The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-21
.srhere was plenty out of doors to las.

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the table and held out the glass for him tc
ill. Having done SO he helped himself tC
glass and chair, and sat down facing me
AZ was talking Just now of my late but
ler,n he began, with a sip at his brandy
HAS it struck you that when confronted
with moral delinquency, am apt to lei
my indignation get the better of me?"
''Not at ALL" answered heartily, refill
ing my glass.
1t appeared that another reply would
have pleased him better.
Him. / was hoping that perhaps
had visited his offense too strongly. As a
clergyman, you see, / was bound to be
severe, but upon my word, sir, since be
went have felt like man who has lost a
limb"
He drummed with his fingers on the
cloth for few moments and went on:
zone has a natural disposition to forgive
butlers-Pbaraoh, for instance, felt it.
There hovers around buffers that peculiar
atmosphere which Shakespeare noticed as
encircling kings-an atmosphere in which
common ethics lose their pertinence. But
mine was rare bird-a black swan among
buffers He was more than a butler; he
was quick and brightly gifted man. OF
the accuracy of his taste and the unusual
scope of his endeavor you will be able to
form some opinion when I assure you he
modelled himself upon me-"
/ bowed over my brandy.
81 am a scholar, yet l employed him to
| read aloud to me, and derived pleasure
from his intonation. l talk as a scholar,
| yet he learned to answer me in language
as precise as my own. My cast off gar
ments fitted him not more irreproachably
| than did my amenities of manner. Divest
him Of his tray and you would find his
mode Of entering room hardly distin-
| guishable from my own-the same urban
| ity, the same alertness of carriage, the
same superfine Difference toward the weak
er sex. All-all my idiosyncrasies 1 saw
reflected in this my mirror; and can you
! doubt that was gratiied? He was my alter
! ego, which makes it the more eXtraordi-
nary that it should have been necessary
! to marry him to the cook"
Look here" / broke in, you want a
butler"
"Oh, you really grasp that fact, do your,
| he retorted.
and you wish to get rid of me as soon
as may be-"
Il hope there is no impoliteness in com
! plimenting you on your discernment."
Your two wishes may be reconciled.
Let me cease to be your burglar, and let
me continue here as your butler"
He leaned back, spreading out his fingers
as if the tables edge was a harpsichord,
and he stretching octaves upon it.
Believe me" went on, you might do
worse. l have been denny of Magdalen
college, Oxford, in my time, and retain
some Greek and Latin. I'll undertake to
read the Fathers with an accent that shall
not offend you. My knowledge of wine is
none the worse for having been cultivated
in other mems cellars. Moreover, you shal!
engage the ugliest cook in Christendom, ST.
long as Pm your butler. I've taken lik-
ing to you-that's fat-and l apply for tae
post"
81 give $40 year." said he.
And I'm cheap at that price"
He filled up his glass, looking up at me
while he did so with the air of one digest
ing problem. From first to last his face
was grave as judges.
1--WE are too impulsive, think" was his
answer, after a minutes silence, land your
speech smacks of the amateur. You saw
Let me cease to be your burglar, and let
me be your butler The mere aspiration
is respectable; but a man might as well
say, Let me cease to write poems, let me
paint pictures And truly, sir, you i'm
pressed me as no expert in your trade, but
journeyman housebreaker if may say
So"
"On the other hand" 1 argued, "con-
slider the moderation of my demands. That
alone should convince you of my desire to
turn over a new leaf / ask for a months
trial; if, at the end of that time, | don't
suit, you shall say so, and I'll march from
your door with nothing in my pocket but
my months wages. Be hanged, sir! but
when | reflect on the amount you'll have
to pay to get me to face to-night's storm
again, you seem to be getting off dirt
cheapr' cried l, shaping my palm on the
table
"Ah, if you had only known Adolphus!''
he exclaimed.
Now the third glass of clean spirits had
always deplorable effect on me. 1t turns
me from bright TO black, from lightness of
spirits to extreme sulkiness. have done
more wickedness over this third tumbler
Shaa IL I'll the ether states of comparative
inebriety within my experience. So now
glowered at my companion and raped out
a curse.
Look mere; l don't want to hear any
more of Adolphus, and I've a pretty clear
notion of the game you're playing. You
want to make me drunk, and you're ready
to sit prattling there till l drop under the
table"
do me the favor to remember that Won
came and are staying at your own invita-
ton. AS for the brandy, l would remind
you that l suggested milder drink. Try
some Madeira"
He handed me decanter as he spoke,
and / slowly poured out glass
"Madeirar' said /, taking a gulp. "Cghl
it's the commonest kind of Marsalar'
had no sooner said the words than he
rose up and stretched hand gravely
across to me.
Il hope you will shake it." he said, /
though as a man who after three glasses /
of neat spirit can distinguish between Ma /
deria and Marsala, you have every right TO /
refuse me. Two minutes ago you offered |
to become my butler and l demurred. | I
now beg of you TO repeat that offer Say 1
the word, and / employ you gladly; you /
shall even have the second decanter (gen- |
uine Msdeirs) to take to bed with you"
We shook hands on nur bargain. and /
catching up a candleStick- he led the way
from the room.
Picking up my boots l followed him .
along the passage and down the silent 1
staircase. In the hall he paused TO stand .
on tiptoe and turn up the lamp, which was f.
burning low As he did so found timeto .
fling glance at my old enemy, the mastiff. /
He lay as / had first seen him-a stuffed /
dog, if ever there was one. Decidedly" 4
thought l, my wits are TO seek tonight
~ - =
made me turn to my conductor. who had .
advanced 70 the left hand door and WIS