St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1899-02-25
ONE. DOLLAR PER YEAR.
This was overriding the honors.

This was overriding the honors.
Alonzo couldn't understand it.
Thanks, mistah," he said, as he
reached out and took a long, black
cigar, with d blue label. Il bettah wait
awhile befo' smoke it"
As you please, as YOU please" said
the stranger. And now what is your
name 2"
35s Ny name s Alonzo Bunkah, mistah." !"
''AIonzo Bunker,aeh? That's a very
good name. You should b. proud Of it
and of your race. am very happy to
make your acquaintance 1t is proba-
BILE that shall be here at the hotel for
several days perhaps, a week. Will
you be here every day?a
sss Yes. sab. cert'ny will.'
I "That's good. i may need your
services occasionally and believe that
I can trust. you. While am staying
here, no one but you must be allowedto
come into this room and you are not
to go beyond that curtain or attempt
to see what is behind it, unless I give
you permission. Do you understand ?"
Eyes, sab. Itnevah bothahs anyway"
t'If you bother here, it will go hard
with you.' He gave Alonzo fierce
look and the colored boy squirmed-
Remember, also, that you are the only
one who is to be allowed in this room" !"
"Yes, sab, mistah. but bout the
chambahmaid? ?"
= II can make my own bed. She keeps
out! You see that ! get some thing, to
eat. Open the door and put it inside,
but if you attempt
81 won't, mistah, I won'ti' and he
meant every word of it, for by this
time Alonzo was convinced that some
kind of hoodoo was Gagged on the
other side of the curtain and this long
haired man was the keeper. ~
For the next three days Mr.. Horatio
Gillespie kept to his room. His meals
were sent up to him. Alonzo would
carry the tray into the room, set it
down on chair and walk out on tip
toe. The chambermaid raped at the
door once or twice and demanded adj
mission. but she was repulsed so
fercely that she became frightened
and decided to stay away altogether
until the mysterious stranger left the
hotel.
Alonzo became well acquainted with
Mr.. Gillespie. Three or four times
every day the bell would ring and the
boy would go in to receive another
quarter or a long cigar.
Mr.. Gillespie did not tell what was
behind the screen, but he spoke Of his
work" once or twice and limited that
in all probability he would be a rich
man some day and would want a good
eolored man to travel with him and
order his meals for him. Alonzo could
imagine himself riding in Pullman
car. Once or twice he suspected that
Mr. Gillespie had an object in view
while holding out all these glittering
inducements, but he couldn't imagine
what it was.
On the fourth day he found out. Mr..
Gillespie rang for him and when he
went in he found the mysterious stran-
ger very much agitated.
"Ah, here you are, Mr.. Bunker" he
said. II am glad to see you"
!. 1t was, the Mr.. Bunker that had
won Alonzo.
Yes, sab, what can Ido TO- your"
ST have a slight favor to ask. VIII
you please put on this belt?''
So saying. he produced stoutleather
belt with an iron ring fastened at the
back of it. e
What is 1t fo'?" asked Alonzo, gaz-
ing at it curiously.
"I'lI explain later. Put IL on"
/ Mr.. Gillespidsbuckled the belt around
AIonzo and said: aCome on" He lifted
the white sheet, and Alonzo caught
glimpse of some kind Of machine with
wheels and cogs. t
Look heah, mistah"a, he began.
Its all right, said Mr.. Gillespie, pat
ting his arm and soothing him. .'Iwant
you to tell me what this building is
oyer here"
Alonzo craw1ed under the sheet and
Mr.. Gillespie to the window.
What buildin', boss ~
Mr.. Gillespie's reply was to seize the
1nsuspecting colored youth and throw
him out of the window!
Alonzo gave one shrek Of mortal ter
ror as he felt himself falling.
Suddenly he was pulled back with a
Jerk, then he whirled around and
around in the air. and moment later
the people in the street far below
looked up to see a dark object coming
lown the side of the hotel building.
It was hanging at the end of q rope. 1t
was Alonzo.
When he landed on the sidewalk he
vas blue around the eyes, but unhurt.
He sat up and looked around him.
What's the matter?" asked half
lozen people at once, all fecking
around him.
,Alonzo could not speak. "A crowd
yathered. Suddenly, a tall, Iong-haired
nan rushed out OF the hotel, and,
,reaking through the group, said:
It's all right, ladies and gentlemen,
il right! Mr.. Bunker has been gas
listing me in the frst public test OF
Providential Fire-Escape. 7
would have come down myself, but
lad to stay up on the fifth floor to
watch the machinery. Mr.. Bunker
idn't know that he was going to as
ist me in the experiment, SO he was
aturally a little nervous when I
,ushed him out of the window. /
idn't dare to tell him what was go
ng to do or he wouldn't have started.
complete success
own from Che fifth floor without a
cratch. u cauIdn, L test nv continuance