The Bourbon news., 1897-12-17
n0RHCf hnnfSLE1 VNCnELL:
Copyright. 1896. by ]. B. Lipp,ncost Col

courier in the world. The dame, how
ever, amused herself at my expense
upon several occasions. l ate a haggis
in Scotland, and some blutwurst in Ber-
lin; but. thanks to her, l listened to
Tannhauser at Bayreuth, saw the moon
rise out of the Adriatic at Venice, float
ed down the Danube from Vienna to Bu-
charest-an enchanting voyage-trav-
eled across Norway in d cariole, and
skated through Holland. Finally set
tied down in London to IS months hard
work as a journalist.
But the tramp fever was in my veins,
and the daughters of Themis had tan
gled skein to uaravel. Thus it came to
pass that in the spring of 81 regis
tered my name at the Acropolis hotel
of San Francisco. had passed leisure
| ly from state to state, and my small
caDital had assumed microscopical pro-
portions. With the exception of half a
dozen magazine articles-some of them
not paid for--I had done no work. But
l carried good letters of introduction,
had accumulated plenty of material,
and confronted the future with a grin
/
upon my face.
In this mood, looking at the world
through rose-colored goggles, 1 sat
down to breakfast upon the morning
succeeding my arrival at the Acropolis,
and picked up the morning paper. L
was carelessly scanning it's columns,
when the following advertisement met
my eye:
''Wanted-A young, strong, healthy
man, graduate of university preferred,
who must be an athlete, scholar, and
gentleman. Large salary to right
mali. Apply Omega, between the
hours of ten and eleven, at the Consoli-
dated savings bank"
Reading these lines, 1 speculated
in regard to the number of young men
| in California who would consider them
selves eligible candidates for the Large
salary" and, pursuing this train of
thought, l reflected that it might be
amusing to present myself between the
hours of ten and eleven at the Consoli-
dated savings bank.
Accordingly l did so.
1t was the qualification of an absurd
whim (unless we take into considera-
ton the daughters of Themis), but it
! involved me in an amazing adventure.
To my infinite surprise, the bank was
not surrounded by crowd of athletes;
and the cashier informed me, with
silky smile, that Omega was within and
! alone.
'The San Francisco youth" said 1,
''must be singu!arly modest"
admirable Crichtons," he rejoined,
''are scarce as black tulips. Do under
stand, sir, that you are an Applicant"
| Up to this moment had not cons;d-
| cred this very obvious question. None
the less replied promptly: yes"
He looked me up and down, a queer
smile curling his lips. Then he held
out his hand for my card.
My name," replied lightly, 'is-Al-
pha."
The cashier nodded pleasantly, and
disappeared. When he returned, after
an absence of ten minutes, his smile
was still more accentuated.
Omega" he murmured, SIS in the
presidents private room. Kindly fol-
low me-
L obliged him, and found myself in
flating my chest and squaring my
shoulders. Upon such occasions man
wishes to cut as fine a figure as pos
s.Dle, and I'll confess that the enigmatic
smile of the cashier piqued me not a
little. Feeling that 1 had embarked
upon FOOLS errand, 1 followed my
guide down a corridor and into hand
| some room.
At a large desk was a small man,
out of whose dried-up, wrinkled, pock-
marked face cleaned a remarkable
pair of eyes. The owner of these
waved me TO a chair. l bowed and sat
down.
MIR"
alpha"
'Mr. Alpha, let me give you my
card"
Upon it was engraved a we'll
known name-Mark Gerard. l has
tened to return the compliment.
"Ah-Livingston. Yes, yes; son of
Hugo Livingston"
II am"
university manp"
yale"
''An athIete?'
81 played right tackle on the foot
ball team, and 1 hold the amateur rec
ord for putting the shot"
The man of millions lay back in his
padded chair and half shut his eyes.
From beneath puffy lids he scrutinized
me sharply, stroking the while an i'm
perial which sprouted sparsely upon
pointed chin.
"And your scholarship, sir?"
Il must refer you to the faculty"
He grunted approval.
How are you fxed-financially?
Two hundred and fifteen dollars and
thirty-five cents makes up the sum
total of my capital"
"Ahem! and a stranger to our city.
Well, Mr.. Livingston" Re chucklcd
softly, I'll strain point ard be per-
] foPf1U franl- with