Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-07-20
MY GENTLE FRIEND.

nent At the time write the one train
day ON the little branch railroad con-
Meeting with the main line Of the South
ern Pacific was well loaded every day.
and the hotels and boarding houses We're
striving in every way to accommodate
the influx Of winter visitors
As is usual in most new western
towns, especially Of the intermountain
region, hotol accommodations We're only
mediocre, while tle best restaurants
were those connected with the big gam
bling houses.
For several days had noticed new
conner about the hotels and principal re-
sorts of the town His face had strange
ly familiar look TO me, yet could not
recall that had ever seen it before. He
was faultlessly dressed in clothes Of the
latest pattern, had blond mustache,
and but for his peculiar little gray eyes
/ should have pronounced him a very
handsome man.
He seemed to be total stranger, and
as l would see him Of an afternoon
around the Commercial House, or in tho
evening watching the games in "Thc
Capitol or Tho Palace and never
talking with any one, mentally set
him down IS the son and heir OF some
wealthy family who had sought a win
ter home in the desert that he might re-
turn in the spring ''new man."
suppose had noticed him for about
a week or ten days before either he or
had the temerity to address the other. |
don't know now which of us spoke first,
but anyway it came about in that free,
open handed way Of addressing a stran-
ger which prevaiiss In the south and
west. had been quail shooting that
day, and returning rather late in the
evening went down to The Palace res
taurant for my dinner in my hunting
suit rather than disturb the folks at
home with getting me u late meal.
An old California comrade had been
with me all day, and after ordering our
dinner we went ont to tho bar to try
one of Franks cocktails. Frank, by the
way (or F...aeo.s, should call him, as
he wes t'reneh9, Was comparative
new ner froit New Orleans, and as
IN; Iiogist exceeded anyth ng ever be-
f.. seen i'll Al Ana. At least SO all the
h9ys about Town said, and the old Has
;ayampas re-echocd their sentiment with
hearty "ths Is v hat ~
My coI.r de aad had disposed Of the
first concoet.on aud were discuss ng tho
question Ct another of its same s. .lendid
quality when thc stranger spoke u the
superior excellence Of Frank mi turcs
/ don't know how it came about, but
presently oiic or the other Of us said i'll
the most b.otlerly fashion, "Woa't you
join us?'' 70 which the reply came.
1.-THE pleasure is iaincr' and Of course
it wound " by the pleasure belonging
ID both Of us Leiorc we again repaired
T. the dining room.
Our new IS found acquaintance had
ordc ed his GiiIer about tho same time
as nj comra,.o and riyself. SO we all
sat dow tie same table. felt rather
honored at tn.s attention Of the stranger,
for in all my observation Of him had
never before noticed him talking with
any other Phenecian. He had voice
as soft and smooth Us woman's, aud
as he talked his language indicated tho
polished graduate Of Yale or Harvard,
with finish Of European travel
Now, thought /. win learn come
thing Of this man. where no is from and
who he is
As the meal progressed | had coca
sion to ask him to hand me the pepper.
As be did SO he commented upon the
fact that most Of the black pepper served
on restaurant tables was not pepper at
all, but conglomeration Of dried leaves
and drugs, much cheaper than the gen
uinc article. His talk was learned, even
classical, using medical terms and for
mulas with The familiarity Of chemist.
From that 10 driftcd ON 10 places to
spend the winter and incidentally refer
red to the fact that the last three win
tiers previous to this one he had spent
on the Riviera.
A question about Nice and Monaco
seemed to encourage him, and he went
ON with a glowing description Of these
famous resorts. And, oh, what glori-
Gus drive it is along the Corniche road. .
he continued, with the never ending
panorama Of bay and sky with ali their
various tints and the magnificent noun
tain background There is certainly
nothing in America and, believe, moth
ing in the world to equal it. Then San
Reno and Bordighera are pretty little
resorts, and the visitor makes a mistake
who does not spend portion Of his
lime there. ="
II suppose you have usited Genoa.
interrupted
HOh, yes. indeed" was the reply.
In fact spent nearly three months last
winter at Cannes and made the drive to
Genoa several times with coaching par
ties Too bad you have not splendid
drives here What with such drives as
along La Riviera di Ponente, this won
derful dry air and beautiful winter gun-
shine, Arizona would soou become the
greatest winter resort in the world. "
In this strain he talked on, and sup
two hours whcn a messenger came u
from my friend, the surgeon general,
saying he had just been called ON for an
important surgical case and asking II /
would not accompany him and admins
ter the ansesthetic. Ny California com
rade and myself voted our new found
acquaintance most charming man and
capital fellow generally, though after
ward / remarked 70 myself that had
not as yet found cut anything about
where he came from on who he was
Busy Tor the next few days. thought
but little more Of this entertaining
stranger. About a week later. however.
/ dropped into The Palace, just to see
who was there. and the stranger, quiet
and uncommunicative as usual, was
watching the games. never standing
over any one table for more tim two or
three minutes at time. From here
stepped into The Capital, and Bert, the
head man, not being busy. / began a
conversation with him. Presently the
well dressed stranger came in. and I
noticed Bert's eyes take ON a rather de-
fiant fash as be watched him pass to
the rear Of the room.