The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-22
THE OLD MAN.

Both ATcElroy and I knew Dick Place
very well. He was a reckio- kind Of
chap. and at times he coulc assume the
most blase air I ever saw. In person he
was rather tall and thin, almost raw
boned. and ne had a way Of rising up on
his toes when he talked that added an i'm
aginary inch or two to his height. There
is a tradition that tall, raw-boned men are
not sociabIe. but Dick proved that tradition
to be a rank fallacy. Although only in
New Orleans about two months out of the
twelve, he belonged TO the three clubs. and
he had captivating way OF going up TO
crowd OF men in the club or on the street,
or anywhere, and saying. Don't stay in
this beastly place. boys; come on round TO
the cafe" The cafe was a bibulous
name that he had given to his room, which
had cabinet in 1t filled with every kind
of liquid refreshment and a bewildering
variety OF glasses and corkscrews.
Dick had a valet named Sam. who was
character in his way. Sam was as black
as the ace Of spades, and could mix every
known thing from a cocktail down-or up
when the boys accepted the invitation
10 pay their respects 10 1.-THE cafe, which
they almost always did, they knew that
they were in for something that would send
a mild sort OF thrill along their spinal col
umns.
In spite of his penchsnt for that sort of
thing. however. Dick never got drunk or
befuddled. Mac used to say that ne was
built differently from other people. and
didn't deserve any credit for IL at ALL
don't know what an autopsy on Dicks
body would reveal, and L hope the oppor-
tunity for holding il won't come for a
long time but he certainly had a sponge
hid away somewhere.
Dick was always in town during the
carnival and quite a society man. lie
went to balls and receptions and teas and
tennis parties, and in spite of his angular
shape. 1 must say that Dick in a dress
suit looked remarkably well. After Mardi
Gras though. he always disappeared and
nobody could tell where he went to- Even
old Mr.. Andreu, who looked after his
rents and things-Dick being bit OF a
capitalist-didn't know, or. at any rate, he
said he didn't know, which amounted to
the same thing far we were con-
cerned. Dick stayed away nine or ten
months. appearing genial and gay as ever
about the middle of January, in time to
partake of the festivities of the season.
We had long since given up asking him
where he went because IL was an utterly
useless proceeding and when some new
man who didn't know about his periodical
eclipse asked him where in thunder he had
been for such long time, Dick would
wave his hand over a wide arc re, of the
horizon and say; ON, I've been OH taxing
little recreation; just getting limbered
up. you know" And then he would pre-
tend to some fellow the other side
Of the street whom he had been wanting TO
We got so used to his dropping out OF
sight at certain time that one year We
got up little farewell dinner for him
with everything fixed up in style and cost
Ing good deal of money, but the day be-
fore 1t was to come off letter came from
Dick. dated at Chef Menteur. saying that
ne was very sorry about the dinner but
that he had been called away quite un-
expectedly. Then We remembered that he
never did any leave-taking, but just
slipped quietly off, and thus avoided the
question that people would naturally ask
at such a time, J. e., where he was going
AS some of us went. over TO Chef Men
teur nearly every Sunday to fish we knew
ne coulunt have place OF residence I'm
that locality without our knowing it. so
letter was that he was gone and rather
Ssxsssperating information il was. During
and deserted. Spiders made their webs in
me me , ksyhole free from molestation. and
lust which the rain converted into muddy
s Sfrea KS g there was nobody to wash them
with his master. More than one of ms
n nad surreptii tiy tried to pump Sam
sicited only s eSeeffuI t Rein cafe but we
MAYBE ne doesn't go out of town at
al na ,,sald Harris; maybe he just goes
being found
but as there was no. earthly reason why
Dck should go and bury HIMSELF i'm an
Ill-smelling hole like the French quarter
abeS 9f nh 1e showed and tbs as the
nad gone as far as Chef Menteur anyway,
Harris's suggestion was hooted at. Grad,
pehy we came TO look upon Dicks van
ShinS as matter of course. and, though
COrnfOrtpd wifi tha
refection that as he continued to retain
MS attractive ways, and always returned
health. bis trips did no harm either to
New Orleans is celebrated for its pretty
girls. People who go there from other
places say so anyway. either from honest
tives. There. are girls OF almost every type
OF beauty. from the. dark-eyed Spanish
easv American. There is the dreamy
Italian With her olive skin. and the vi
inS ba little Ersnch girl who IS fast los
surrounded her in the old Creole days ard
becoming what nature evidently intended
her fora piouant little witch. But of all
the girls ever saw, either in New Orleans
or any where else, Eugene Viliers was
certainly the prettiest. / had known
Eugenie ever since she was knee-hieh 10 n
mushroom. when she made her debut
and became a reigning belle: felt kind
very nice to me. too. probably because she
had an idea wouldn't bother her by fall
ioNN VIII hcE Us the OlneT fellows
old. Her confidence was entirely mis-
placed. because / did fall he'd over ears
In love with her. and when she wanted her
wrap put around her or her shoestrings
tied used to feel something like an eIec-
tric current travelling through me and COM
Ing ont at the tins of my fingers and toes
But never let her have the fantest Sus-
picion of the state Of my feelings because
knew very well / hadn't a ghost of a
chance.
Dick was rather late putting i'm an an
pearance that year and IL was nearly the
end of January before the cafe became
Inhabited. He said he intended TO have IL
repapered and fixed up handsomer than
ever. and Sam was kept busy turning
things upside down and putting them 10
rights again. AS usual. we were all very
glad 10 see Dick. and some six or eight of
US having on hand plan for small in
formal supper. We unanimously selected
him TO preside. He always did things Of
that kind 10 perfection He made nice lit
s. tie speeches that were pleasant and witty.
and never dragged i'm anything about love.
and beauty. and fair women. which almost
every fellow seems bound TO do when he
preSides at anything. When 1t came 20
women Dick was as cold and callous as
= bnmO on log He was a favor
lte with them and was always nice and
pouIe. put they really seemed TO make no
impression upon him.
OF course during the supper we toasted
every conceivable thing After we got fair
~ started Harris got up and began to
S siInl to the most beautiful hour the
g1NineSt creature"
''Pshaw, Harris" said Dick. with an ex-
preston or intense disgust.
But ire wrath OF the presiding officer
vas lost on the crowd. So with just the
fatnteSE suggestion q "A biccOugb