River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-01-12

L L, "a
minute; l want to have talk
with you"
"All right, my lord" was the jocose
reply; I'm always at your disposal.
In another minute Phil had turned
down his trousers, lighted cigarette,
and, leaning back in a big armchair,
was waiting expectantly. l took off
my oyercoat, lighted my pipe, and, aft
er a preliminary cough, began:
Say, Phil-pardon my colossal nerve
but are you very fond of Alice Clarke
For a moment there was pause.
The very incandescent light seemed to
flicker in amazement; a mouse scam
pered across the floor abashed, and |
blushed inwardly at my own boldness.
Phil looked amazed for a moment,
knocked the ashes from his cigarette
and smiled very bland smile.
as this joke?'
''I'm in dead earnest
"Well, to be truthful, l think that
Alice Clark is a queen, but that's about
as far as it goes with me. We are old
friends, and good friends. You under
stand ?"
| heaved a little sigh of relief, took a
long inhalation of the subtle smoke and
said, very laconically: I'm glad of it. -"
"Why?" Phil asked.
"Well, n'importe; just follow me, /
replied, with a relieved and knowing
smile.
One August, when l was ten years
old, my old bachelor Uncle Bob,
great sufferer from hay fever, went up
to Macl1inac island, that haven for hay
feverites, and incidentally took me
with him for travelling companion.
Well, Phil, l was a 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 nal
de mer in its most hideous form,
caught me smoking a sly cigarette.
Really, l thought that he was going to
have the blind staggers or something
equally as horrible. After that | used
more discretion and fewer cigarettes
1.-TWO days after leaving home we
steamed up to the dock at Mackinac
Uncle Bob climbed out of his nest, and
after giving his wings a 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 Granl
hotel, grand only in proportions and
name. Here we engaged two rooms.
great sepulchral chambers, as gloomy
and hideously bare as a receiving vault
in a potters' field. The atmosphere
pervading the entire hotel was as
gloomy as our rooms, for a cold north
eastwind was blowing hard, enyeloping
everything in a dull, damp mist. wa
miserable. All day long | strolled
around those big yerandas, almost get
ting into fight with Reginald Snyder,
the son of a Detroit brewer; smoked a
sly cigarette and was terribly home
sick, until l cried myself to sleep at
night.
Il was standing one morning with
Uncle Bob on the hotel veranda, just in
front of the main entrance, as a very
swell-looking carriage drove up, and a
handsome woman, accompanied by her
little eight-year-old daughter and a
French maid, alighted and came up the
steps toward us. | was a rather blase
youth, but I'll bet my eyes popped out
at the sight Of that little girl She was
a perfect little princess; not one of the
seraphc kind, but a roguish-lOoking,
blonde haired little beauty, and her
mamma was a perfect queen. Before
could collect my senses this little party
of beauty had passed into the hotel.
Uncle Bob was yisibly affected but
was absolutely swept off my feet
After that ! began TO get pensive.
Instead of reading Nick Carter | read
'Anderson's Fairy Tales and imagined
myself saving my little princess from
all sorts of rufiiaus, giants and wild
beasts. | moped about the hotel pray
ing heaven earnestly for a chance 10
save her from some terrible calamity
and carry her trembling to her fond
mammals arms. | forgot that | was
wicked, and almost forsook Hoboken
Hank Uncle Bob thought that I had
reformed and consequently had much
peace for four or five days.
Not content with mopIng I devoted
myself to dress. and the time spent
tving my sashes and bows would have
been a credit TO Brummel used 70
wander around the hotel veranda when
the princess was strolling up and down
with her nurse or mamma every day
becoming more forlorn al discouraged
lest ! should never meet her But one
day success was mine. While walking
around corner Of the big veranda with
her nurse. a sharp gust of wind took the
princess little black hat and rapidly
whirIed il toward me, tumbing her
gold hair ruthlessly about. Picking up
the darling hat l darted forward. and
with a very stately bow. one I had been
practicing for three or four days,
presented il TO the little bluShing beau
". who gurgled out an abashed Thank
YOU The nurse laughed right heartily
al our juvenile Formally for fully d
minute, while the princess and waited
uneasilv. What is your name, little
man?' she asked. Willie Williams,
replied. with as much formality a:
possible. The nurse laughed again, bu'
very kindly this time. Then. making
plGNIul courtesy sdtG III 'ft4'''
Williams. my protege, Miss -. Blu
mustn't tell you the princess name
now; that would spoil the whole story
Anyway. we became the best of friends
Every afternoon we would stroll NJ
and down the hotel grounds or along
the beach; or. what was better. drive
around the island with mamma As
we were both disciples Of Hans Ander
son we used to have the finest Kline
of times talking about the miller
daughter who married the king. o.
about the poor Youngest son who Sc
out TO seek his fortune and met will
a good fairy in his rambles. Then tn
trips over TO Les CheneauX islands an'
St. Iguace were grand. Or these oc
casions l used to get terribly reckless
spending my ~aimes with careles
abandon that was highly amusing L
the queen One day | bought an In
dian doll, which ! presented to tn
princess with great gravity. This ais
was very amusing to the queen, ant
very pleasing. too, | guess. for sh
kissed me very heartily and told m
that I was a little gem. She was
beautiful woman.
. Aa had n O