The record-union., 1894-09-20

Ing myself more at liberty in the hotel,
but on the third or fourth afternoon,
When had returned earlier than usual, a
grand equipage drove up 10 the hotel that
IL dld my eyes good to see. 1t was
styllsh coach, with a fine pair of horses,
driver and footman in livery, silver
chains rafting on the horses, the whole
thlng such turnout as one might expect
70 see IN Fifth avenue. 1t was great
surprise TO me, for so far had seen moth
ing but the town and the mountains,
and they had given me the idea that
Montserrat was rather poverty stricken
place. | had not stopped To reflect that
IN the West Indies the wealthy people
seldom think of living in or even visit
ing the towns, but live their own lives on
their own estates.
''Of course, L did not connect the coach
or its owner with myself in any way,
and you can imagine how much ] was
surprised when fine-looking, white
haired old gentleman. dressed in the Lon
don style of the day, came up to me a
moment later and introduced himself
and began to apologize for not having
found me out sooner. He really seemed
to feel bad about il that any respectable
stranger should have been allowed to
stay n that hole OF a place. as he called
it-right before the landlord, too-instead
OF being taken out TO his plantation. lie
read the riot act to the landlord for not
sending word TO himself or some of the
other planters that there was stranger
III the place, and ended by announcing
that he had come to take me home with
him. There was no invitation about it;
that l could see-simply an announce
ment that he had come to take me. And
he did. Before / had time 70 say yes or
no the men were bringing my things
down stairs, and in less than five minutes
/ was in the coach and whirling away
frNf ffa6a1 1pIo In .,f
My hosts plantation, he said, was
one OF the highest on the island, and
therefore best adapted TO my purposes,
being part way up the mountain. And
why should l be clim bing the mountain
on foot he should like to know, when he
had plenty OF ponies? And how had L
| managed to exist in the town for three
days and nights without any society or
any comforts? | told him of the many
invitations l had received, and he laughed
at the assurance Of those people for
thinking of such thing. You must re-
member that j had no letters of introduc-
ton to any one on the island, and that,
doubtless, no one there had ever heard
my name. l thought must have fallen
in with the President of the island at
least, but 1t was not so; my host was only
a private planter, though very hospita-
bic and influential one.
After drive of about six miles we
mansion with broad verandaS completely
around both stories, and every evidence
of civilization. l was soon the occupant
of an immense room containing all the
comforts and luxuries of New York
chamber, including a bed with real
springs and real mattress, which you
viii never appreciate till you have spent
a few nights on canvas beds.
You have heard of fine old hospitable
tropical homes, and this was one of them,
in the first degree. L should like to tell
you of my two weeks stay there of the
luxuries of the place, of the ladies of the
household and how they amused them
selves, of the music and tennis OF the
army of servants and the prodigality of
the table, of the plate and the furnish
ings, but l am not fashion reporter and
besides it would hardly be becoming for
me to publish the details of my hosts
household arrangements. You will sum
| it up when | tell you that lie and his fam
lily spend several months in London every
year and that the plantation consists of
several thousand acres of sugar canes and
| lime trees.
Il mention this pleasant incident
merely to show you how the wealthy
| West India planter treats the stranger.
| But this was not all. After | had been
there about week a ball was given in
my honor. None of us wanted a ball in
the least, and certainly not l, for l dis
! like such things exceedingly. But my
| host explained that he owed duty to his
| friends and neIghbors. 1t was selfish, he
| thought, for him to keep me to himself
when all of his friends would want me,
too, if they knew of my presence. The
! ball was to give them chance to invite
me if they wanted me, though l protested