Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1896-03-27
MY GENTLE FRIEND.

q been running ifGllh lOI TWO years.
and invalids of the east were Just be-
ginning to learn that this metropolis Of
the southwestern desert land, with its
dry air and abundant sunshine, afforded
the finest winter climate ON the conti-
nent AT the time / write the one train
q day ON the little branch railroad CON
Meeting with the main line Of the South
ern Pacific was we'll loaded every day,
and the hotels and boarding honse5 were
striving in every way to accommodate
the influx of winter visitors.
As is usual in most new western
towns, especially of the in-termountain
region, hotel accommodations were only
mediocre, while the best restaurants
were those connected with tho big gam
bling houses.
For several days 1 had noticed a new
about the hotels and principal re-
sorts of the town. His face bad a strange
ly familiar look to me, yet l could not
recall that l had ever seen it before. he
was faultlessly dressed in clothes Of the
latest pattern, had u blond mustache,
and but for his peculiar little gray eyes
/ should have pronounced him a very
handsome man.
He seemed to be u total stranger, and
S 1 would see him of an afternoon
around the Commercial House, or in the
evening watching the games in "The
Capitol or 1.-The Palace" and never
talking with any one, l mentally set
him down as the son and heir Of some
wealthy family who had sought Il win
ter home in the desert that he might re-
turn in the spring a new man."
l suppose l had noticed him for about
a week or ten days before either he or l
had the temerity to address theO other. l
don't know now which of rs spoke first,
but anyway it came about III hat free,
open handed way Of addressing a stran-
ger which prevails IN tie south and
west. l had Len quail shooting that
day, and returning rather late in the
evening went down 70 The Palace res
taurant for my dinner in my hunting
suit rather than disturb the folks at
home with getting me Il llto meal.
An old California comrade had been
with me all day, and after ordering our
dinner we went out to the bar TO Try
one of Franks cocktails. Frank, by the
way Cor Francois, 1 should call him, as
no was FrenchA, was a comparative
newcomer from New Orleans, and as a
mixologist exceeded anything ever be-
fore seen in Arizona. AT least so all tho
boys about town said, and the old Has
sayampas re-echoed their sentiment with
hearty chats What! ~
My comrade and Ihad disposed Of the
first connection and We're discussing the
question of another Of its same splendid
quality when the stranger spoke Of tho
superior excellence Of Frank mixtures.
l don't know how it came about, but
presently IL or the other Of us said in
the most brotherly fashion, won't you
Join us?' to which tie reply came,
1.-THE pleasure is minel' and Of course
it wound up by tho pleasure belonging
to both Of us before we again repaired
to the dining room.
Our newly found acquaintance had
ordered his dinner about tho same time
as my comrade and myself, so We al,
sat down to the same table. felt rather
honored at this attention of the stranger
for in all my observation Of him l ha(
never before noticed him talking viii
any other Phenecian. He had "a voice
as soft and smooth as a womau's, an,
as he talked his language indicated In.
polished graduate Of Yale on Harvard
with n finish Of European travel
Now, thought /, l viii learn some
thing Of this man, where no is from an.
who he is
As the meal progressed l had coca
sion to ask him 10 hand me the pepper
AS be did so he commented upon IA
fact that most of the black pepper serve
on restaurant tables was nOt pepper a
all, but "a conglomeration Of dried leave
and drugs, much cheaper than the gen
uine article His talk was learned, eve
classical, using medical terms and fol
mulas with the familiarity Of achCmisI
From that he drifted on TO places {
spend the winter and incidentally refei
red to the fact that the last three VIII
tiers previous t. this one he had spci
ON the Riviera.
A question about Nice and Monac
seemed to encourage him, and lac WEI
on with a glowing description of the.
famous resorts. And, oh, what a glor
GUS drive it is alorg tho Corniche road,
he continued, ''wNh the never cndiu
panorama Of bay and sky with all the
various tints and the magnificent mOuI
tain background There is certainI
nothing in America and, Ibelieve, notl
ing in the world to equal it. Then 81
Reno and Bordighera are pretty lit.
resorts. and the visitor makes u mistal
who does not spend u portion Of IA
time there"
II suppose you have visited Genoa,
l interrupted.
"Oh, yes, indeed, " was tine repl,
elm fact / spent nearly three months la
winter at Cannes and made the drive
Genoa several times with coaching pa
ties Too bad you have not splendI
drives here. What with such drives
along La Riviera di Ponente, this we
derful dry air and beautiful winter SUI
shine, Arizona would soon become q
greatest winter resort in the world.
In this strain he talked on, and l suI
poss we had been at the table near.