Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-02-18

floor. and here's the railroad running
straight through the middle of it''-he
was leaning over the back of the seat
now, holding the map spread out before
his unwilling listener-'plenty of room
for sidetracks over here, you see, and
for the shops that the roads going TO
build. Then here are the spurs down
TO the rolling mill and the furnace on
the bank of the river; this one goes up
to the coal mines and that to the iron
mines across the Little Chiwassee. This
piece of grounds reserved for wooden
mill. and that strip down there by the
river is taken for a swing factory
baby swings, you know a sawmill,
planning mill, sash and door factory,
"a"
Philip made two or three wild passes
| at his human bluebottle. succeeding
finally in interrupting with a promise
to call upon Mr.. Fench at his office and
pleading WEAKNESS as ar excuse for not
Investigating the subject on the spot.
Fench folded his map and rested his
case with the promise; but he kept up
a running fire of encomiums on the new
south and Alacoochee, which the effort
at postponement had only changed from
particulars to generalities, while Philip
leaned back in the corner of the seat
and gave himself up to an ecstasy of
loathing. While the endless tale of
prosperity continued the light went
out of the sky, and it was quite dark
when the brakeman thrust his face into
| the car to call "Alacoochee!"
Thorndyke gathered up his belong
ings with sigh of relief and presently
found himself standing under the glare
of an electric lamp on the station plat
form, trying to hazard a guess at the
best hotel in the place as the names
were shouted out by the knot of Yelling
hackmen.
Here you are for the Allacoochee
Inn"
Right dis-away for de Mountain
house"
shut yo' fsh-trap, niggah!-yass,
sab, right hyah, sab; bus TO de Hotel
Johannisberg."
Notwithstanding the poets doubling
question, there is always more or less
in name; and the Hotel Johannesburg
| gained a guest that night upon no bet
ter grounds than that the word awoke
pleasant memories in the mind of
man who knew Europe rather better
than he did his own country. As the
omnibus jounced along over the I'M
| paved streets, Thorndyke amused him
self by picturing the probable contrast
between the backwoods tavern and its
| high-sounding appellation. He was
rather more than surprised, therefore,
when the omnibus stopped in front of
a three-storied building standing in
a park-like inclosure and ablaze
with gas and electric lights; and as
constituent rose into admiration when
a liveried servant ushered him into the
magnificent rotunda foorcd with mar
BILE mosaic and wainscoted in quarter
sawed oak Everything about the place
was cosmopolitan and modern, from
| the convenient telegraph Office in the
corner to the suaye clerk, who might
have been a swift Importation from tile
best-appointed hosiery 10 New York.
| Glad to welcome you to A1iacoochee.
Mr.. Thorndyke, he said, Hospitality,
when Philip bad registered We're
little crowded tonight, but | can give
you good room on the second floor,
if that will answer
I'm not particular, so that its com
Portable" replied Thorndyke, glad to
have his forebodings dispelled. is
supper scrved?"
Dinner, if you please" corrected the
clerk, affably, summoning d call-boy.
SHOW Mr.. Thorndyke to his room-No.
49," And Philip followed his coffee-col-
ored guide to the elevator with an un-
comfortable conviction growing upon
him that he had somehow stamped him
self as provincial by suggesting supper
| instead of dinner.
The meal was excellent and well
served; and the comfort of his room,
after two weary nights in the sleep
| ing car. made Thorndyke late riser on
his first morning in Allacoochce After