Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-10-19

pipes, conduits and canals, of the man
on the title page of the zodiac-Broad-
way, with its hurry and rush and bust
ness and omitted dividends; its torn and
disfgured surface; its crowds of young
men Who brag about being such rooeys,
as the French say, when in fact they are
not or they would not blow so much
about it; its focks of beautiful girls
with bright, new, becoming frocks; its
gangs Of patient toilers, who are putting
in the new cable at a rate which makes
the old moss covered street opener of
New York crazy; its returning troops of
brown and beautiful children, fresh
from tie fields where the black eyed
sussns and the bluebells grow, all, all
bewilder a rustic from the woods Of
Buncombe county, n. c., and cause him
to buy new clothes for himself so that he
will not so readily attract the green
goods man.
This time, somehow, when I am buster
than ever, think / am more than usu-
ally annoyed by these people. A very
disagreeable thing occurred to me not
long ago It was different from any
thing had ever before experienced. /
was in the well known publishing house
of the Scribners. looking at new books
in the sslesroom and especially admir-
ing beautiful volume of "Hiawatha,"
illustrated by Remington, who makes
such truthful frontier horses and-I had
almost said such truthful Indians.
While was thus engaged saw at a
distance Chicago gentleman who pub
lished book for me once. met him
when we made the contract, about five
years ago, and expected to see him every
sixty days after that, at which times
was to receive statement and check, but
instead Of all this he began to build and
also bought team. Well, for those
reasons did not see him any more, and
30 was not quite sure that it was HEN
fact it was not, but I felt sure it must
be. However, / was well dressed and
wished to let the Chicago man know
that we New Workers are a courteous
and kindly race of people, so, as looked
well and had my new fall hat, thought
| would ask him up to my club, blow
him of, as it were, have dinner with
cake and preserves, and practically have
a time of it, allowing bygones to be by
cones.
/ sailed gayly up to him and assumed
well bred attitude which my coach
man has taught me on rainy days this
summer.
Good morning, Mr.. Skeezix," said.
Skeezix was not the name of the man
knew, but it ought to be. Good morn
ing, Mr.. Skeezix. When did you leave
Chicago?"
He looked ut me as one does who has
been bunkoed only week or so before
and whose fostering wound is torn open
afresh by new bunko man. He turned
little pale and put his hand to the
pocket which contained his pass. With
the other hand he felt for the bright, new
and massive watch chain with the gold
horse hanging from it as charm.
THAT is not my name, sir" he said,
with dry lips and husky voice. 1.-The
man you want is coming this evening.
He has car load of watermelons.
mo" said The is not in the water
melon line. Ee is publisher. Are you
not Mr.. SkeezikT
"No, sir; am not Mr.. Skeezix, and
am not going to tell you who am so
that you can 90 around the corner and
tell your partner either"
Just then Mr.. Scribner came along
and said "Good morning." as he called
me by name, and we chatted on pleas
antly about books, of which am pas
sionately fond, buying almost every
thing of value that has pretty binding,
so that now have one of the prettiest
little libraries in the east. I have no
old books. I keep only the neat, new
ones, with kaleidoscope backs, so that
my bookcases are perfectly respondent.
AS we talked saw the keen student
of humanity who had done me the cruel
wrong to take me for bunko man. He
was evidently asking the salesman some
thing. When he had gorged his curios-
ity for eight or nine seconds he went out
of the door huIriedly, leaving large
eighteen dollar Bible which he had paid