The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-04-22

| Anxious to Straighten Out the Affair
| ings of the Man He Employed.
Something like twelve years ago James
II. Woodland, now private secretary to C.
P. Huntington, but at that time the In.
diana correspondent of the Cincinnati En-.
quirer, met with an adventure in Mobile
which is worth retelling. Woodland told
quainted with him will understand that il
may be relied upon as strictly true.
At that time j ohm R. Mclean and others
had become interested in the construction
of railroad from Mobile to the shores of
the gulf at the entrance to Mobile bay On
look after the interests of the northern
stockholders, expecting to remain there
for several weeks. He took quarters at
one of the leading notes.-the one which
he preferred above all others on account of
the general superiority of its cuisine. He
had been at the hotel for several days, and
everything WAC moving along with him to
his entire Satisfaction, but one fateful
morning when at breakfast, the waiter
set before him a plate of fried fish, to
which he was compelled to object.
It was not only an unsightiy object, but
eXhaled a most unsavory odor. Judging
by the smell, the fish might have been kept
over without salt from the previous sea-
sons catch. and, moreover, it had been
scorched badly in the frying. Calling the
waiter back, Woodland requested him to
remove the fish, which he did. Then,
thinking nothing more of the affair, he
went on TO finish his breakfast. While
thus engaged he was astounded at having
the objectionable dish thrust under his
nose, accompanied By the demand from the
cashier addressed to him in an insulting
tone:
What hev yez to say ag inst that flesh"
Woodland, indignant at being thus ad-
dressed, replied, with some asperity, that
he based his objection upon the fact that it
was unfit TO be placed on the table.
"Yez're too particular fer this house."
responded the cashier as he dropped the
plate on the table and turned away
IN THE HANDS OF THE COLONEL
AS he was about to rise from the table
" OCtldiu wac udL1QGu a tlOtc ltSLn luc
landlord requesting him to settle his bill
and seek accommodations at some other
hotel, since it appeared his present hostelry
was not conducted in manner to suit his
fastidioUs tastes. This was sumner He
had special reasons for wishing TO remain
at the hotel, and yet did not feel like seek
ing the landlord and humbling himself to
the extent of apologizing. He determined
to think over the matter for a few hours
before deciding. On leaving the hotel he
went directly TO the Office of a lawyer who
had been retained as the attorney of the
railroad company and was there intro
duced TO a gentleman somev hat past mid
die age, of courtly manners and dignifed
appearance, whose title Of Colonel"
seemed to fit him as though he had been
born and bred TO il.
After a short time devoted TO business
Woodland became suddenly impressed with
the thought that his friend, the attorney,
might be able 10 dissipste the cloud of
trouble between himself and his landlord,
and he accordingly related the incident of
the breakfast table. Before he had time
to say word as to what he wanted in con-
nection with the affair, the Colonel"
broke in upon him with:
Major Woodland, will you do me the
honor to place this matter in my hands:
1t viii afford me great pleasure to serve
you, sir, and feel warranted in assuring
you that you will have no cause TO regret
having confided the settlement of the
affair to nee"
Woodland promptly assured his new
friend that he would be only too glad to
accept his services and thanke ed him for
his generous offer 10 serve stranger.
Say 10 more on that point, major" re
sponded the colonel. 1T Is true that our
acquaintance is quite young, but, sir, fee.
/ have warrant for saying that any man
who has been presented 10 me by my
friend, the judge here. must be a gentle
man, and it is the imperative duty, as Il
should be the heartfelt pleasure, of one
gentleman 20 serve another"
After inauirin- II Woodland could NEE,