Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1896-02-27
THEDRUMMER'S MISTAKE
nY A. CREssY MORRISON.

o'oPPSu uuiihb onc OI my trlpS,
said the drug drummer, at one Of the
Oldest hotels in New England, for sew
cral days. have often flattered myself
that, backed as l am by constantly
meeting new faces and the opportu-
mites for reading character, which 1t
Is necessary for fellow OH the road to
improve, there are few persons who
can size man up more quickly than l.
] had noticed several times, during my
stay at the hotel, a flne-looking man,
who always came into the dining
room just at the close Of the dinner
hour. He was about 45, with IRON
gray hair, dark complexion and very
quick and piercing black eyes. He had
queer scar on one check; the flesh
was torn in three parallel lines, and In
healing had left three white marks
about half an inch apart and two
inches long. never saw him tip the
waiters, nor did / ever see man re-
ceive more obsequious attention from
them. He had but to turn his eyes on
one of those darkies, and they would
fairly jump to show their alert devo-
tion. He had rare taste in the selec-
ton of his repast, and when that was
chosen and placed before him it always
looked as If it had been guided by in
tuition, for it was invariably the best
there was in the house.
Zone morning l sat opposite him,
struggling with very tough piece of
steak, when, with a kindly smile, he
said:
"'Will you permit me to send for a
better steak for you? You notice, per-
haps, that / have had some success in
obtaining n good one for myself and
he pointed to his juicy bit of tender
loin.
"'You may said I. 'for you always
have better luck than anyone else
'Iie looked up-every waiter was in
an instant ready for instructions. Sc
Letting one with his eyes. he simply
pointed to my much-mangled steak
and quietly resumed his breakfast. He
had scarcely done SO, when the darlSy
returned, bringing the most delicious
liece OF meat Have ever seen before or
since.
"The next day was Sunday, and after
dinner l was wandering aimlcssly
about, when I espied my friend in the
reading room alone. His feet were ON
low window-sill, and, with his chair
tipped back, he was looking thought
fully into the street. / entered, and
taking seat beside him, fell into con-
ycrsation. We had chatted some time,
when said:
"'You will pardon me, sir. 1 have
some reputation as physiognomist,
and, having noticed your marvellous
control over the walters, have formed
nn opinion of your character and voca-
tion which is very complimentary
"'Ipdeed?
"Yes, replied, and with your per-
mission l will tell You what it is, for |
am curious to know II / have reached
the right conclusion
al would like you tell me very
much he replied, for ! om always
curious to know how impress st-an-
gers
SWELL said I, your quick, quiet
step. your absolute coolness, your pow
err of enforcing obedience and the
strong outline Of your nose would in
dicate the general but your eye is
too quick, and your mouth, with the
corners indicating curiosity, tempt me
to believe that you are great traveller.
l will ever venture to say you are
hunter who has sought the largest
game. Shall l call you an Allan Quar-
termaln,' or an explorer who has striv-
en- to benefit the world by discovery in
Africn?'
"'Well DONE he answered. y am
neither an Allan Quartermain' nor an
explorer, but have been to Africa. |
did not 20 to hunt or find anything
more attractive than dyewood. or
course, met with some animals and
became good shot, but not a hunter,
by any means. Stanley told me once
that he could trust me alone with
pun If it wasn't loaded, which was his
quaint way Of admitting that | could
defend myself
"'Come,' said /, do you not think
that my remarkable guess is worthy OF
n story of some adventures"
~ will tell you one.
"'Bcfore / begin l want to say rhnt
am much amused at the lion stories l
read in the papers. The writer's have
never seen tropical landscape, Zulu,
or wild lion, and yet they describe
them all at great lergth, and the
papers devote their space to them. ]
admit they are sometimes very clcverly
written, and will do very well for those
who do not know where they are at
fault, but how can they describe cor
rcctly what they have never expe-
rienced? give those writer's credit for
a maryeIously vivid imagination. ] will
tell you one Of my experiences, and you
will see that it takes man who has
been there to get the true ring out OF
even slight adventure.
"I had penetrated farther than
usual that year, and having met with
much success was on my way to the
coast, when one day we came unex-
pectedly upon Zulu village. The
people were in great excitement, and
impelled by curiosity indicated by
the turned corner of his mouth,
thought ~. I moved my boats under
bluff and sent one of my men to as
certain the cause. / learned that this
community was about to go to war
with ncighboring tribe, and were
making ready to sacrifice two children
to some spirit whom they wished to
old them in the conquest. Two lions
had been prowling around for day or
so, and the chiefs declared that they
had been sent to receive the sacrifice
as token Of the loyalty of the tribe