Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1899-02-17
A RESURRECTION OF
ROYALTY.
"CAY, Phil, come into NV study
By Hayward Fl Konaa,,

'Sn'' my lord, was the iocose
Tepiyi I'm always at your disposal
In another minute Phil had turned
down his trousers, lighted cigarette
anu leaning back in big armchair,
was waiting expectantly. l took off
my overcoat, lighted my pipe, and, aft
er . preliminary cough, began:
Say, Phil-pardon my colossal nerve
-outa are you very fond of Alice Clarke"
For moment there was a pause.
he very incandescent light seemed to
h'cker IN amazement; mouse scam
pered across the floor abashed. and |
olushed inwardly at my own boldness.
fhil looked amazed for moment,
knocked the ashes from his cigarette
ana smiled very bland smile.
rs this joker"
I'm in dead earnest"
well, to be truthful, I think tina,
Alice Clark is queen, but that's about
as far as it goes with me. We are old
friends, and good friends. You under
siaud?'
| heaved little sigh of relief, took a
long inhalation of the subtle smoke and
said, very laconcally: "I'm glad of it,"
''Why?" Phil asked.
well, n'importe; just follow me-"
replied, with a relieved and knowing
smile.
One August, when was ten years
old, my old bachelor Uncle Bob,
great sufferer from hay fever, went up
TO Mackinac island, that haven for hay
feverites, and incidentally took me
with him for a'travelng companion.
Well, Phil, was star! Poor Uncle
Bob was relieved of his hay fever, but
almost contracted paresis worrying
over me. In the first place, it was devil
ish rough on Lake Huron, and Uncle
Bob, besides being afflicted with mai
de mer in its most hideous form.
caught me smoking sly cigarette.
Really, thought that he was going 10
have the blind staggers or something
equally as horrible. After that useI
more discretion and fewer cigarettes
"Two days after leaving home we
steamed up to the dock at Mackinac.
Uncle Bob climbed out of his nest, and
inter giving his wings preliminary
flap or two, grabbed me by the hand
and toted me ashore into that unholy
mass Of noisy porters, scottish Indians,
drunken cabmen and fippant hotel
Mattresses that surrounded the gang
plank. Uncle Bob picked out re-
spectacle looking cabby, who drove us
in his ancient carriage to the Grand
hotel, grand only in proportions and
name. Here we engaged two rooms.
great sepulchral chambers, as gloomy
and hideously bare as receiving vaul.
in q potters' field. The atmosphere
pervading the entire hotel was as
gloomy as our rooms, for cold north
eastwind was blowing hard, enveloping
everything in dull, damp mist. wa
miserable. All day long | strolled
around those big verandas, almost get
ting into fight with Reginald Snyder,
the son OF Detroit brewer; smoked a
sly cigarette and was terribly home
sick, until cried myself TO sleep at
night.
81 was standing one morning with
Uncle Bob on the hotel veranda, just in
front of the main entrapce, as Il very
swell-looking carriage drove up, and a
handsome woman, accompanied by her
little eight-year-old daughter and
French maid, alighted and came up the
steps toward us. was rather blase
youth, but I'll bet my eyes popped out
at the sight of that little girl. She was
perfect little princess; not one of the
seraphic kind, but roguish-looking,
blonde-haired little beauty, and her
mamma was perfect queen. Before |
could collect my senses this little party
OF beauty had passed into the hotel.
Uncle Bob was visibly affected, but
was absolutely swept off my feet
"After that / began to get pensiye
Instead of reading Nick Carter read
'Anderson's Fairy Tales and imagined
myself saving my little princess from
all sorts of rufllans, giants and wild
beasts. | moped about the hotel pray
ing heaven earnestly for chance to
save her from some terrible calamity
and carry her trembling to her fond
mammals arms. l forgot that / was
wicked, and almost forsook Hoboken
Hank. Uncle Bob thought that ] had
reformed, and consequently had much
peace for four or five days.
mot content with moping, devoted
myself to dress, and the time spent
tying my sashes and bows would have
been a credit TO Brummel used to
wander around the hotel veranda when
the princess was strolling up and down
with her nurse or mamma, every day
Incoming more forlorn ad discouraged
lest I should never meet her. But one
day success was mine. While walking
around a corner of the big veranda with
her nurse, sharp gust of wind took the
nrincess' little black hat ard rapidly
wbirled il toward me, tumbling her
gold hair ruthlessly about. Picking up
the darling hat darted forward, and
with very stately bow. one had been
nrac,icipg for three or four days, i
presented it to the little blushing beau
~. who gurgled out an abashed THANK
Won, The nurse laughed right heartily
At our juvenile formolity for fully a
minute. while the princess and waited
pneasily. What is your name, little
mari, she asked. Willie Williams
replied. with as much formality as
noss;ble The nurse laughed again, bu'
yery kindly this time. Then, making l,,
nIayful courtesy. said: Mr.. Wine
Williams. my protege. Miss = Bu'
mustn't tell you the princess name
now; that would spoil the whole Story !,
Anyway. we became the best Of frlends
every afternoon we would stroll u.
and down the hotel grounds or along
- haaob. or what was better. drive