Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-06-29
THE FOURTEENTH.


1t has been said that it is always the
unexpected that happens, and that to be
prepared for emergencies one must be
both philosopher and fatalist. As
Professor Smythe, musician, piano tuner
and general utility MANN musical
way-was going to the Globe theater,
where he was to play a flute obligato
with the regular orchestra, he would
have been much surprised if any hint Of
a new calamity in his run down for
tunes could have been then and there
foretold. He certainly thought he had
taxed the ingenuity of adverse fate to
its utmost, aud he had enough misery
on hand to last a lifetime. But the mis-
fortune awaiting him was of grotesque
| turn and quite unlike the others, which
were the commonplace ones of illness,
poverty and bad luck in everything he
undertook.
AS he walked along in the shrinking,
depressed fashion that had become nat
ural to him through habitude with mis-
fortune he was aware of the sudden
opening Of a door i'll q handsome resi-
denee he was passing and flood of Or
ange light beaming across his path. At
the same time man in evening dress
ran lightly down the steps, seized him
by the arm and said briskly:
my dear sir, excuse me, but would
| you do me great fayor?"
Professor Smythe forgot to draw into
his shell, SO sudden was this attack. He
stood still, like the wedding guest in
the "Ancient Mariner" but finally
stammered his need of haste and the oc-
casion of it.
Il will pay you twice as much, and
you viii have nothing TO do but make
yourself agreeable. 1t will be great
accommodation and l shall never for
get it. l can see by your appearance
that. you are gentleman. Consider me
a friend and accept my offer"
But what service is required of me?"
asked tho professor, who had vague
idea that a grand piano had suddenly
gone wrong.
"Why, you see, am giving dinner
| " Stiilt IIit1luS- ~ ID ali I'll tu6
and we have just discovered that there
are 10 of u.s. That would never do at
| all. Now if you will dine with us, you
shall be well paid for your services, and
l dare say you will be in time for your
flute solo at the theater, as you can be
excused when you desire. You will
come? Thanksp'
Tho ,,,.ofoc.r, fo1l,-xn1 b,c Loe+ ~, g,
state Of absolute subsection, as if he
might have been hypnotized, but the
fact was that the poor man had not bro
ken his fast since morning, and the de-
| licious aroma Of the dinner coming
through the open door proved irresisti-
bic. He gave his name in whisper,
was handed over to a servant, who took
him up stairs into guest chamber,
helped him remove his shabby overcoat
and whislzed off his best suit with sill
yer handled brush, taking its thread
bare CLINT for dust. 1t was well he was
engaged to play; otherwise he would
not have been in evening dress. He was
beginning 10 enjoy the littft comedy i'll
which he was himself an actor.
There was no introduction. His host
motioned him to seat between the
maiden lady aud n severe matron who
Turned her silllen hack ON him to talk TO
her peiahbor on the other side. The pro-
fessor's pride did not once assert itself.
He was mascueradinr-that was all.
But fate had not done with Professor
Smythe.
The consomme had a dash of cham
payne in it. and new life was infused
| into the veins of this professional diner
ont The fish and game and pate that
followed were all triumphs of the cult
nary art. and the hungry man cloyed the
edge of his appetite. not by the bare
Imagination Of a feast. but by the feast
itself. II was no feast of the Barmecede
either. for tho yiands were actual. and
the wine was not a pretense but a de-
liobtful vintage. served in cut glass COB
lets. The moor professor felt like saving
Il, his neigbhor ssPinch melu for il was
-, -, :, A.,