The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-10-27

said "Thc feller 'ct plays horn" The
lpafers sitting In front OF the general
store expectorated. To ask questions
would mean cxcrtion. Besides, given
proper time. "Thc. teller let plays horn
would continue. Look at that street."
he said, pointing down the single thor
uughfarc of Baskerville, Posey county.
Indiana. There isn't soul In sight
from one end of 1t to the other. a man
nigh, as well be in the middle Of the
Desert OF sahara!"
The loafers turned, each from the
waist timing the movement with de-
liberation that did not do violence to the
rs.ful atmosphere engendered by to-
bacco chewing and inherent lassltude,
and gazed with something Of surprised
expectancy down the sleepy length OF
the familiar street. !,
Blu, to them It did not communicate
the same drear. nerve breaking mono
tony with which. Its sight afflicted THE
felcr 'et plays horn" For they had
seen it emerge into being from out Of
the barrenness Of the bottom lands, and
to them 1t teemed with events, and as
socIa,ions, and memories. Then they
remembered with a sort of pity that he
had only been among them for a short
time, and that to him the sweetness Of
BessiGville folk lore must ever be seal-
cd book. He was "city4fellcr." and
the sedatc eyed yokcls regarded him
with the patient patronage Of the steady
going farm horse for his brilliant
brother of the racing ring.
But THE Teller ct plays horn" be-
longed to them In way. Originally he
had come up from Louisville, or some
where, to teach the band. In point Of
style and elegance he dressed as no man
had ever dressed in Bassieville before.
and every maiden in the village, Of
whatever age or make OF face, assem-
bled at the small postoificc building at
10 each morning, for at that hour punct-
ually Dick Raymond. or, as he had been
chrIstened In the crisp colloqula!ism of
Indiana. 1.-THE teller ct plays horn" was
known to saunter forth from the Cen
trail House TO get his mail.
Perhaps 1t was his manner of rcceiv-
Ing mall more than his dress, that first
caused sensation. Heretofore. people
had received stray and sundry letters,
poslals and county papers with the rev.
erence and humility BETTING the receipt
OF gifts from God. through the agency
OF the government. And the postmas-
ter, conceitcd old bundle of incompe-
tcncy, was treated with degree OF awe
most un-American
Dick Raymond had changed all this.
Old Brown did not relish the extra ex-
ertion enta!led by the crowd Of girls
which Raymonds coming always
brought to the Office, and one morning
he snarled. "Nothin' for ye," without
looking in the box. Then followed such
Z calling down" as Old Brown had
never dreamed Of. He was compelled
to look in the box. carefully, and at
once, and threatened with so many
kinds of report and exposure, in such
clear, concise and, cutting tones that the
startled old man imagined the glinting
eyes outside the "Gln-ral D'liv'ry" hole
belonged. by some retrlbutive freak OF
fate. to postmaster general himself
He searched again with trembling
hands, and to his horror found letter
he had overlooked. a letter with n pic
;uEc OF q marvelously high hotel on onI
corner and addressed in cold, hard type.
writing to Richard Raymond. Esq.
His incoherent apology was nipped In
the bud by naughty glance from Ray
mond as the latter took the magnificent
letter with coolest unconcern. and pass
ed out from among the admiring maid
ems. with u princely sang froid. causing
their hearts to cease beating In very
ecstasy. and then resume with 4 rapidl-
ty equaled only by that with which the
news OF Old Browns downfall Travelled
to the uttermost borders Of Baskerville.
Even big Jim Clifford. who had shown
tendency to avoid Raymond from the
iirst, and who had resigned from the
band shortly after the arrival! of tho
new teacher. admitted generously tina,
The fellcr 'et plays bora" was Il
''ccrker."