The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-24

With streass OF pale gray light.
Tie ngEEe Of man clad in pa 5arssas may
% seen pAering cautiously our from b.
hind tsick curtains through the rarti.lls,
opened window % the room on the ground
noor- TWO Or three snoszszIts. hurried by
strong arm are sattenel against the
p2neS OF glass. and the gentleman vno
leans rather uEssteadfly on me fence rail-
ils aofns another tn his hand and i say
lng paaLntiFsly 70 the gentleman inzide:
les. It's me. Old man. and I want veu
20 x nome with ne an4 square Il with
my VIE. You've gotter come. tell
You dassert SHOW up without you"
"nereEpon the pa5zmaed one-who n
none other than the squarer hsnseIf-ad-
niats MS unsteady friend 70 hts room. puts
him 70 bed on the horse-hair lounge and
then sits down 20 serape the naud or MS
ulster and restor. that much abused gar
Hle1J 70 something Ike It's normal ap-
pesrance.
At O'clock The squarer's client awak-
ems. refreshed in body and mind. and
ciarnors no@arsely for a cocktail. which he
Is APT 70 get II be insists upon Il with
sufhcient oostiBacy. although the squarer
VIII try to convince MIN tnat little acid
phosphate IN a glass OF water s. much
better for his health.
At 10 O'Clock they will start for the
nome OF me client. VINO generally lives al
some Instant point, Ike Harlem or Brook
Ign.
They will reach their destination a short
time before noon and their reception Is
sure 10 be chilly and discourag ing II Is
precisely at this moment that the squarer
begins 10 get Ii his really fine work In be-
half or hts unfortunate friend.
On entering the house he places the OBJ
jet OF MS solicitude IN a vertical posi-
ton In an obscure corner OF the hall and
"a afu h. As rEFn
member OF the family in turn, evincIng
AZ the same time the utmost c0rdiAlity,
ana utterly ignoring the cold looks OF sus-
picton which .fil be directed towards him.
The mother-in-law. IL Is true will press
forward eagerly 10 return his salutatfon.
but that will be because she hopes 70
catch the odor OF a cocktail on his
breath. Failing In this, she will resume
her customary attitude OF frigid reserve.
Sometimes she viii 20 so far as TO send
the children upstairs, when the squarer,
whose heart is yearning for little human
tenderness and sympathy. gathers them
about his knee and tells them delightful
fairy stories. IN which difficult art he is
absolutely without a master.
lie cXceis also IN the kindred art OF Civ
ing a connected. coherent and plausible
account Of the remarkable chain of cir
cumstances which brought his friend 10 his
room and finally resulted IN their Joint
home at such very early hour IN the
day.
II Is while the squarer Is telling his
story ia tones OF great earnestness and
sincerity TO an audience OF the sort de-
scribed IN the dramatic department OF
newspapers as "coldly critical" that his
client first ventures into the parlor. No
attention whatever is paid to him when
he offers 10 substantiate every detail OF
the narrative. and even the squarer looks
at him In a way that means. You'd bet
ter stay In the hail where put you until
you're sent for. I've got all I can do TO
make them swallow this story we cooked
up without having you come in and queer
me right in the middle OF it.
AS a matter OF fact, the clients word
carries no more weight with the domestic
jury convened In that parior than that OF
a convicted murderer at the bar OF JUS
tice.
a great many accomplishments and rare
personal qualities enter into the compo-
sition OF the successful squarer, and none
OF these Is OF GREATER Importance than
his ABILITY 10 compel the family TO believe
at least half OF the straightforward, un-
vanished and highly interesting account
OF his friends adventures, which he tells
Ia such a pleasant and confidential man
ner. Indeed, ii may he truthfully said
that that story Is the very keystone OF
the article on which the future peace and
happiness OF the conVivial client must
rest At the close Of his narrative signs
OF a slight thaw are usually visible in the
home circle and the squarer is likely 10
be asked 10 stay 20 dinner
This invitation he accepts with becom-
ing humility and gratitude. sometimes
throwing out remark about the lonelI-
ness Of 81 bachelors life and his great
fondness FOR simple home cooking II Is
absolutely essential 10 the success Of the
squarer's undertaking that he should re-
main 10 dinner. II for nothing more than
10 do the carving HIS client will. u Is
true. make one or two Intellectual efforts
IN that direction. but the other VIII
quickly take the knife and fork out of
his hands with a here, old man you'd
better let me attend 10 that" and then
will follow an exhibition of expert meat