Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1900-03-08
l met them one evening in the billiard

short fling in Honolulu. We sat on the
veranda talking south sea talk and
slapping at mosquitoes until we be-
came very thirsty. Then we went
down to the bar in the basement, and
when we had smoothed our Threats
with milk punch apiece we strolled
into the billiard room. There we saw
the three-Conway, the English
man; Mortimer the American. and
Hughes, the Canadian. Conway and
Mortimer were playing billiards.
and Hughes was playing critic, declar,
ing with frequent and unnecessary
emphasis that if poorer men with cue
lived he had never seen them.
| had heard of them before The
China boy who took care of my room
and examined all my property in minu-
test detail but never took anything.
had given me some hint of them, de-
claring with much display of the
whites of his eyes that they heap big
devils in their own countree." had
listened also to some hints from more
authentic sources, and hence viewed
the three with interest.
AS have said. Conway was English,
excessively English. may add, with
an air that would have become the
/ younger son of nobleman; Mortimer
talked much and loudly, and Hughes.
as became his Canadian birthright,
tried to look like an Englishman and
failed.
NV fvsiN F,sNr IrI NoI
nothing about these men, and they
failed to interest him. He leaned back
in his high chair and the milk punch
acting as becoming nightcap, fell fast
asleep. l sat beside him and kept my
eye on the billiard players and their
friend. Mortimer, true to his national
ity. was doing the most talking and in
nowise was loath to tell about himself
He was the son of rich merchant in
st. Louis. who. fearing that he was
falling into dissipated ways. had sent
him down to Honolulu, where he would
be out of the way of temptation.
"Out of the way of temptation" said
Hughes Good Lord!"
Then all three laughed, each in his
own fashion. and l, who knew Homo.
lulu so we'll, laughed also, though 81
lently. The big planter from Kauai
snored, and his sleeping face crinkled
into smile as if he were dreaming
that the price of raw sugar had gone
up cent a pound in the San Francisco
y market
could not help hearing what the
L so, ~.
an Thy should feel like an caves
1Sfr@Y for they talked to the uni
@wssyf which l was a humble part
@EN, it's failure" said Mortimer
srA's We his cue across his hand Its
3tried in the United States, and it
Mt work. It's too cheap and nasty
e want titles and decorations and
4 y of that sort, handles to their
n ~, something they can see and
A&aN Hpther people to see That's what
needs to rule with-hunks of
iM11at he can throw to the animals
WW and keep 'em quiet"
se right" said Conway. Eng
INows all about it. We tried
tIcy there once-Cromwells
tNEu hhoM. vie uldu Stllu lie WAS
M another, but wasn't. Crom-
st~Sde himself dictator Cromwell
SHeople must have kings and
Noack. Couldn't get along with
m Masses must have something
Mo- Couldn't bow to each other
Cyiing in France when Bonaparte
tster. Same thing will be every
nv think" said Hughes, '.how
much Is awaiting those in republican
countries who have the keenness to
foresee the result and the boldness and
the diligence to prepare for it!'
You mean that to the victor belong
the spoils-eh. Hughes. my boy?" said
Mortimer Il guess you've hit it, and
a man who thinks much of himself
ought to prepare for victory"
The assertions of the American inter-
ested me. 1t was commonplace for an
Englishman or IL Canadian to attack
democracy. though both live under it,
and praise the divine right of kings.
but never before had heard an Amer
lean do so.
But at this point the three ceased to
address the universe and talked only to
each other. That being the case, felt
that no longer had right to listen.
] walked up the planter from Kauai.
and we went off to bed just as the
three ordered cocktails-"an be sure
there is plenty of whisky in 'em. bar
keeper
The next morning my China boy
showed me a silver dollar Mortimer
the American, had given him as tip.
"He velly good man." he said, ringing
the coin to show that it was real. He
rich as mandarin" When went out
on the piazza. the three We're there, all
attired in white duck and bearing
themselves with the dignity of the
royal born. also sat OH the piazza.
which was not forbidden to plebeians,
and presently Hughes, who was the
least naughty of the three and content
at times to shine in the reflected light
of Conway, spoke to me.
Fine view," he said, pointing to the