Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1896-06-12

~
ABSOLUTELY CURE.
~ THOUGHT 1T WAS "PIANO TALK
Abstrncted Cleric Who Got Into Troubl,
with an InquisItivo Guest.
An absentmindcd clerk and an in
quisitive guest managed to get tangled
up on an argument at the Waldorf that
almost led to blows. Both were perfect.
~ innocent in the matter. but enough
1ii-feeling was cngcIidercd to Justify
an international dispute. The Waldur,
,hns on he first floor n rcccption-rocn
md parlor. This is utilized for nj;
kinds of entertainments. One tav an
art sale is held there, the next a dis.
play of fancy worlS' perhaps Il mnsicnl
the next, and so OH. The other after,
noon Il musical programme wuS -ivci,
iii this reception rooms und that VIZ,
what caused nil the trouble: The doc,
lcading to the room. which is usual,
Open to all, was watched by an attend.
mt who demanded cards; This nrcu I'd
> the curiosity OF the im,,uisitivc guest.
IIc walked around the corridor ewing
the room from every possible point OF
a -Staec, and then walked up to the
'k and said to the clerk, who wa.
Writing in huge ledger:
| What is going on in therc?''
The clerk jhbbed his pen I'm the ink
Stand and replied tcrsciy ii guess Il
Is n bird recital"
:: Then he continued his writing with
never CULVER of IN eyelnsh. The in.
,1uisitivc gucstcontrnctcdhis eyebrows,
then he looked for II lurking elcam OF
q amusement in the clerks eve, bur
found none. Then nc turned and wnn,
s'ticred into the cafe to think over the
iproblcm. After due elaboration he
caine to the conclusion tLut 1t was not
iu' all Straight and he came back. He
Expected to see the clerk give some
IsN of amusement when he ap.
~ achcd the desk, bht instead the nun
.ehind thc onyX was immersed moro
..ss.'t-..-.s than ever in the big book. The
: '''-- ,sScsasts his question, saying:
(. 'Niaat did you sfy7ASs'ss gong on in
g. thit foom?"
The Jerk never raised his eyebrows,
but muticrcd something about -four
and seven make eleven md" adding
'h,ilflodly
"I lon't know, but thin], it's pinno
,tulk."
The mystery was deepening, and tho
inquisitive man saw no way out of tho
: difficulty except to go and see for him
self. lie could detect nothing in the
clerks manner that warranted him in
believing that he was being made tho
butt of u joke, but he wns confident that
it was not all straight. So he walked
up and purchased ticket and went in
: iidc. In few moments ne came out
sand he had alooli Of SET differentiation
upon his face. He walked mp to tho
lnesk' and in n rough voice he de-
:, s.aap,ird:
{ ss;sAFhat did YOU say was going on in
,srbnt room?"
The clerk WINS startled at the grutf
'rnc and looked up from his book. He
>iw that the man WAS angry clear
Trough. and he wondered at his per,
,--isteucy in nsking about the entertain.
fnent. He said, quietly:
&A Il Sa.d | was not sure, but thought
~ yns II piano recital"
you ditlnt!" thnntlered the in
sstg,fsitIre, man.
Syhat did l say?" asked the clerk,
,neelj'y.
Yid thc man. And then you said II
4was II piano talk, and now you say it's
agp inao recital. I'm not In the habit
81 q; being gaSed, and You knew what it
,was all the time, for you told me
!. stiaght enough when YOU knew had
8 inund out. paid two dollars just to
a lind out what was going on in that
hole, so could catch You straight. You
arc altogether too recent for this place.
didn't" The guest might have
gone on talking indefinitely, had net
the clerk npologizcd in the most peni-
tent manner. He said, contritely:
well, you see 1t is this way. We have
bird talks, piano recitals, musicals, pic
lure exhibitions, and don't know
how many other kinds OF affairs, in
there. was busy with the books and
got tangled up. | did not mean to
mi>lead you" The guest was molli-
fled. but he is not sure yet that he wa.
i not being "jollicd," to use his. own ex.
rs pression.-N. =. Tribune.