River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-01-30
MISUNDERSTANDING
By A. cREssY MORRISON.

BY A. CREssY MORRISON.
81 stopped during one of my trips"
said the drug drummer. " at one of the
oldest hotels in New England, for sew
eral days. / have often flattered myself
that, backed as / am by constantly
meeting new faces and the opportu-
mites for reading character, which il
is necessary for fellow on the road to
improve, there are few persons who
can size a man up more quickly than /.
/ had noticed several times, during my
stay at the hotel, a fine-IOOking man,
who always came into the dining
room just at the close of the dinner
hour. He was about IS, with iron
gray hair, dark complexion and very
quick and piercing black eyes. He had
a queer scar on one cheek; 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
walters, nor did / ever see man re-
ceive more ObsequiOus attention from
them. He had but to turn his eyes on
one of those darkies. ard they would
fairly jump TO show their alert devO-
ton. 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 / sat opposite him.
struggling with a very tough piece of
steak, when, with a kindly smile. he
said:
''Will Won permit me TO send for
better steak for you? You notice, per
haps. that / have had some success in
obtaining a good one for myself and
he pointed to his juicy bit of tender
loin.
"'You may said l, for you always
have better luck than anyone else
''He looked up-every waiter was in
an instant ready for instructions. Sc
Letting one with has eyes, he simply
pointed to my much 1ngled steak
and quietly resumed his breakfast. He
had scarcely done so. when the darby
returned, bringing the most delicious
piece of meat have ever seen before or
since.
The next day was Sunday. and after
dinner | was wandering aimlessly
about. when I espied my friend in the
reading room alone. Ills feet were on
low window-sill. and. with his chair
tipped back. he was looking thought
fully into the street. | entered, and
taking a seat beside him. fell into con-
versation. We had chatted some time,
when / said:
"'YOu will pardon me, sir. l Lave
some reputation as a physiogno,nist,
and, having noticed your marvellous
control over the walters, have formed
an opinion of your character and v0ca-
tion which is very complimentary
"'Indeed9'
"'Hes,' replied, and with your per
mission j will tell You what it is, for l
syn curious to know if l have reached
the right conclrsion.'
- would like you tell me very
much he replied. for / am always
curious TO know how I impress st~an-
gers
"'Well.' said I. your quiok, quiet
step, your absolute GOODNESS, your pow
er of enforcing obedience and the
strong outline of your nose would in
dictate the general but your eye is
too quick, and yoU- mouth. with the
corners indicating Curiosity, tempt me
TO believe that YOU are great traveller
j will even venture to say you are
hunter who has sought the largest
game. Shall call you an Alan Omar
termain,' or an explorer who has striv-
en- to benefit the world by discovery in
Africa2'
"'WeIl done he answered - am
neither an ALLAN QuarteTmain' nor an
explorer, but have been to Africa
did not 80 to hunt or find anything
more attractive than dycwood. Of
course, / met with some animals and
became a good shot, but not hunter.
10y any means. Stanley told me once
that he could trust me alone with
gun if il wasn't loaded. which was his
quaint way of admitting that l could
defend myself.
Come, said l. do you not think
that my remarkable guess is worthy of
story of some adyenturesY
81 will tell you one.
"'Hcfore l begin | want to say that
1 am much amused AT the lion stories I
read in the papers. The writers have
never seen tropical landscape. Zulu.
or a wild lion, and yet they describe
them all at great leIIsth, and the
papers devote their space To them |
admit they are sometimes very Gle seriy
written, and will do very well for those
who do not know where they are ut
fault, but how can they describe cor
Iectly what they have never cxpe-
Tienced? give those writer's credit for
marvelously vivid imagination. will
tell YOU one of my experiences, and YOU
will see that il takes n man who has
been there TO get the true ring out of
even a slight adventure.
- 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 a Zulu village. The
people were in great excitement. and
impelled by curiosity indicated by
the turned corner of his mouth,
thought u, 4 moved my boats under
bluff and sent one of my men 20 as
certain the cause. / learned that this
community was about to go to war
with n neighboring tribe, and were
making ready TO sacrifice two children
to some spirit whom they wished to
aid them in the conquest. Two lions
had been prowling around for day or
so. and the chiefs declared that they
had been sent 70 receive the sacrifice
as a token of the loyalty of the tribe
10 their god of war. l determined 80
prevent such a horrible proceeding if
possible. / decided TO act alone. | or
dered my men 10 hold the boats in
readiness TO move at any moment. and
at dusk set out on my perilous expe-
ditiOn.
1.-The Zulus had formed a sort OF
procession. and were marching toward
q clump of trees about 500 yards in
land, where they proposed TO leave
the children TO be devoured I was
armed with my repeating rife. a very
fine weapon of IS caliber. a cutlass.
and very long and strong Zulu spear.
Skirting the wood with great caution,
was rapidly approaching the trees
where the procession had now arrived.
when / found must make a long de-
tour TO avoid q Swampy mud hole, into