| of an overflow of spirits which would do
1
| that overflow to escape by means of voluble
talk. more often personal than otherwise,
| woich. somehow or other, he had become
convinced was excessively humorous and
| nirthsprovoking in the extreme. On this
| a count he was about as disAgreeaole as can
| be imagined, especially as we Americans
| had gotten somewhat by ourselves, and he
| attached himself to US, IN his aggresSively
social way.
Felix had evidently seen Americans be-
| fore. He seemed to know that in the land
| of the free there is a certain euphonious
| but egregiously mistaken. doctrine which
says, in effect, that all men are equal. He
knew that his familiarity would not be toll
Grated by the English section OF the party
for five seconds, so remained with us, Sc
cure in the consciousness that certain
declarations embodied in the immortal con-
stitution have resulted III making the
| average American moral coward, so far
as checking the advances Of interiors is con-
cerned. Still, one by one, we managed,
by cold chances and frigidly curt and mon
osyllabio replies to the sallies which
ne ventur-d, TO freeze him out, so
that finally there was only one victim left
for him. This member of the party was an
attache of legation-a meek-eyed, soft
voiced youth, who rejoiced in the well-fit-
ting patronymic of Lamb, and who had
oeen promoted to his present position from
desk in a big Philadelphia dry goods
mouse. He was thoroughly good-nstured
sort of chap, whom We all liked, and it
made US long to mako peaceful remains
out of the festive Felix to see him taking
advantage of Lambs disincliuatlon 10 hurt
any ones feelings. But after awhile, See
ing Lamb so muttonish under his persecu-
ton, we all swore by the great web-footed
st. Peter that he deserved to suffer for his
neekness. And accordingly let him Sc.
yerely alone. fsb
Well, a bit before noon, we turned up at
a place where relics of the Wellington
Bonaparte mill were for sale, and while here,
| Felix disappeared for short time. We
were preparing TO move on, hoping to lose
him somehow, when he returned, carrying
with some difficulty an enormous half-petri-
fed shin bone, which must have weighed
sixty or seventy pounds and could hardly
have belonged to anything smaller than an
elephant. With this he hastened across the
room to Lamb, and turning TO us
with knowing wink, said, in q stage
whisper: "Mr. Lamb, have just the very
thing l believe you want. | had some
trouble getting hold of it, as the old woman
who owned it didn't want to part with it.
1t is" he whispered hoarsely, coming little
nearer to his victim, 1.-THE shin-bone of the
charger which the emperor had shot under
him at the battle of Waterloo. I think
great deal of you, Mr.. LAMB ana sol weulc
spare no pains in getting it for you"
Lambs face expressed deep gratitude
He did not for one moment look as if h'
thought that Bonaparte had had less thai
ten horses shot under him on that memora
BILE day, but expressed bis thanks in a voict
husky with emotion, and paid cheerfully
the three francs which Felix said the inval
liable relic had cost him. He seemed yer,
solicitous about his acquisition, and, lest i
should get lost, requested Felix to keep i
constantly with him. soc
1t was a villainously hot day, ana W
concluded it would make good material TO
page of the Inferno. But we had to SO
all there was to see that day. and SO. in linn
attire, we kept on. Ever and anon Fell
would evince desire to drop the shin-bon
and rest from his labors, but Lamb wou
command him to hang on to it, assurin
him that he would amply reward him a
the close of the day. So the expectant Felix
his back and arms aching and the perspira
ton rolling off his forehead and down int
his eyes, would stand and hold tina
bone, using his head to indicate by nod
the points of interest. We stopped fo
{ | lunch in little grove and LaIn9 mad
Felix hold the bone while we atesi Heacte;
so idiotically about that bone, IN his eppal
ent fear that it would get lost, that W
t voted him a perfect imbecile lie talke
eloquently about it, aud told US how i
would make him famous, and all that
until we concluded the heat had affecte
, his brain.
And all this time the unfortunate, and q
S last silent. Felix, stood by, swaybackeC
. holding that miserable bone close to hi
sweltering chest. We tried to persuad
Lamb that he ought TO let the poor fello'
j rest, but he wouldn't think of it. "No," h
said, 81 can't think of losing it; it's to
valuable. He will be amply repaid for b
work-rll take care of tbat-5ut l can
think of his letting it out of his sight"
Finally about dark we arrived at OF
starting place, just in time to catch til
coach, which drove up at that momen
rather late and in hurry. We dispose
ourselves inside and out, the soft-eye
Lamb on the box with the driver, and Il
latter functionary was about to start h
horses, when husky. anxious voice can
=. ringing through the gathering gloom IN a
y incoherent yell, followed by Felix, who be
> stopped for moment to speak to a BROTH
guide.
. "Oh, Mr.. Lamb! You have fcrgotte
your beautiful shin-bouen he cried, as
came painting up. "See! | have saved
g for you. l have taken good care of it, al
:, | wonld not have you lose it for"
y Felix" said Lamb. in his most insinua
3 ing and fetching ri5bon-counter voic
Ii ''You have, indeed, been faithful, and d
serves not only a heavy reward, but n
hearty thanks. Here, before my friends,
It wish to express the gratitude which wei
up from my heart. Il was noble, splend
act-worthy of a Sidney-to procure n