The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1898-01-21


Whilo Nyo was not mountain man to
such an oXtcnt, there were frequent ocoa-
sions when he got into tho same horizon
WIN sam Davis, and when they associated
there were hot times i'm the old towns.
After Nyo had become famous and had
taken to lecturing he had an odd advcn-
ture with Davis, whom often before he
had met Joyously and parted from sadly
Davis was working on San Francisco
paper, and Nye, meeting him. asked if it
were true that ono could get royal ban
quot III tho Golden Gate town for the ri.
dlculous prices mentioned by men who
mad been there. Davis said the stories
werc ovordrawn, but still one could man
ago to exist OH what was set before him
even II he did not have a kegful of money
in his possession.
I'm tell you what" he said. "You
come along with me to dinner this even
ing ana III take you to rotisseric-ono
Oh these French restaurants, you know,
whcrc you can get something for 20 cents
or if you prefer "a 10 cent mcal:'-
II guess not" cried Nyc who was
spending Sl5 u day for being allowed to
breathe in tho Palace hotel. "A quarter
meals cheap enough
After they parted Davis hurried to one
of tho finest eating houses in all tho coast
country and had II brief but convincing
conversation with tho proprietor. IIo also
called in to his MD u man with whom no
Know Nyc had had some pleasant CORE
spondcncc and whom tho lccturing knight
desired to meet.
In tho evening the three gourmcts ap-
preached the lair of good eating. The
menu card was presented. 1t was about
as long as tho Canadian Pacific's time
table and mado mention of wonderful
,ipu1 Il,,t H.,
other San Franciscan behaved with ill
temper when they saw it. There was no
variety. 1t was no better than tho 10 cent
meals provided on Kcarncy street, and
here they wcro prepared to pay two bits
head. Finally these two impaticntly di-
rected tho walters to bring everything that
was on tho bill, and they would select
something fit to cat out of the lot Mr.
Nyc had very little hair but what he had
rose in Il spilky way.
DO you mean to say, " he gaspcd, tthat
the price of such meal rs you are order
ing is Il quarter
We'll, said Davis, i'll confusion, "of
course 10 cents would be about the right
price, but something seems to be wrong
with the chef today Try to make out a
little, and we'll 20 somcwh here else tomor.
row. am really filed with shame at
bringing you here to such IL poor, dismal
excuse for II dinner, but hadn't been in
here for month and didn't know il had
run down So
The two coastwisc men objected to
everything. 1t might be considered passa-
Die at IL 20 cent place, but at II shop where
the price was 20 cents it was incxcusahlc
Inc worst OF it was that thcy had Il guest
with them, and he would carry away a
poor opinion of San Francisco hospitality.
They called the proprietor over and forced
him to apologize to the visitor for the
wrctchcu food he had served Then Davis
PAID the checks, which were for % cents
apiece, and Nye nearly tainted whom the
cashier humbly thanked him.
Tho next day Nye slipped away from all
friendly hands and secretly went around
TO that restaurant He wanted to have
just one more of those stupcndous % cent
dinners. so he ordered about onc-third
what he had taken on the previous dny
Ihcrc $ no usc wasting food just because
1T Is provided SO generously and at such II
price, he reasoned. And he called for his
check.
somewhat to his surprise the chccl,
was for So 20
The Davis dinner had been nice. pleas
ant little prcarrangcd swintlc put lIp bv
Sam and his friend and the rcstauratcur
1T WAS the same Sam Davis who, pre-
vlotiS TO this, had been for one day chief
justice OF tho supreme court of the state
OF North Carolina, though he had never
been in North Carolina.
Going cast one winter the man from the
coast stopped off mt Laramie to renew his
troubles with Nyc, who WAS then Justice
OF the peace. The court was busy with Il
legal hearing, and when Davis appeared
III the doorway Nyo Immediately called
him forward.
'tIpntlpIp:In nf In, H.,
dressing the two attorneys. sit affords me
pleasure to Introduce Chief Justice With
crSpoun OF the North Carolina supreme
court. Judge, your arrival is most oppor-
tuilc ana want you To sit here with me
and advise neon this case. Join me on
the bench" Then i'll IL whisper, Back
me up, you outlaw, or I'll commit YOU 10:
ten days rs Il ragrlnt.'
Never WIS Il case argued with more Wig
or. ms was the first time these Wyoming
laWy crs had ever confronted Il real chief
Justice, and they made the most of it, At
intervals of about 80 minutes the eminent
forensic light from the south would re-
quest that the court be cleared so that he
might confer with his distinguished col
league, Judge Nyc, upon some abstrusc
point. Then, while the lawyers and Gthcrs
went down stairs by the front hallway
these two false prctcndcrs would retire bv
tho back stairway to the market of wet
merchandise. When the last attorney had
finished his Grafton. another conference
was held, after which Nyc calmly looked
down upon the litigants and said:
serious doubt has arisen. This is an
assault case such as / have frequently
dealt with for months past. | have fined
some defendants and released some But
lind am in the wrong. Judge Wither-
spoon tells mo that by the common law of