Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-04
..rhen IN take a 15-cent drink."

The liquor dealt out by the bartender was
from the same bottle but the man behind
tain was permitted to handle the bottle for
himself. He made brilliant success of his
effort in this direction. and had he been in
some larger place the bartender would un-
doubtedly have asked Don't you want q
towel?" for the captain certainly took what
| Is known In drinking circles as a bath"
1t was somewhat after o'clock when the
srpp9r bell rang and the guest was escorted
to the dining room.
Gee" said the proprietor. smiling. "this
Is the second time this season. and know
It's nice"
'whatr' was the inquisitivs visitors
question.
Boiled beef"
WHAT" repeated the visitor before he
had recovered from his surprise. Visions
of delicacies soon vanished, and the man
from town had to come down peg or two:
but not to one of those much talked Of
country dinners. The beef was fat. but
.hen there were some boiled crabs that had
been left from dinner, and so 1t was not
absolutely necessary to keep alive on the
only delicacy.
The proprietor having made a success at
brushing the mosquitoes from the bed room
with a broom, while his guest held a candle
in the hall to attract them. the light was
extinguished and the room was entered
in a manner to arouse suspicion on part of
one of the uninitiated, but II was only done
in order to keep out as many mosquitoes as
possible.
Ready for Another.
Sunday morning there was not the pleas
ant sounding church bell the clinking
of glasses In the bar being the only music
heard. The men who had remained late
were the early callers. and again they were
willing to be treated. In this they certainly
got left, but they got even with the wheel
man by showing him the road that led to
Lower Cedar Point, or down the neck,
as the natives call 1t, instead of putting
him on the right road to Marshall Hall. /.
But the road down the neck was an en-
toyable one, although houses were few and
far between. and there was but one pedes-
TRAN on the road for a stretch of nearly
fifteen miles. Several vehicles passed, and
the wheelman would have inquired Of their
occupants II he were on the right road or
not but for some reason the horses did not
fail to become frightened and show a desire
to run away. Finally an old colorsd man
was met walking along the road, and even
he appeared to wonder II 1t were safe for
him to stop when such a thing appeared.
Il suppose" ventured the lost wheel
man. that 1 am very near Marshall Hall?'
Lord, boss. you amt no whar nigh it,
was the answer, but you Is down in Cedar
Pint neck"
The old man confessed that he did not
want the bicycle and said the only way to
reach Marshall Hall was to return to Port
Tobacco and begin all over again. And
so the rider of the silent steed turned back
and rode In the direction of the place where
he had relished the hard crabs and pre-
serves. But before reaching the county
seat he came to road leading off in the
direction. as he supposed of Marshall Hall.
and in the absence of a guide he CHANGED
this road. which led him to the county poor
house
At this place the wheelman was given
a cordial reception and one of the aged
occupants directed him to a path through
Mattawoman swamp. The weather was ex-
Gee dingly warm and the ride through the
swamp was most enjoyable one.
Joyous Ride.
The path was nicely shaded. and for a
distance of perhaps two or three miles the
ride was a perfect dream. Only two or
three dismounts were necessary for a wet
place or log across the path. After leaving
the swamp 1t became necessary to cross
several fences and fields, but the natives
were particularly pleasant and accommo-
dating. and fully half-a-dozen of them in
sisted on the wheelman's partaking of
fruit and waiting for dinner.
But the dinner invitations were refused
because the lost wheelman was getting
anxious for sight of Marshall Hall or the
river. in order to feel certain that he was
on his way home Finally the main road
was reached and a ride through the water
where the road crosses the swamp was
necessary, and after a pleasant trip over
the road the wheelman stopped at a house
not Tar from place, a small village, called
Pomunky. y glass of water was what he
wanted in addition to some reassuring news
Is TO his whereabouts. This house proved
TO be the residence of DR.. Compton. who in
sisted upon making the rider of the. wheel
his guest, and first-class MARYLAND din
ner more than made amends for what was
not found at the county seat About 3
O'Clock In the afternoon the wheelman rode
INTO Marshall Hall and there met two other
disconsolate cyclists who had started from
Marshall Hall to meet him on the road but
who had tired of the two large hills not far
from Marshall Hall and turned back.