The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-17

III man > A1Ais1160 -
"How do you come 10 be holding a job on
this road? An Englishmen?" demanded
Lorry. He looked anything but English.
I'm not an Englishman." said the guard,
flushing slightly. My names Sticky, and
I'm an American, sir
"An American exclaimed Lorry. Sticky
grew IOquacious.
Sure 1 used to be a sailor on a United
States man-o'-war. a couple of years ago 1
got into trouble down at Constantinople and
had to get out of de service. After dat 1
drifted up dis way and went to railroadin'.."
He hadn't exactly the manner Of a man-of-
warsman.
How long have you been on this a
asked Grenfall.
Bout a year, L should tink. Been on dis
branch only two months, dough"
Are you pretty well acquainted in Edel-
weiss?'
"Oh, 1 run in dere every other day-in an
out ag'in. It's a fine place-purtiest you
ever saw in your life. The town runs right
up the mountain to the tip-top, where the
monks are-clear up in d. clouds. Dey say it
SHOWS UP dere almost all d. time
Later on. from the loquacious guard. the
two Americans learned quite a good bit
about the country and city to which they
were going. His knowledge was somewhat
limited along certain lines, but quite clear
as to others.
IBIS Graustark, s fer as 1 know, is eeder
a sort O. state or something belongin' to de
umpire, governed by it's own rulers. Edel-
weiss is de capital, d. big guns of d. land
lives dere. I've walke out and saw d. castle
where d princess and d royalty hangs out.
n Dn1N1a @naaI N 1anCrYnno. nf dow NY
and l can't get next to a ting dey say. But
once in a while you find some guy dat talks
French or German. Dey've got a little
standin' army of two tree t'ousand men an
dey've got de hottest uniforms you ever did
see-red an black an gold. 1 don't see why
d. United States can't get UP somethin'
foxy fer her soldiers to wear. Had a war
over here not long ago, 1 understand
somethin' like ten or fifteen years ago.
Dere's another little country up north of
Graustark, and dey got in a wrangle bout
somethin'. and dey tell me in Edelweiss dat
for bout a year dey fought like Sam
Patch"
Which was victorious" demanded Lor-
~, deeply interested.
I'm not sure. To hear a. Edelweiss peo-
pie talk you'd t'ink dey licked d daylights
Out ~ u OlntI SlODSs DAS oOlACAAO" Il SUI
next to d. fact dat dem other fellows cap
tured de city an went after a slashin' big
war indemnity. 1 don't know much bout it,
an maybe I'm clear off but 1 t'ink d Graus-
tark army was t'rashed. Every ting is
prosperous now, dough, an you'd never
know dere'd been a war. It's d most peace
able o l ever saw
did you ever hear of the Guggenslock-
---Dss - II so--o--sAI1 -1,,,- nn1
Lorry felt like kicking him.
'In Edelweiss? Never did. Friends of
yours?"
"Acquaintances,'' interposed Lorry, has
tily, ~frowning at Anguish.
you won't have any trouble findin' 'em
If dere anybody at ALL" said Sticky, easily.
D. hotel people ought to be able to tell you
all bout EN-"
by the way, what is the best hotel
there?" asked Anguish.
"Dere's d Burnowentz, one block north OF
d. depot. "The travellers looked at one an
other and smiled, Sticky observing the ac-
ton. oh" he said, pleasantly, "dere's a
swell joint uptown called d Regengetz. It's
too steep fer me, but maybe you gents can
stand it. If you'll hang around d depot fer
a little while after we get in I'll steer you
up dere."
We'll make it worth your while, Sticky"
said Lorry.
Never mind dat. now. Americans ought
to stick together, no matter where dey are.
Wen have a drink an ats all, just to
show we're fellow-countrymen."
Wen have several drinks, and we'll eat
and drink tonight at the swell joint you
talk about" said Anguish.
may drink dere, but I'll not eat dere.
Dey wouldn't let a railroad guard inside de
feedin' pen. Why, nothin' but royal guys
eat dere when dey're down town shoppin'
or exposin' themselves TO public gaze"
True to his word, when they reached
Edelweiss late in the afternoon Sticky, their
friend of uncertain origin. hurriedIy finished
up his work and joined the travellers in the
station. Lorry and Anguish were deeply in
terested in all they saw, the strange people,
the queer buildings, the odd costumes and
the air of antiquity that prevailed. Once
upon the narrow, clean street they saw tina
Edelweiss was truly a city Of the mountain
side. They had expected something wonder
full, but were not prepared for what they
found. The city actually ran up into the
clouds. There was something so grand, so
improbable, so unusual In the spectacle con-
fronting them that they stared like chill
dren, aghast and stupefied. Each had the
startling impression that a great human
dotted mountain was falling over upon his
head; 1t was impossible to subdue the SEN
sation of dizziness that the topping town
inspired.
II know how you feel" observed Sticky,
laughing. II was just d. same at first. To-
morrow you walk a little ways up d. side
of d. mountain an you'll see how much of
d. city dere is on level ground down here.
fftieth part of d town. Dey're mostly sum-
mer homes. 1t gets hot as blazes down here
I'm d. valley in d. middle of d. summer and
d rich ones move up d. mountain
How in thunder do people get up TO and
down from those houses?' demanded An
guish.
Mules" answered Sticky, specifically.
Say! See dat little old Teller comm on
horseback-wid d. white uniform? We'll,
OATS de chief OF police. an d. fellers be-
hind him arc police guards. Ats old Dan
gloss himself. He's a peach, dey say"
\ short. grizzly-faced man, attired in a
white uniform with red trimmings, followed
by three men similarly CARRIED, rode by. 60
ing in the direction OF the passenger station.
Dangloss, as Sticky had called him, was
quite small in stature, rather stout. gray
bearded and eagle-nosed. His face was
keen and red, and not at all the kind to in
wife familiarity. As he passed them the
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