The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-09-17

~ Sssa1zsSSz& revery, but nothing
could abate the energy of this bony sage.
They talk about their Atlantises-
their submerged continents" he eN-
claimed, with a sniff through his wide,
hairy nostrils. "Why, Trednoke, do you
realize that we are living literally at the
bottom of a Mesozoic-at any rate, Ceno-
zoic-sea?'s
The gentleman thus Indignantly adj
dressed contemplated his quesuoner with
the serenity of one conscious of freedom
from geologic responsibility. He was q
man Of about the Professors age-say gu
years-but not like him in appearance.
His figure was stately and massive-that
OF one who III his youth must have pos
sessed vast physical strength, rigidly de-
veloped and disciplined. Well set upon
his broad shoulders was a noble head,
crowned with gray, Wavy hair; the eyes
and eyebrows were black and powerful,
but the expression was kindly and hui
morous. His muStache and the Roman
conveXity of his chin would have con-
firmed your conviction that he was a re-
tired warrior, in which you would have
been correct, for General Trednoke al
ways appeared what he was, both out
wardly and inwardly. His great frame,
clad in white linen, was comfortably dis
posed in a Japanese straw armchair, yet
there was a Soldierly poise in his attitude.
He was smoking large and excellent
cigar, and a cup of coffee. with a tiny
glass of cognac beside 1t, stood on ma
hogany stand at his elbow.
''Do you remember, Meschines, the
time / licked you at school?'' he inquired
in tone of pleasant reminiScence.
81 can't say l do. What's more I VEN
ture to challenge your statement. And
though you are hundred pounds the
better of me in weight, and West Point
graduate, L Will wager my pipe (Which is
worth its weight in diamonds) against
that old wooden shirt of M ontezuma's that
you showed me yesterday, that can
lick you to-day and forget all about it be-
fore bedtime!"
well. / guess you could" returned
the General, with a little chuckle, "even
if l hadn't that Mexican bullet in my
leg. But you couldn't forty-tive years
ago, though you tried, and though l was
year younger than you, and weighed
i've pounds less. Come, now, you don't
mean to say you've forgotten Susan
Brown!''
''Oh-ah-hahl Susan Brown! Well,
l declare! And what brought her into
your head l should like to know"
Why, after breaking your heart first,
and then mine, l lost sight of her, and
don't think have seen her since. But it
appears she was married to fellow
named Parsloe."
Don't fancy that namep' observed
the Professor, wagging his head and
1rowning. Has a mean sound to it.
But what of it?''
well, she died-rest her soul-and
Parsloe, too. But they had a daughter
and she survives them.''
And resembles her mother, eh? No,
Trednoke, the time for that sort Of thing
has gone by with me. Susan might have
kad me, tive-and-forty years ago, but I
can't undertake to revive my passion for
hon i IL
Besides, Pm too busy to think of mar
riage and not-not old enoughr'
At this tour de force the General laughed
softly and finished his coffee. An old In
dian, somewhat remarkable in appear
ance, with shaggy white hair hanging
down on his shoulders, stepped forward
from, the room where he had been wait
ing, and removed the cup.
NO letters yet, Kamaiakan?" asked
the General, in Spanish.
I'm few minutes, General" the other
replied. Pablo has just come in sight
over the hill. There were several err
rands.n
''Muy buen! I was going to say, Mes
chimes, her father and mother left the girl
poor, and she being, apparently, clever
and energetic, took to"
Il know" the Professor interrupted
''They all do it when they are clever and
energetic, and that's the end of them
schoOl-teaching
Not at all,'' returned General Tired
noke. 'She entered dry goods store"
Entered dry goods store! Well,
there's nothing so extraordinary in that.
Dve seen quantities of women do it of all
ages, colors and degrees. What did she
buy there?"
''Oh, fiddlestick," exclaimed the Cen
eral. why don't you keep quiet and
listen to my story? | say, she went into
a great dry goods store in New York as
Saleswoman."
BLESS my soul! You don't mean
That's what I said, isn't it? And why
''oh. well-but shade of Susan Brown!
Ichabod-what is the feminine of Icha-
bod, by the way, Trednoke? But, seri-
ously, it's too bad. Susan may have been
uckle, but she was always aristocratic.
And now her daughter is a shop girl You
and are ayengedp'
on are just as ridiculous, Meschines,
as you were thirty or fifty years ago."
said the General, TRANQUILITY. 'You de-
claim for the sake of hearing your own
voice. Besides, what you say is I'M
American. Grace ParSloe, as was saw
ing, got place as shop girl in one of the
great New York stores. l don't say she
mlghtn't have done worse; what l say is.
l doubt whether she could have done
tS~N1SA" AtSAI 4ACOSS-l KNOW one OF It's
founders, and l know what I am talking
about-is like an enormous family. where
cnlldren are born, year after year grow
up, and take their places in life according
10 their quality and merit. What I mean
Is, tnaI the boy who drives wagon for
them to-day, at three dollars a week.
may control one of their chief DEPART
ments, or even become a partner. before
they are done with him; and, mutatis
mutandls, the same with the girls. When
these girls marry, it's apt TO be- into a
higher rank OF life than they were horn
in; and that fact, take it, is a good indi-
cation that their shop girl experiences has
been an education and an inlproyement
They are given work TO do, suited to their
capacity be it small or great; they are in
the way of learning something of the
great economic laws; they learn self-re-
Straint, courtesy and"
"And human nature! Yes, poor things
they see the American buying woman,
and that is discipline More trying than
any of you West Pointers know about!
Oh, yes, see your yoint. Ii the fathers
of the big family are fathers, and the
children are children TO them......A1 the
same, 1 fancy the young ladies, when
they marry into the higher social circles,
as you say they do, don't, as rule,
make their shop-girl days topic of con-
yersation at o'clock teas, or put 'Ex-
shop girl to So-and-so' at the bottom Of
their visiting cards."
Il believe, after all, you're q snob,
Meschines,'' said the General, pensively.
But, as was about to say, when you
interrupted me ten minutes ago, Grace
Parsloe is coming on here to make us
visit. She fell i'll, and her employers,
after doing what could be done for her
IN the way of medical attendance, made
up their minds to give her change of
climate. Now, you know, as she had
originally gone to them with a letter
from me, and as l live out here, on the