Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-06-27
A RHINE STORY.

The Misses Ladford walked across
the road from the German station to
the small hotel.
"And now," complained the elder
Miss Ladford, "Isuppose we shall have
more unintel1igible argument at this
ridiculous hotel. Not a soul to speak
English or French, and'-
ave shall manage" said her young
sister, hopefully. The porter carrying
their luggage pushed open the door, and
they stepped into a big, square room,
with a pewter covered bar at the side.
A few men were playing with grubby
cards in a corner. The proprietor
shuff1ed forward and took his pipe from
his month reluctantly.
"Bah!' cried the elder Miss Ladford.
"That's not German" remarked her
young sister cheerfully. "Kellner, Elm
thinner"
If young Miss Ladford had known
the German for hotel proprietor, she
would not have called him a waiter. 1t
was unfortunate, because the proprie-
tors brow clouded ut the word "kell-
ner, and he appeared to be ~instruoting
the porter to take the luggage outside.
The two ladies stared at each other dis.
tressedly.
"Can / be of any use?"
"Mr. Wallis!" cried the young sister
delightedly.
"Mr. Wallis" remarked Miss Lad
ford d~istantly.
In a few words the young man ex-
planned everything to the offended hotel
proprietor; in a few more words he in
formed the ladies that he, too, had ar
rived by the train from Berlin, and
that, finding the last train for Luxem-
bourg had gone, he had said a few
words
II am glad you did that" said Miss
Ladford.
and had come straight across to
the hotel. Mr.. Mark Wallis further
mentioned that he had ordered supper
for one; while the ladies were up stairs
be would amend the order and make it
supper for three. A stout, apple faced
maid appeared and prepared to conduct
them stolidly up the broad wooden
staircase to their room.
"Mr. Wallis" said Miss Ladford,
I'VE quarreled, I'm afraid, at Bal
reuth.'
"No, no." replied the young man,
flushing. "Don't dignity u argument
to that extent. 1t was a mere difference
Of opinion" He glanced at the young
sister, who was following the apple
checked maid.
"You made some unkind remarks in
your journal last winter about my play
Ing, and I felt bound to tell you that I
resented those criticisms. We had been
good friends too"
IT tried to be fair, Miss Ladford. !
had every reason not to be unkind."
EVERY ~reason?"
"Every reason"
She hesitated a moment and then held
out her hand.
"shall we forget all about it, Mr..
Wallis?"
ut will give me great pleasure, !" said
the young man earnestly. And, being
In a foreign land where courtly acts can
be done without creating derision, he
lifted her gloved hand and kissed it.
Such a supper party that night in tho
bare boarded dining Of the sleepy
little hotel at Karthaus, and such de.
termination on Mark Wallis part to
propitiate Miss L~adford-so much gen.
eral good humor indeed that the chrome
Of the Emperor William on the walls
stared as though half inclined to assume
that the laughter approached leze ma
jesty. Even the apple checked servant
became infected by the general gayety
and served the dishes with positive
cheerfulness crowning the evening,
when supper was over and Mark Wallis
had lighted q cigar and had said good
aight, by remarking Gas she took the two
pairs Of shoes from the tired young wo-
men and closed their door, in a conf1den-
tial whisper, Earring oross!'' and dis
appeared with the air Of one who has
laid q raassuring and a comforting word
to English women in a strange land.
"He improves on acquaintance, " rs.
marked Miss Ladford.
"Who, dear?"
"Why, Mr.. Wallis. Of course"
"Ohr'
II disliked him extremely when !
net him at first"
because Of that noticea"
"That was the principal cause"
"Musical critics, = said the younger
lady casually, "hxve q hard task to per.
lorm."
"And some q them hardly perform
Il. But I'm quite sure now, dear, that
Mr.. Wallis did not mean to be unfair"
Miss Ladford went IN argumentatively,
as though trying to persuade her youn-
ger sister to abandon an indefensible po-
Jition in the debate. $50 much depends,
Alice, on the point OF view In these
matters. Mark Wallis being 90 strong
: Mozart worshiper, you see, he natu-
rally enough
IFS MI. Wallis going BY our train in
lhs morningr"
~ hope 20, " cail Miss Ladford.
you have changed war opinion.